The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1852-1855, 1853-10-06

n lHhlLLind NAhhALl1Es--ln ne tOllOWlun q
narratye--a true one--describes q scene
that actually took place not many years
since, in country town In the State OF
Maine:
One evening 10 the month of December
1884, a number Of townsmen had assembled
Ia the store Of Mr.. Thos. Putnam, to talk
over Hmatters and things ''--smoke--drink--
and in short to do aoything to"kill time. I"
Three hours had thus passed away
They laughed, and talked, and drank. and
chatted and had a good time, generally = so
that about the usual hours Of shutting up
shop, each of the party felt particula rly
first rate. ~
"Come," said Charles Hatch--one of the
company--''let's all liquor, and then have a
game of high, low, Jack!"
"SoI say" exclaimed another, .'who
has got the caTdsp
sFetch on your keerds." !" drawled out a
third, his eyes half closed through the ef-
fects of the liquor he had drank.
After drinking all round, pine table was
drawn up before the fireplace, where burn
ed brightly large FIRE of hemlock logs,
which would snap and crackle--throwing
large fire Goals out upon the hearth.
Ahh NiCW iOuhu luUlcy tDtTu-
selves upon whatever come handiest. Pour
of them had rolled up to the table some kegs
which from their weight, were supposed to
contain nails.
"Now," said Hatch how shall we play
every one for himself!'
"No--haye partners" growled one man.
IL say every onefor HIMSELF" exclaimed
another. 81
Unchanged il do, shouted the former,
bringing his fist down on the table, knock
ing one candle out of the stick, and anoth-
er upon the floor.
"Come, come" said Hatch, no quarrel
ing; all lwho say for having partners, stand
up"
Three arose.
"Now all who say each man for himself
stand up"
The remaining four imme diately got up.
"You see, Barclay" said Hatch, "the
majority are against you. Come, will you
plsyw
"Well. as don't want to be on the op-
posite side, I'll play" answered Barclay
somewhat cooled down.
Mr.. Putnam was not in the store that
evening, and the clerks who were busy be-
Hluu IuO COuuICI Idktu h6Ty lllllc nOblCG
| Of the proceedings. About half past ten
Mr.. Putnam thought he would step over to
the sture and see that everything was safe
AS he went in he walked up towards the
! fire.
Before him sat seven men half cruzy with
drink, and the excitement Of playing cards
There they we're within few feet of the
fire just described, and four OF them seated
on kegs of ponder!
! Barclay, who was heavy man, had press.
ed in the head Of the keg on which he sat
bursting the top hoop and pressing the
powder through the chinks. BY the contin-
ued motion Of their feet, the powder had be,
come spread about the floor, and now cov-
cred space of two feet all around them.
Mr.. Putnam's frstmovement was toward
the door, but recovering himself he walked
up towards the fire. Should any of them
attempt to rise, he thought, and scatter q
few grains little further into the fireplace
where lay quantity Of live Goals!
At this moment latch looked up, and see.
ing Mr. Putnam's face deadly pale gazing
into the fire, exclaimed
"Why Putnam, what ails you'll" and al
the same time making motion to rise.
"For heavens sake gentlemen, do not
rise," said Putnam, " four you sit on kegs
of powder, it is scattered all around you--
one movement might send you all to eter'
nifty. There are two buckets of water be-
hind the bar. But keep your seats for q
moment, and you are saved--move and yor
are dead men!"
In an instant every man was perfectly so
bered, not limb moved-each seemed par
allied.
In less time than il has taken to describe
this thrilling scene, Mr.. Putnam had pour
ed the water and perfectly saturated the
powder on the floor, and extinguished the
fire, so that an explosion was impossible
Then and not till then was there wore
spoken