Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1857-07-24

villain was here this afternoon and muir,
dered and robbed q man just up the.riy'
er. We've been out after him, but he's
gin us the slip. We tracked him as fai
as the upper creek, and there he came
out on the bank, fired at us and killed one
Of our horses, and then drove into the
woods. We set the dogs on but they
lost him." 4sose
And you've come back bootless,"
said.
YES" the landlord growled. But.
he added. with a knowing shake of the
head, I" he can't run much longer. The
country is in arms, and he'll either leave
these huntings. or be dropped"
What sort Of man is he ?'' ask
ed.
The very las. man in the world you
would take for Gus Karl. He's small
not bit over Eve feet six; with light
curly hair, smooth white face, and not
very stout. But Lord love ye, he'squick
as lightning. and his eyes got iGre,in it.
He dresses in all sorts of shapes; Nbutige>
nerally like common hunter.i Oho'lihe's
the very devil. i do believe" y ao'H (.
After the tub full of whisky and water
which the host had provided was all
drank the crowd tbegan'to dispense and
shortly afterwards went'up again to bed;
and this time slept on till morning.
Z had just eaten my breakfast and had
gone out to the front door, whenaa horse
man came dashing up to the place, him
self and animal all covered with mud
It had been raining all night. The first
thing the new conner did was 10 enquire
for me. / answered at once to the name;
and he then informed that Lyman Kemp
could not live, and that he wished to see
me as soon as possible.
"The doctor says he must de-" said
the messenger, " and the poor fellow now
only asks for life long enoug h to see you"
self. $50 young hopetul-with SO
many friends and fond relatives in his far
off homeland taken down to die in a
strange land r. told the man l would
set out on my return as soon as possible.
He ate some breakfast and then resumed
his journey, being bound up as far as the
Potawottamie border.
settled up my bill and then went for
my horse !; but bitter disappointment
awaited me, found the animals foot
swollen very badly, and it panied him SO
that he could hardly step on it. Had the
road been good should have been temp
ted to try him but 1 knew that in some
places the mud would be deep. I went
to the host and asked him if he could
lend or sell me horse. He could do
neither. His only spare horse had been
shot the night before by the Wabash
~, he
place to be obtained for any amount OF
money. l returned to the stable and led
my horse out, but he could not walk with
any degree Of ease. could not use him.
was in despair.
Locke" said my host, as I began to
despond, can't you manage canoe %
"Yes-yery WELL" told him.
Then that's your best way. The
current is strong this morning. and with
out stroke Of the paddle 'twould take ye
along as fast as horse could wade
through the mud. You shall have one
of the canoes for just what it is worth, and
ye can sell it at Logansport.fo for as much. I"
caught the proposition instantly, for
saw it was good one.
eff ye daren't shoot the rapids" added
the landlord, .'ye can easily shoulder the
canoe and back it round. Tisn't far"
found the boat to be well fashioned
" dug out" large enough to bear four
men with ease. and at once paid the
owner his price-ten dollars-and then
had my luggage brought down. l gave
directions about the treatment of my
horse and then pushed off. The current
was quite rapid--say four or Eve miles
an hour--but not at all turbulent aud l
soon made up my mind that this was far
better than riding on horseback. The
banks of the river were thickly covered
with large trees, and I saw game plenty ;
and more than once / was tempted to FIRE
the contents OF my pistols at some of the
boldest Of the "varmints," but l had no
time to waste, and kept on. Only one
thing seemed wanting. and that was a
companion bat was destined to find
one soon enough.
1t was shortly after noon, and had
just eaten my dinner of bread and cold
meat, when / came to place where the
river made an abrupt bend to the right.
and little farther on came to broad
basin. where the current formed perfect
whirl pool 1 did not notice it until my
canoe got into it. and found myself go
ing around instead of going for ward, /
piled my wood paddle with all my power,
and soon succeeded in shooting out from
the rotary current but in doing SO ran
myself on sunday shore. The effort
had .fatigued me not a little, and as !
found my bark thus securely moored, ]
res6lyedl to rest a few minutes.
d had been in this position some ten
minutes when l was started by hearing 9
football close BY me, and on looking up
saw man at that side of my boat. He
was youne looking person. not owe,