EDITORIAL LIFE IN THE FAR WEST.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 159, 8 July 1870, Page 4

EDITORIAL LIFE IN THE FAR WEST.

-.:.-■ a '-L^—vr—' . ..*,,, A correspondent tof an English, paper thus ; describes a visit to the sanctum of the editior of the Morning Glory and Johnson County War W&oop,, to whom he was about to apply for,. employ ment. The applicant wps first set to writing an article on, the " Spirit of . the Tennessee Press" which however did .not meet with the entire approval of the. editor who commenced to make certain alterations and while thus engaged some one shot at him through the open window, aud marred the symmetry of his ear. "Ab," said he "that is the scoundrel Smith of the Moral Volcano — he was due yesterday." He snatched a revolver from his belt, and fired. Smith dropped, shot in the thitrh. This spoiled Smith's aim. who was just taking a second chance, and be crippled a stranger. It was me, Mt rely a finger shot off. Then the ehfef editor went on witb his erasures and interlineations, and just as he bad finished them, a hand grenade came down the stove pipe and the explosion shivered the stove into a thousand fragments. Takiug no notice of this trifling accident he handed back my manuscript (says the narrator) with the remark, "Now, here is the way you should write." I took the manuscript wbich now read as follows : — -'That degrading ruffian Baseon, of the Dying Shriek of Liberty fell down and broke his leg yesterday — pity it wasn't; his neck. He says it was debility, caused by trying to lug six- gallons of forty-rod whisky aronnd town when his hide is only jMUged for four, and anxiety about where he was going to bum anotner six. He "fainted from exertion of walking round too much in the sun ! " And well he miyht say that — but if he walked straight he would get just as far, and not have to walk half as much. For years the pure air of this town has been rendered perilous by the deadly breath of this perambulating pestilence l , this pulpy blot, this steaming, animated tauk of melancholy <»in and profanity, this Bascon ! Perish all such f: om out the sacred and majestic mission of journalism ?" About this time a brick came through the window with a splintering crash, and gave me a. considerable jolt in the back. I moved out of the. range — I, began to feel in the way; the chief said : "That's the colonel, likely : I have been expecting him for two days. He will be up now, right away." He was right. The "colonel" appeared in the door a moment afterwards, with a dragoon revolver in each hand. He said : — " Sir, I have the honor of addressing the white-livered poltroon who edits this mangy sheet?" "I believe I have the pleasure of addressing that blatant, black-hearted . scoundrel, Colouel Blatherskite Tecumseh ?" "The same. I bave a little account to settle, with you. If you are at leisure, we will begin." , ' "I have an article on -Encouraging the * Progress of Moral and Intellectual Development in" America ' to finish, but it is in no hurry.— Begin." Both pistols rang otit their fierce clamor at the same instant; The chief lost a lock of his hair, and the colonel's bullet ended its career in the fleshy part of my thigh. They fired again. Both missed their men this tifbe, but I got my share — a shot in the arm. At the third fire both gentlemen were wounded slightly, and I had a knuckle chipped. I then said I believed I would go out and take a walk, as this was a private matter, and 1 had a delicacy about participating in it further. But both gentlemen begged me to keep my seat, and assured me I was not in the way. Ihad thought differently up to this time. They then talked, about the elections and the crops awhile, aud I fell to tying up my wounds. But presently they opened fire ag.'iin with animatiou, and every shot took effect ; but it is proper to remark that five out of the six shots lell to my share. The sixth mortally wounded the Colonel, who remarked with humor that he had business up town. He then inquired the way to the undertaker's, and left.