The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-07-18
An unwslcome Passenger.

Of Us gathered about the warm Ere OF q
tavern bar-room in New England village.
Shortly after we arrived, pedlar drove up
aud ordered that his horse should be stabbed
Tor the night. Aher we had eaten supper
NC repaired 10 The bar.room, and as soon as
The ice was broken the conversation flowed
freely. Several anecdotes had been related,
and finally the Psdlar was asked to give US
/, story, as men Of his profession were gem
orally full OF adventures and anecdotes.
He was short, thick Sc, man, somewhere
about forty years OF age, and gave evidence
Of great physical strength. He gave his
name as Lemuel Whey, and his home was
in Dover, New Hampshire.
'well, gentlemen, he commenced, knock
iug the ashes from his pipe and putting II
il his pocket, suppose tell you about the
las, thing Of any consequence that happened
10 me You sec am now right from The
far West, and on my way houe for winter
Quarters. Ii was about two months ago,
one pleasant evening, tina, | pulled upa at the
door Of a small village tavern in Hancock
County. Indiana. l said it was pleasant
meant il was warm, bu, !, was cloudy and
likely 10 be very dark. went in and cali
ed for supp.r, and had my horse taken
care Of and afcr had eaten sat down in
the bar.room. II began TO rain about eight
o'clock, and for while it poured down
cool, and i, was awiully dark out Of doors
Now | wanted 10 be 10 Jackson early the
next morning, for | expected load OF goods
there for me which intended 10 dispose OF
on my way home. The moon would rise
about midnight, and knew If 1t did not
rain. could get alOng very comfortably
through the mud amer that. So asked the
landlord il he could not see that my horse
was fed abou, midnight as | wished 10 be
of before two. lie expressed some sur
prise al this, and asked me why ] did not
sop for Breakfast. | IOld him had sold my
las, load abou; all out, and ;ha, new lot
Of goods was waiting for me a, Jackson, and
I wanted TO be there before the express
agent Left in the morning. There was a
number Of persons sitting round while
told this, bu, ] took but little notice OF them,
one only aueslirg my attention. / had in
my possession small package OF placaTds
which was to deliver 10 the SheTiHa Jack
son, aad they were notices lor the detection
Of a notorious robbcr named Dick Har head
The bills gave description of his person,
and The man before me answered very well
to il. Ia fact !, was perfect. He was a tall
well formed man, rather slight in frame, and
had the appearance Of gentleman, save
that his face bore those hard cruel marks
which an observing man cannot mistake Tor
anything but The index to villainous dispo-
siiiOn.
'Whcn / wen, 10 my chamber asked The
landlord who that man was, describing the
suspiciou, individual. He said he did not
know him. He had come there tina, after
noon and intended 10 leave the mex, day.
The hos, asked why wished TO know, and
| simply told him that the maa's counle-
nance was familiar, and merely wished
to know il ever was acquainted with
him resolved not 10 let the landlord
into the secret, but to hurry on TO Jackson,
and there give Information TO the sheriff,
and perhaps he nigh, reach the inn before
the villain LETT; for had no doubts with
regard 10 his identity.
had an alarm watch, and having set it
to give the alarm a, one o'clock, wen, to
sleep. was aroused a, The proper time and
immediately got up and dressed myself
When l reached the yard, found the clouds.
all passed away and the moon was shining
brightly The hostler was easily aroused,
and 10y two o'clock was on the road. The
mud was deep and my horse could not travel
vely fast-ye, it struck me tina, The beast
made more work than there was any need
OF, Cor the cart was nearly empty.
However, on we went, and in the course
OF half an hour was clear Of the village
At shot distance ahead lay large tract
Of forest, mostly Of grea, pines. The road
led directly through this wosd, and as near
a. could remember, the distance was IL
miles. Yet the moon was in the east, and
as the road ran nearly west, should have
light onOugh. | had entered the woods, and
had gone aOOui half mile when my wagon
wheels settled, With bump and jerk, into
a deep hole. uttered an exclamation Of
establishment, but tina, was no, all. Iheard
another exclamation from another source |!
'wha, could il be, looked quickly
around, but could see nothing. Ye, knew
that the sound that heard was very close
10 me. As the hind wheels came up I Eel,
something besides the jerk Of the hole. Il
heard something tumble from one side to tho
other Of my wagon, and I could also feel the
jar occasiOned by the movement. l, was
simply man in my cart! knew this on
the instant. OF course felt puzzled. A,
irsE imagined some poor fellow had taken
this method to obtain ride; bu, I soon gave
this ~, Tor I knew that any decen, man
would have asked me for ride. My mex,
idea was that somebody had got in 10 sleep;
but This passed away as quickly as i, came,
COZ no man would have broken into my car,
20; tina, purpose. And that though. gem
tlemen, opened my eyes. Whoever was in
there, had broken in.
My next thoughts were Of Mr.. Dick
Hardhead. He had heard me say that my
load was all sold out, and Of course be sup
POSED I had some money with me. In this
he was RICH, tor had over two thousand