The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-07-09
A FEARFUL ADVENTURE.
AN OH, BUT TRUE STORY.

! was one day travelling In Calabria. II
is a country of wicked people, who. he
heve, have no great liking TO anybody, and
are particularly i'll disposed towards the
French. To tell you why would be long
affair. 1t is enough that they hate us TO
death, and that the unhappy being who
should chance to fall into their hands would
not pass his time in the most agreeable man
ner. Ihad for my companion fine young
fellow. l do not say this to interest YOU
but because it is the truth. In these noun
tains the roads are precipices, and our horses
got On with the greatest difficulty. My
cou:rade going first, track which appeared
to him more practicable aud shorter than
the regular path, let us astray. 1t was my
fault. Ought to have trusted to d head of
twenty years? We sought our way out of
the wood while 1t was yet light but the
more we looked for the path the farther we
were off it. IL was very black night,
when we came close upon a very black
house. We went in, and not without sus-
picion. But what was to be done? There
we found a whole family Of charcoal burners
at table. AT the first words they invited us
to Join them. My young man did not stop
much for ceremony. In minute or two
we were eatihg and drinking in right ear
nest--he at least--ior my own part could
not help glancing about at the place and the
people. Our hosts Indeed, looked like char.
coal burners; but tht house You would
have taken it for an arsenal. There was
nothing to be seen but muskets, pistols, sa-
bres, knives, cutlasses. Every thing dis
pleased me, and | saw that was in no fa-
vor myself. My comrade, on the contrary,
was soon one of the family. He laughed,
he chatted with them and with ap impru-
dence which ought to have prevented, he
at once said where we came FROM where
we were going, that we were Frenchmen.
Think of our situation. Here we were
amongst our mortal enemies, alone, be-
nighted, far from all human aid. That
nothing might be omitted that could tend to
destroy us, he must play the rich man for
sooth, promising these folks to pay them
well for their hospitality; and then he must
prate about his portmanteau, earnestly be-
seeching them to take great care OF it, and
put it at the head of his bed, FOR he waited
no other pillow. All, youth, youth, how
you are to be piticd! Cousin, they might
have thought that we carried the diamonds
of the crown: I: the treasure in his portman-
teau which gave him such anxiety consisted
of the letters of his mistress.
Supper ended, they left us. Our hosts
slept below; we on the story where we had
been eating. In a sort of platform raised
seven or eight feet, where we were to
mount by ladder, was the bed that await
ed us--a nest into which we had to intro
duce ourselves, by jumping over barrels fill
ed with provisions for all the year. My
comrade seized upon the bed above, and
was soon fast asleep, with his head upon the
precious portmantcau. was determined
to keep awake, SO | made good fire, and
sat myself down. The night was almost
passed over TRANQUILITY enough, and | was
begiht1ihg to be comfortable, when, just at
the time when it appeared to me that day
wife talking and disputing below ME and
putting my ear into the chimney which
communicated with the lower room, | per-
fectly distinguished these exact words of the
husband: "W'etk, Weik, Jet Us see must
we Kill them bdth?" To which the wife
replied, Yes"-and heard no more.
How shall tell you the rest! ! | could
scarcely breathe; my whole body was as
cold as marble; 10 have seen me, you could
not have told whether was dead or alive.
Heavens! when / yet think upon it! We
two were almost without arms against us
were twelve or fifteen who had plenty oi
weapons. And then my comrade dead oi
sleep and fatigue? To call him up, to
make noise, was more than dared ito
escape alone was an impossibility. The
window was not very high-but under ii
were two great dogs howling like wolves
Imagine if you can the distress was in. AT
the end of a quarter of an hour, which seem
ed an age, heard some one OH the stair
case. and through the chink Of the door
saw the old man, with lamp in one hand
and one Of his great knives in the other
He mounted, his wife after him; was be.
hind the door. He opened it; but before he
came in he put down the lamp, which his
wife took up, and coming in, with his feet
naked, she, being behind him, said in q
snothered voice, hiding the light partially
with her fingers, gently, go gently When
he reached the ladder he mounted, his knife
between his teeth; and going to the hea do
the bed where that poor young man lay
with his throat uncovered with one hand he
took his knife, and with the other--ah, my
cousin-he seized ham which hung from
the roof cut slice, and retired as he hat
come in. The door is re-shut, the ligh
vanishes, and | am left alone to my reAec
tions.
When the day appeared. all the family
with great noise, came to rouse us, as W,
had desired. They brought us plenty TO ca
f-they served us q very proper breakfast,