Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-04-22

solution OF the mystery which had heen
profferel 10 her, and ready to meet it with
an unhIn' hing spirit. Still, puzzled and
bewiIdered as was, I could not but smile
at the manner in viii h her emotions now
manifested themselves.
"Well!" she cried impatiently, sand
what poor skimp of a man you must be
to lei Satan get into the piece when you
had her all day in yer own keeping"
81 skimp OF man?' answered her son
with spirit; "there isn't another Teller in
these diggins who'd "a hrough. that gun
home as did, after he discovered that sich
golngs on were inside other. And ii she'd
tell her own story"
Bang !--bang !-bang '-peaIed the
gun.
THAT'S Satan who speaks now.
Bang-pli@z-bang!
at Satan, say. and no mistake. Bat
if she'd tell her own story she'd own ne
yer let her 60 out of my hands this blessed
day; save when jackson Phillips TUX
Dawson's piece and mine to watch for
deer on the runaway while we went down
the branch TO see If we couldn't get big
sucker or two for supper out of the deep
hole where colched so many fish last Fall.
No! if she'd speak for herself"
BANG thunde ed the gun, with re-
port 81 tremendous that Involuntary pat
my hand to my ears.
"Gim me the tongs-gim me them ERE
ton.s," shouted Mrs. SIumper in great
wrath; while Dawson turned pale, and
even Phillips seemed little disturbed as
he muttered, of The old thing should burst
it might he had business for u.s.
Hank, however, doggcdIy handed his
mother the tongs; and before could in
terposc, or, indeed, before was aware
what the courageous woman was about to
do, she had graspel the gun with the tongs
near the lock, and bearing it before her
with a strong arm she moved towards the
door, "Nhy don't We open"
Barg--pFis.--bcag- barr -phi:.-
phi:a-baag! alternately peaied and spIut-
tered the gun; but still the intrepid vira-
90 went on. | sprung to the door aud
flung it wide before her.
The light from within was reflected up.
on the hollow bu,t1nwood trunk which
! formed the curb of the well opposite, and
in an5ihor instant the gun was plunged to
the bottom.
Thar !" said Mrs Stumper, clapping
the longs in true housewife fashion as she
rep aced them in the chimney Corner "No
one can hear hisseIf talk without the
bother of SIGH a clutter"
Bang! moaned the gun at the bottom
OF the well.
Cant stop S,tan that way NANNY"
said Hank, his >tIdid face sicky ing over
with an unhappy sm,e
The mystery had now deepened TO the
highest point of intere>t-lhe last discharge
WIS wh'ly unaccountable-and tor my
own pat my curiosity was wound W to a
pitch that WIS positively painful. re.
memb re !, though, The shattered mckci,
md herho IgIt my self Of asking If there
were any water in the well.
"Ahout enough t. come up to a lizards
ear" answered Hank, SD there's SIN 1T
chance of md under 1t, | tel W, stranger.
That old gun viii keep sinking for week
yet"
She's stopped" said Dawson.
w." answered Phillips, "And we'd
better fish her out before she sinks beyond
our re1ch."
"D,n' | tell &C Satan's in the gum"
cried Hank, almost furiousIy-" down
down-she'lI keep going down now ill he
has her in his own Place all TO himself
lost an axe in that well myselfonst, and it,
half that father used to tell about it be
TRUE
Observation-Disclosures
Die BaHg-SpIu-ble.dang-BANG!
We listened-we looked long at each
other With the las, report, which was al
most empowering, | was convinced that
the explosion must have been made by in
flamabIe gas at the bottom of the well, for
the blue flame, as it rose from it flashed
through the only window of The cabin,
and showed the features OF its ignorant in
mates, for the first time, distorted with
real terror. At least Phillips and Dawson,
upon whom my eye fixed at the time,
looked perfectly aghast with fright.
Hanks supposltion of the ultimate des-
tiny of his famous gun (viz. going to the
sporting dominions Of the Great Hunter
below could hardly be true however, mas
much as piece of the blackenei muzzle
was found next morning, driven half
through fragment of the we'll curb which
Law scattered around, broken to splinters
by the explosion of the fire damp. The
poor young man fairly wept outright when
it was shown him by Phillips who, with
generosity could not sufficiently ad-
mire at the time, insisted upon replacing