The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-11-01
A tale of the West.

49,. dR A tale of the West. $50.
At the close of a cold December day, as the
landlord of the Cup and Bottle, near the vii
lage of Schenectady. had closed the shutters oil
his snug bar room, and heape1 his ample
hearth with a fresh supply Of fuel, a loud
knocking was heard at the door. He was
standing undetermined in his own mind whe-
ther to let the Traveller in or not, when the
door opened, and u strangesignre entered with
all the familiarity of an old acquaintance.
Staining his rifle il one corner, he began to
lay asitis his snow.ciad garments, displaying
beneath. a pair Of horseman's pistols and a
double edged scalpiny knife, and without nc
ticing the greeting salutation Of the landlord on
his entrance, " OF lis being cold work for chill
dren to go barefoot" After having made
these arrangements, and adjusted himself to his
ease on the oak settle, he looked up, and called
in a stern voice for "a gin cocktail. The land
lord quickly brought it, which he presented
with Il low bow, and a look of as much as
surance as the condemned criminal assumes
when he seeks the place notwithstanding
at the same time in an affected tone
"From the lakes, | suppose, sir"
"What ground have You to suppose any
such thing, old Boniiace; ar'nt the snow
lodged thick on my back, aud ar'nt my cap
coated as white behind as old Grizzly's tag
locks ?" said the hunter.
I" hope no offence, sir" said the s'andlorI
:" didn't observe your condition. 81 il lift
nearer the FIRE; and, kind sir, won't you take a
little of my last years ale? -
NO: I had as leave d Wigeons milk.
DO you take me for one Of your smelling-bottle
gentry? These hands could tell Il different sar-
vice, il they could speak. Give me some
brandy, and drink your ale yourself if you Ike
it,"
The maid who had before this been busily
employed in setting the table having now left
on an errand, the old chieftain pulled off bis
disguise. and showed the hard features Of one
who, the landlord thought, had long since gone
to ls long home Master Juhn," said he,
alive aud well-you walk latc-to-night.'
Mot as you wish me to, Old Bupiface bat
cur day Of reckoning las ct length come" said
the hunter.
81 have help enough to pitch you ont of the
window, you Old cToaker," said the landlord :
: besides there is IL company Of regulars, so
dane Goblin said, at the old Guard House.
searching with orders to take you, dead or
alive"
"Let them search where they WILL" said the
hunter. "Ihe Eagle scars far above the Lin
net besides that, | have means enough to dis
saise myself from them, If you will assist me-"
els it me you ask to screen a prescribed
criminal +? me TO aid a murderer ?"-said
Bonilace. Where wod be the custom of nv
house,"
Where your soul will soon be, you canting
hypocrite," said the hunter, " if You do not do
il quickly
"Well," said the landlord, trembling, /" what
can | do?"
Give e your daughter as a pledge Of your
fidelity till the chase is Ger"
ASK what else you WILL" said the agonizcd
landlord-ask all my possessions but take not
from me my Eliza, the pride Of my heart"
The hunter raised lis cooked riAe-"give
her or die said he, with the firm tone of one
determined. "She shall not be worse for it
do you hesitate, You craven coward Z"
IL don't exactly hesitate bnt-don't break
an old mans heart said the landlord, weeping.
"Whew !" said the hunter, " tears from you
they conc like drops of blood from your
heart
Hunter" said Boniface. al did you Il bad
turn once but | will do you a good one now"
"Ah, you are now too late with your good
deeds. Bait in season and with laal grain,
when you would catch pa'ridges, and don't
scatter ii too far from your noose-your daugh-
ter must go with me-
The landlord iiuding all e~ntreaty in vain,
called his daughter, who came wholly uncop-
scions Of the part she had yet to act in this
tragedy. Upon entering and learning the cause
OF her presence being required, size burst into
tears and throwing herself at the hunters feet,
besonght hiEa to le}ve her helud but as she
kneit beside him, these words whispered in her
ear-Jones waits for yotl-reconcilal her TO
the mode OF iourneyins. Thu landlord, as
tonished at his daughters willingness to leave
the warm shelter OF his roof to wander through
the dark forests, began to 1eprouch her bat a
whisper in his car that she was going out for
the best, eaSea his mind u little and soon the
two left, and were seen by the landlord to enter
a thicket to the left OF the Inn. lie. after hid.
ding her God speed, threw himself npon his
couch and soon lost his sorrows in gentle SUM
beys.
The two, passing through the thick woods.
now 'racing the path through an almost i'm.
feletlabie swamp, and then driving off from
their Forward course, at length reached Il raviue,
and as they sal upon a log, resting their wearicd
ihnibs, the report OF u musSet was heard. On
Et'%a's looking at her companion, she saw him
stretched out dead upon the snow. Fear then
seized upon her frame, but 1t was turned into
joy, when she saw the well-known features of
her lover, who, upon learning from her father
the foregoing circumstances, had tracked them.
He looked long for an explanation OF her
willingness to leave him. Upon hearing her
story through, he exclaimed, .Cursed yiIlaiuv
has been here and npon examining the hun
ter's pocliet, he found a paper signed by a
French officer, agreeing to give him 30 guincas
upon the safe delivery of the landlords daugh-
ter into his hands.
"ile ride is cypounded," said the Young
man. ?" Eliza, we must seek your fathers house
ard persuade him to remove to the village."
I hey retlaced their steps, leaving the dead
hunter weltering, in his gore, and arrived in
The Joy Of the honest publican was complete
as he saw his Eliza welded to her penerons
preserver. Some days afterwards a new SIGN
seen to grace the village of Schenectady.
the name Of David Jones in large Git
c%apita!s. The old man for many years amused
the frequent visitors Of the Inn with the mar.
OF his daughters capture but when
questioned who the hunter was. he started
and pronounced the name Of TEcuAsEu.