Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1847-07-01
Letters Of Paul Louis Courier 10 a
Female Cousin.
A PREDICAMENT.


was one day travelling in CaIabria; it is a
country of wicked people, who, believe have
no great liking 10 any body-and are par,icu-
you why would be long affair 1t is enough
that they hate us TO death, and that the unhap-
py being who should fall into their hands would
not pass his time in the mos, agreeable manner.
| had for my companion fine young fellow
| do not say this 10 interest you--bul because
ii is the truth In these mountain. the roads
are precipices, and our horses gol on with the
greatest difficulty. My comrade going frs, a
track which appeared more practicable and
shorter than the regular path led us aslray.
1t was my fault. Ought TO have trusted 10
head of seventeen years! We sought our
way ou, of The wood while it was ye, light, bu
the more we looked for the path the farther we
were off from il. Ii was very black night. {.
and We came close upon very black house.
We went in, and not without suspicion But
what was TO be done. There we found whole
family of charcoal burners at table At the
first word they invited US 10 join them. My
young man did not wait for much ceremony.
In minute or two we were ealing and drink
| ing in right earnest--he al least. For my own
parr, could nol help gancing abou, al the
place and The people. Our hosts, indeed, look
ed like charcoal burners but the house, you
would have taken it for an arsenal. There was
nothing to be seen bat muskets, pistols, sabres,
knives and cutlasses.
Every thing dispeased me, and saw that
| / was in no favor myself. My comrade, on
the contrary, was soon one of the family. He
! laughed, he chaued with them; and with an
imprudence which ough. TO have been prevent
ed, he at once said where came from, where
we were going-that we were Frenchmen.
Think of our situation Here we were among
our mortal enemies, alone, benighted, far from
human aid Tha, nothing nigh, be omitted
tha, could tend to destroy US, he must play The
rich man forsoorh, promising these folks to pay
them we'll for their hospitality; and then he
must prate about his porimanteau. earnestly be-
seechng them TO take care of il and pu, il at
the head of his bed, for he wanted no other pill
low.
All, youth, how you are to be pilied. Cous-
in, they might have thought we carried the dla-
monds of The crown-.the treasures in his port
manleau. which gave him such anxiety, con-
sisted of The leIlers Of his mistress.
Supper ended, they left US. Our hosts slept
below, We on The story where we had been
eating In sort Of platform, raised seven or
eight feet, where we were 10 mount by lad
der, was the bed that awaited us---a nest into
which we had 10 introduce ourselves by jump
ing over barrels filed with provisions for all
The year.
! My comrade seized upon the bed above, and
was soon fast asleep, with his head upon the
precious porlmanteau | was determined 10
keep awake, so made good fire, and sat my
self down. The night was almost passed tran
gully enough, and was beginning 10 feel com
forrabIy enough when Just al The Time when !,
appeared 70 me that day was about TO break, |
heard our host and his wife talking and dispu
ling below me and putting my ear into The CHIN
+ ney, which communicated 10 The room below,
perfectly distinguished these exact words ol
The husband
! "WeII, we'll, lie, Us see must We kill them
both Z"
To which the wife replied
Yes. heard no more.
How shall tell you the rest! could scarce
r ly breathe; my whole body vas as maple to
have seen me you could not have Told whether
| was dead or alive Heavens! when think
upon il we two were almost without arms
agains, US were Twelve or fifteen who had psen-
,y Of weapons. And then, my comrade dead
of sleep and fatigue To call him up. 10 make
noise was more than dared; TO escape was
an impossblily.
!, The window was not very high, but under II
were two grea, dogs, bowling like wolves. I'm
agine, if you can, the distress | was in.
A, The end of quarter Of an hour----whch
seemed an age---I heard some one on the stair
case, and through the chink of the doors saw
the old man, with lamp.i in one hand, and one
of his knives in the other. He mounted, bis
wife after him. was behind The door.:--he
!, opened it; but before he came in he put dow
the lamp, which his wife took up; and coming
in, with his feet naked. she being behind him
said in a smothered voice, hiding the light par
TALLY with her fingers
Gently, 60 gently"
|, When he reached the ladder he mounted
with his knife between his teeth; and going 10
the head Of The bed, where the young man lay
with his throat uncovered, with one hand he
f took his knife and with the other--oh, my cous
IN, he seized ham which hung from the roof
r cut a slice, and retired as he came in The
! door is re-shur, the ligh, vanishes. and an
left alone 10 my reflections,