Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-04-29

ONE OF THE BOWIEs,

OF THE BOWIES.
HIS MOTHER SAID, "JlM NEVER DIED
W,rH A WOUND IN HIS cscK."
How the Famous Fighter Once Protected
. Preacher and Aided the First Profess
tant Church In Texas-One Of the Des-
perate Trio In the Alamo.
One fine summer morning in 1S33-the ;
year that Santa Anna seized the presi-
denoy Of the new republic of Moxioo-a !
small party Of horsemen crossed the sa-
bine river about 60 miles from its mouth
and entered Texas territory. Most of them
were clad In buckskin and armed with
rifle, pistol and knife-a rough, deter
mined looking crowd, with two notable
exceptions, one clean shaven, dark skin"
ned, with q bright, restless eye that scan
ned the woods constantly, as if in search Of
an enemy, and the other q small, mild man.
nered man, whose general appearance be-
tokened the preacher. These two were rid
ing in front, talking earnestly Of tho con
vention which had just been held Mt San
Felipe dc Austin and Of tho possibility
that Texas might ono day become an in
dependent state. Suddenly some one in
the party behind them started q song with
q memorable chorus:
When other states reject us,
This is the one that always takes us.
From that jingling rhyme some dorivo
the name "TeSas." Certain it is that this
great, now land took in and sheltered
many a fugitive "who left his country for
his country's good" That prince OF pi-
rates Laftte had sailed away from Calves
ton ten years before, and his thousand
| freebooters were scattered to tho four
| winds, but crowds of adventurous from all
| parts Of the world wore pouring in, with
| many of tho better class, to swell the tide
Of Texas immigration.
The little band logged or and finally
reached the municipality of San Angus
tine, then q mere collection of rude log
huts, with one or two adobe structures
built by Spanish missionaries. Hero tho
preacher posted a notice that the Rev.
Henry Stephenson of the Methodist de-
nomination would hold a meeting in the
evening. At tho hour named tho house
was crowded to o%verilowing with rough,
desperate men, oil armed and ready for
any fun or fray that might arise on such q
novel occasion. The minister give out a
hymn, and it was sung with spirit. Then
came the text, but not another word would
the crowd hear. They hooted and yelled,
shot off their pistols, crowed and braycd
in derision. The tulnult was deafening.
The quiet little preacher stood his ground
bravely, though in his heart wishing he
were well ou1 of it. With difficulty his
travelling companion forced his way to the
front, still carrying his rifle, and q huge
knife in his belt. The wild cheer that
broke from tho crowd sounded in the cars
of tho preacher, now thoroughly alarmed,
like tho hcwls of Il pack of wolves or the
yells of Indians hungry for scalps. But
instead Of jumping upon him this strange
man, with restless eyes flashing and long
black hair streaming over his shoulders,
jumped on n bench, and, throwing his
hat to tho ground, shouted in IL stcntorian
voice: "Mcn, this man has come to preach
to you! You need preaching to, and I'll
be 49, if he shan't prench'to you! The
next man who disturbs him shall fight me.
My lame is Jim Bowic!'
The effect was magical. With quiet, re.
spectful attention tho rough audience lis
tened to tho Sermon, joined heartily in the
closing hymn. and not u few persons came
up W olJthh lttlIV GIlO 44UUAC llull tllu
apologize for the rough reception they had
given him. A month later ut tho first
camp meeting ever held in Texas, some of
them became members of tho church, and
in 1888 the cornerstone of the first Prot.
estant house Of worship in the republic
was laid in San Augustine.
The MAJ whose timely aid proved SO ef-
fective was Colonel James Bowie, and the
knife In his belt was the noted "bowio
knife" given to him by his brother, Rein
P. Bowie. 1t was made of a largo flo,
strong, of admirable temper, and gavo its
name to a family of terrible weapons not
yet extinct. Crockett met Bowio for the
first timo in the Alamo, and he writes in
his journal: "Whilc we were conversing
Colonel Bowie had occasion to draw his
famous knife, II l wish l may be shot if
the bare sight Of it wasn't enough to give
a man Of Il %squealnish stomach the collie.
He saw I was admiring it and said he,
Colonel, you might tickle a fellow g rib
q long timo with this before you'd make
him laugh"
Brave, generous, determined and enter.
prising, James Bowie sought adventure for
its hazards, and he was naturally among
tho first to take up arms for Texas indie
pendcnce. Three more desperate men were
never brought together than Travis,
Crockett and Bowie as they took their
last stand within the walls of the Alamo.
Sick and helpless in bed on that last tor.
rible day, Jim Bowie died fighting. AS q
Mexican ran forward to kill him he reused
himself by a supreme effort, caught his
assailant by the hair, plunged the fatal
knife into his heart and fell back dead.
When the story Of his death was told to
his old mother in Louisiana, she said, 81
ain sure Jim never died with a wound in
hts back" and with q quiet smile turned
again to her household duties H
Vile (Tex.) Prison Bulletin.
After the Concert.