Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1898-06-17
JIM BOWIE's KNIFE.
HOW THE BOLD FRoNTlERsMAN
PROTECTED A PREACHER


History Of the weapon wien which His
Name Is So Intimately Associated-
Last Scene at the Alamo Ills Mothers
Tribute to His bravery.
One fine summer morning In 1888
the year that Santa Anna seized the
Presidency of the new Republic Of Mex
ico-a small party OF horsemen crossed
the Sabine River about sixty miles
from its mouth, and entered Texas
territory. Most of them we're clad in
buckskin and armed with rifle, pistol
and knife-a rough, determined-look
ing crowd, with two notable exceptions
one clean-shaven, dark-skinned, with
a bright, restless eye that scanned the
woods constantly, as if in search of an
enemy the other a small, mildman
nered man, whose general appearance
betokened the preacher. These two
were riding in front, talking earnestly
of the convention which had just been
held at San Felipe de Austin and of
the possibility that Texas might one
day become an Independent State. Sud
denly some one in the party behind
them started a song with a memorable
chorus:
When the other States reject us,
This is the one that always takes us"
From that jingling rhyme some de-
rive the name Texas" Certain 1t is that
this great, new land took in and shell
tered many a fugitive who left his
country for his country's good" That
prince of pirates Lafitte had sailed
away from Galveston ten years before,
and his thousand freebooters were scat
tered to the four winds, but crowds Of
adventurers from all parts of the world
were pouring in, with many of the bet
ter class to swell the tide of Texas i'm
migration.
The little band logged on, and final
ly reached the municipality of San Au-
gustine, then mere collection of rude
log huts, with one or two adobe struc-
lures built by the Spanish missionaries
Here the preacher posted a notice that
the Rev. Henry Stephenson, of the
Methodist denomination, would hold a
meeting in the evening. At the hour
named the house was crowded to over
flowing with rough, desperate men, all
armed and ready for any fun or fray
that might arise on such novel occa-
sion. The minister gave 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
brayed in derision. The tumult was
deafening. The little, quiet preacher
stood his ground bravely, though in
his heart wishing he were we'll out of
IT, With difficulty his travelling com
panion forced his way to the fl ont.
still carrying his rifle, and huge knife
In his belt. The wild cheer that broke
from the crowd sounded in the ears of
the preacher-now thoroughly alarmed
like the howls of 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 a bench
and, throwing his hat to the ground,
shouted ip a stentorian voice: Men.
this man has come to preach to you!
You need preaching to, and I'll be -
If he shan't preach to you. The next
man who disturbs him shall fight me.
My name is Jim Bowiei"
The effect was magical With quiet.
respectful attention the rough audience
listened to the sermon, Joined heartily
in the closing hymn, and not a few of
them came up to shake hands with the
little man and apologize for the rough
reception they had given him. A month
later, at the first camp-meeting ever
held in Texas, some of them became
members of the church, and in 1888 the
cornerstone of the first Protestant
house of worship in the Republic was
laid in San Augustine
The man whose timely aid proved so
effective was Colonel James Bowie. and
the knife in his belt was the noted
bowie knife" given to him by his
brother Rein P. Bowie It was made of
large file, strong, of admirable temper
and gave its name to a family of ter
rible weapons not yet extinct. Crock
EFT met Bowie for the first time in the
Alamo, and he writes in his Journal:
While we were 'onversing Colonel
Bowie had occasion to draw his IA
nous knife. and l wish may be shot
If the bare sight of it wasn't enough to
give man of a squeamish stomach the
collie. He saw was admiring it, and
said he, Colonel, you might tickle a
fellows ribs a long time with this be-
fore you'd make him laugh
Brave. generous, determined and en-
terprising. James Bowie sought adven-
ture for its hazards, and he was natur-
ally among the first to take up arms
for Texas independence Three more
desperate men were never brought to-
gether 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 terri
BILE day, Jim" Bowie died fighting. As
u 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 am sure Jim never died with
a wound in his back" and with a quiet
smile turned again to her household
duties.