Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-07-23
NJ s C. L. l. l. A n Y.
AN UHwELCoME PASSENGER.

pttntIci hDout tne Whrtn uIo VI u bNtIH
bar.room in New England village. Short
ly alter We arrived, pcdlsr drove up and
ordered that his horse should bs stabbed for
ths night. After ho had eaten supper wC
repaired TO the bar room, and as soon as the
ice was broken tho conversation flowed free.
ly. Several anecdotes bad been related. and
finally the pedlar was asked TO give u, q
story, as men in hi, profession were gene
rally full OF adventures and anecdotes. II,
wa, a short, thiek-.e, man. about forty
years OF age, and gave evidence Of great
physical strength. lie gave his name a'
Lemuel Viney. and bis home was in Dover
New Hampshire.
Well. gentlemen, he commenced, as hc
knocked the ashes from his pipe. suppose
I tell you Of abOu, the las, thing that hap
pened 10 mcl You SEQ ! am now right from
the FAR West. and on my way homo for win
ter quarters. IL was sabout two months ago,
one pleasan. evening, that ! pulled up a, a
house in a small village in Hancock County.
] said 10 was pleasant meant IL was
warm, bu, il was cloudy and likely TO ID
very dark wen, in and called for supper
and had my horse taken care Of, aud after |
had eaten at down in the bar.rOom. I,
began TO rain about eight o'clock. and for a
while il poured down violently, and wA.
terrible dark out OF doors.
"Now ! wanted TO 10 in Jackson early
the next morning, for | expected load Of
good. there for me. which intended TO dis
pose OF on my way home. Tho moon would
rise about midnight, and ] knew that II il
did no, rain, could Sc. along comfortably
after that. So asked the landlord to ,ed
that my horse was Eel abou, midnight, as I
wished to be of before two. lie expressed
some surprise a, this and told him there
was new 10, ofgoods waiting me n, Jack.
son, and wanted 10 be there before the
express Aspn, lett in the morning. There
wa, a number OF people sitting aronnd
while | told this, bot took little notice OF
them, one only arrcstins my attention. ]
bad in my possession q small package oI
placards which was 10 deliver TO the sher.
iT at Jackson. and they wcrc notices Tor the
detection Of notorious robbcr named Dick
llarihead. The bills gave description OF
his person and the man before me answered
very well 10 It, In fact It was perfect. Tie
wa, tail, well formed man. rather slight
in frame, aud had the appearance OF gen
,leman, save that hi. face bore those cruel
marks which an Observing nan cannot mis-
take for anything bu, the index to villain
Gus disposition.
When went to my chamber, asked
tho landlord who that man was, describing
the suspicious individual. lie said he did
not know him. lie had como there that
afternoon and intended IN leave the next
day. TIE hos, asked why ! wished to know
I told him that the mans cOuntenance wa
familiar, and merely wished TO know IL
was ever acquainted with him. resolved
not 20 let the landlord into the secret. but
10 hurry on to jackson. and there give In,
formation to the sheriff, and perhaps h,
might reach che inn before the william left
/ for had no doubts with regard to his iden
tity.
81 had an alarm watch, and having set i
10 give the alarm at ons o'clock. | went Il
sleep. was aroused at the proper time
and Immediately got up and dressed myself
When reached the yard found the cloud'
all passed away and the moon was shinin,
brightly. The hOstler was easily aroused
aud by two O'Clock was on the road. The
mud was deep and my horse could not :rave
very tast-yot 1t struck inc the least made
more work than there was any need OF, ioi
the cart was very nearly empty.
" However, on We went, and in the course
of hall an hour was clear OF tho village
At short distance ahead lay great tract
OF forest, mostly OF great pines. The road
led directly through tho wood, and as neal
rs could remember, the distance was j.
miles. Yet tho moon was in the east, and
as tho road ran nearly west, should have
light enough. had entered the wood,
and had gone about half mile when my
wagon wheels settled with bump and 4
jerk, into deep hole. | uttered an cxcla'
nation Of astonishmeni, but that was moi
all. heard another exclamation FROM an,
other source.
"what could /. bc' Hooked quickly
around, but could soc nothing. Yet knew
the sound heard was very close to me,
As the hind wheel came up felt something
besides the jerk Of the hole. | heard some
thing tumble from one side Of the wagon to
the other, and | could also feel the jar occa'
stoned by the movement. Ii was simply
man In my cart knew this on the in
slant. OF course felt puzzled. At first
imagined some poor fellow had taken this
method to obtain ride; but soon gave
this up. for knew any decent man would
have asked me for a ride. Ny next thought
was that somebody had got in to sleep, but
this idea passed away as soon as it came, Tor
no man would have broken into my cart for
that purpose. And tha, thought, gentle
men, opened my eyes. Whoever was IN
there had broken in.