Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-09-24

lived long enough IN te world 10 mink tnal
no eyes are so fitting to examine such an OBJ
ject as their possessor.
] soon took my departure, and proceeded
%leisurly onward to my place of destination.
The evening began to close; and on arriving
at a dull part of the road overhung by h'gh
hanks. covered with furze and briars, | found
myself, in an instant, stunned by a blow, ad-
ministered BY some one behind me, the effect
of which soon disabled me from making any
attempt to protect myself against further vio-
lence of my brutal assailant, and ] sunk sense
less.
When / recovered my consciousness, for
could hardly deem myself sensible, | Disco
vered | was bleeding copiously from my nose,
and laying in a wet ditch, half drowned APP
p%arently in my own blood, which made a
great show mingled with the water. A coun-
tryman was leaning over me humanely en-
deavoring to assist me. felt in nearly a life
less condition, although no actual fracture had
succeeded the blow, and while my good Sa-
marian was celebrating what TO do, | lay
mo;ionless, and to his apprehension, certainly
dead for ! heard him say he would 90 and
find a doctor, but he could do no good for all
was over with me. For this humane purpose
he lef, me Just as he found me.
1t was then nearly dark, and | resolved to
rouse myself, and endeavor to pursue my
walk for a short distance that remained
With considerable effort | reused myself from
my muddy resting place, and found my clothes
which were none of the best, wet through
and through, and being scarcely worth the
carriage, | thought it was best to leave them
behind me, and soon equipped myself in an
other suit which carried in my knapsack.
| washed myself as well as | could, and put
the best face on the matter. | recollected the
Unlocking fellow who had cast his amorous
glance on my dollars, and singled him out as
the perpetrator of the crime; but | was re-
joiced to find that his obvious intentions were
defeated, and | carried away my purse of dol
lars in triumph, congratnlating myself hearth
ly on my narrow escape.
| pursued my walk TO the market town, and
soon arrived at the inn. | had scarcely taken
my seat, still suffering from the blow | had
received, before | overheard an indistinct con-
versation amongst several men, stationed at
the other end of the room, accompanied by
expressive looks directed to me. Knowing
myself to be a perfect stranger in the place,
this did not excite my surprise. The CONVEX
sation soon became louder and more distinct,
and at length | heard a strangely exaggerated
story of my own murder. Ii was confidently
asserted that a stranger had been robbed and
murdered a short distance from the town, and
that he had been found by a laborer in the
ditch, with his skull fractured, his brains
scattered about the road, and his pockets turn
ed inside out. | listened TO this marvellous
history with great amusement, thinking how
easily a strange story is made to pass current,
grounded on the slightest facts.
Having taken some refreshment, | ordered
my bed, and being an entire stranger, | choose
to pay for both before | retired for the night,
and produced my purse containing the dol
lars and other money. At this juncture an
inquisitive looking old man came up 10 ne
and looked at my dollars, and then fixing his
eyes on my face, turned round to his compan.
ions, and with significant gestures, whisper
ed I" there's blood on this mans face-he has
got some dollars-where did he come from
who is he :" This excited a general sensa
ton. A pause ensued, and all seemed "at
fault" as the sportsmen say. The inquisi-
tive old man again approached me, and asked
in a significant manner, whether he did not
just see some dollars in my possession. |
replied in the affirmative, and produced one
or two. He turned bluntly round to his COM
p%anions, and cunningly put his finger up to
his nose. He then renewed his attack, and
asked Inc here | had procured them wheth-
er there was many to be met with in this
country ; and a variety of other questions, all
of which | answered carelessly-not pleased
with the old mans impertinence.
He then, for the first time, observed aloud
to me, with a look of scrutiny, that | had
some blood on my face. 70 this observation
| replied as coolly as ! did to his questions
not choosing to crafty curiosity and wishing
TO hear more OF my own murder.
A. Al. 49, wUvar E-a1@ q
the company, by the arrival Of the person VIII
had been my good Samaritan, who found an
; left me in the ditch. He was full of his sui
iec,, and came to relate the "full, true, an
particular" account to his pot companions
He stated at length where and how he four
a strange man in sailors clothes, with h
skull fractured, and his pockets turned insic
], out, and that he left him quite dead. He ST
ted that he went for assistance to the villa!
II from whence came, and on inquiring at Il
public house to learn whether | had be,
there, he described my person and dress, al
discovered that ! had rested and taken
III fTeshment there, and moreover, that ! had
y great many dollars and English gold coin
y my possession. Having obtained assistant
~ he returned TO the spot where he had left I
Is murdered stranger; but, instead of findl
IN him, he discovered that during his absent
C. the body had been stripped and removed, a
70 as he believed, buried, and the clothes we
10 lying scattered about on the brink Of
ditch.
III All this was highly amusing to me, AM
% resolved to let the story roll on, like a sno
81 ball, increasing with every step, without
'u fering any explanation, until it should h5
arrived at its climax.
no Again ! observed inquisitive looks cast
IN me, and the words dollars and blood" W
Ke again whispered about. The old inquisil
ny man quietly left the room, and returned "
ny an athletic, busy-looklng man., who soon
gu covered himself to me as the constable Of
~ parish !; and, without further ceremony,
ICY old man gave me in charge to a constable
yes being suspected of the murder. The com
ur BILE proceeded 10 search me, and on produc
,dl my purse with dollars, the man who 70,
the murdered stranger set up a shout,
re- charged the constable not to let me esca