The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1857-06-03
THE PEDLAR's PRIZE.

age. OnOrIly altcf we aTFlYeul peu-
lar drove up and ordered that his horse
should be stabbed for the night. After
we had eaten supper we repaired to the
bar-roem, and as soon as the ice was bro
ken, the conversation flowed freely
Several anecdotes had been related, and
finally the pedlar was asked to give US
a,story, as meg of his profession were
generally full of adventures and ancc-
dotes. He was a short thicksst man,
somewhere about forty years of age, and
and gave his name as Lemuel Viuey,
and his home was in Dover, New Hamp-
shire
"Well, gentlemen" he commenced,
knocking the ashes from his pipe and
putting it in his pocket,-"suppose L
tell you about the last thing of any con-
sequence that happened to me. You
see I am now right from the Far West
and on my way home fer winter quarters
1t was about two months ago, one pleas
ant evening, that pulled up at the
door ola small village tavern in Han
cock county, Indiana. said it was
pleasant-I meant it was warm, but it
was cloudy and very likely to be dark.
I went in and called for supper, and
had my horse taken care of, and after l
had eaten I sat down in the bar-room.-
1t began to rain about eight o'clock, and
for awhile it poured down good, and it
was awful dark out of doors.
Snow 1 wanted to be at Jackson car
ly the next morning, for 1 expected a
load of goods there for me, which I in.
tended to dispose of on my way home.
The moon would rise about midnight,
and 1 knew if it did not rain I could
get along very comfortably through the
mud after that. So I asked the land
lord if he could not see that my horse
was fed about midnight, as I wished to
be off before two. He expressed some
surprise at this, and asked me why did
not stop for breakfast. told him l
had sold my last load all cut, and that
new lot of goods waa waiting FIR me at
Jackson, aud 1 wanted to be there be
fore the express egent left in the NOR
ming. There was a number of people
sitting around while told this, but I
took little notice of them; only one ar
rested my attention. I had in NY pos
session small package of placards,
which I was to deliver to the sheriff of
Jackson, and they were notices for the
detection of notorious robber named
Dick Hardhead. The bills gave de-
scription of his person, and the man be-
fore me answered very we'll to it. In
fact it was perfect. He was tall we'll
formed man, rather slight in frame, and
had the appearance off gentleman, save
that his face bore those hard, cruel marks
which an observing man cannot mistake
for anything but the index of villain
Gus disposition.
"When 1 went to my chamber 1
asked the landlord who that man was,
describing the suspicious Individual
He said he did not know him. He had
come there that afternoon and intended
to leave the next day. The host asked
why I wished to know, and l simply
told him that the mans countenance was
familiar, and 1 merely wished to know
if was ever acquainted with him. I
resolved not to let tho landlord into the
secret, but hurry on to Jackson, and
there give information to the sheriff, and
perhaps he might reach the inn before
the villain left; for l had no doubts in
regard to his identity.
had an alarm watch, and having set
it to give the alarm at one O'Clock, I
went to sleep. l was aroused at the
proper time, and Immediately got up
and dressed myself. When I reached
the yard found the clouds all passed
away and the moon was shining bright
ly. The hostler was easily aroused and
by two o'clock was on the road. The
mud was deep and my horse could not
travel very fast-yet it struck me that
the beast made more work than there
was any need of, for the cart was nearly
empty.
"However on we went, and in the
course of half an hour l was clear Of the
village At short distance ahead lay
a large tract of forest mostly of great
pines. The road led directly through
the wood, and, as near as could remer1-
Der, the distance was twelve miles. Yet
the moon was in the east, and as the
road ran nearly west should have light
enough. I had entered the woods, and
had gone about half mile when my wag
on wheels settled, with pump and jerk,
into deep hole. I uttered an exela-
nation of astonishment; but that was
not all heard another exclamation
from another source.
"What could it be? looked quick
ly around, but could sec nothing. Yet
I knew that the sound 1 heard was close
to me-. As the hind wheels came up l
felt something besides the jerk of the
wheels. I heard something tumble from
ona sida to the other af nv wa0on and