The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-07-18

ing nrst capped MS own pistol, lie gave 1t
toss into the air, catching it adroitly as
it came down, and then handed back the
other to the Spaniard. | had watched
Joe most carefully, but l saw nothing
out Of the way, AND YET HE HAD CHANGED
PISTOLS WITH HIS FOE
Now" said he, m put ball into
my pistol, and then we'll be ready"
He slipped something in, which look
ed to me like cartridge, but no one olse
saw it.
Now" cried the Spaniard, "let's see
you hold this in your mouth ?"
Again they took their stations, aud q.
gain they were ready.
One-two-throol' n
And the Spuniard fred first BY aim
Joe firing into the air as before. And
again Joe stepped forward and took the
self same bullet from his mouth and
handed it TO his antagonist Tho fellow
was completely dumbfoundcd, and SO were
the rest.
-" You no fire at me !" gaspcd the Cap
tain.
"Tll fire at you the next time !" said
Joe, in tone of thunder "Thus far
have | only shown you that powder and
ball can have no effect on me. Twice
have you fired at me, with as true pis-
tol os ever was made, and both times
have I caught your ball between nv
teeth, while have fred in the air l
meant that You should live long enough
to know that for once in your life you
had seen, if not the old fellow himself
pointing meaningly downward) at least
one who is in his employ The old gen.
tlcmun will like the company of Span.
ish Captain of Infantry, and II, send
you along Come. load up again |"
But the astcnishcd Spaniard did not
seem inclined to do SO. A man who
swallowed carving-knivcs as ho would
sardines, and who caught pistol balls be.
tween his teeth, was not exactly the man
for him to deal with. While he was
pondcring upon what lie had SEEN Joe
took handful of bullets from his pock.
ct, and began to toss them rapidly down
his throat, and when these were gone he
picked up half dozen good sized stones,
and sent them after the bullets
Holy Santa Marie !" circulated the
Spaniard, while his eyes seemed starting
from their sockets. " What man By
my soul. It's the devil"
And as he thus spoke no turned on
his heel nnd hurried away from the place.
After he was gone doe Lcckoned to
me to give him the knives. did so,
and then saw him slip them mp his coat
sleeves. When We returned to the cafe,
lie approached the keeper.
/" ou want yohr knives" he said.
But the poor fellow dared not speak.
Joe put his hand to his right ear. aud
pulled ono of the long knives out. Then
from the left ear he drew the other one
The keeper crossed himself in terror
and shrahk trembling away But we
finished our vino aud having paid fof it
we turned to go
" Here" said Joe, | haven't paid for
the use of the yard yet" and as he spoke
he threw down piece of silver upon the
counter.
mo no mol" thrieked the poor fe.
low. 80 crica don't leave your money
herc--dunt r.
Joe picked It up ard went away laugh,
ing When VIC were alone he explained
to me the secret of his pistols. They
were pair he had used in his lcgcrdc-
main performances, aud such as oil wiz.
ards use who perform tricks of catching
balls, &c. The main barrel of the pis.
tol had no connection Whatever with the
nipple for the cap but what appeared to
to be socket for the rammcr was in
fact, second barrel-to he sure smaller
than the other, but yet as large as the
bore of any rife -pistol--nnd with this
secret barrel the priming tube connected
So the apparent barrel of the weapon
might be flied with powder and balls,
and no harm could bo done.
When Joe first returned with his pis.
tolls, of course be had both these secret
bores loaded with blank charges and then
other loading was for nothing but effect
in appearance. At the second oadipg.
Joo had charged the secret barrel of bis
own pistol while the Spaniard had been
filling up the main barrel of his. Then
VI N""'s 80 ~ DcCOuU necessary 10 mako
an exchange, else Bizar would have never
got his weapon of. Al soon as Joe got
the other pistol into his possession, and
made the exchange which we spoke of at
tho time, ho had only to press smarily
upon a secret spring on the side of the
stock, and he had the whole charge,
which the other had put in emptied in
to his hand. SO he had the marked ball
to dispose Of as he chose.
Ever after that while we remained in
Mahon, Joe Lattt was an object of both
and dread on shore, for an ac.
count, all eolored to suit the exaggerated
conceptions of tho cafe keeper, had been
spread over the city, and tho pious Cath
'lics there wanted nothing to do with
such man, only to be sure TO keep on
MS good- d-humored side.
E The best Of our descriptive po.
,ts turned from watching the suggestive
iourso of a solitary bird, to write this
description Of the waterfowrs fight;
"ThoH art gone the abyss Of Heaven
las swallowed tbx farm VT baa