Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-02-18
es from the depths of the Devils Punch

u3AsG @tA ny
and stilled waters and sich, as | allus carri-
cd when twas out 'teDdin' on the sick !
was on nv way TO see alady as | was sent
for TO tend"
'.WeIi, master! Pm not ashamed to say.
as | never was afraid ofman, beast, nor spirit!
and never stopped at going out at all hours OF
the night, through the most loansomest roads
if so be | was called upon so TO do. Sill L
must say that jest as me and Molly, my mule,
got into the deep, thick, lonesome woods L
did feel queerish; case it was the dead hour
of night and it was said how strange things
were seen and hearn, yes and done too, in
that dark, deep, Lonesome place. | seen
how even my mule Molly felt qneer too, by
the way she stuck up her ears, stiff as quilts.
So, partly to keep up my own spirits, and
partly to courage her, saysI, Molly, says
hat are you afeard on! Be a man, Molly"
But Molly stepped out cautious, and PrIcked
up her long ears alt the same.
"WelI, master, it was go dark couldn't
see a yard past Molly's ears, and the path
so narrow and the bushes SO thick we
could hardly get along; but just as we came
to the little creek as they calls tn Spout,
cause the water jumps and jets along Until
it empties into the Punch Bowl, and just as
Molly was cautiously putting her fore foot
into the wnter. out starts two men from the
bushes and seizes poor Molly's bridle!"
Good heaven!" exclaimed Major War
field.
swell, master, before l could cry out,
one of them Williams seized me by the scruf
of my my neck, and with the other hand on
my mouth he says:
"sBe silent, you old fool. or I'll blow your
brains ont y
.And then master. / saw for the first time
their faces were covered with black
Grape. couldn't a-screamed if they'd let
me, for my breath was gone and my senses
were going along with it from the fear that
was on me.
"'Don't struggle, but come along quietly
and you shall not be hurt says the man as
had spoke before.
"Struggle! Icouldn't a-struggled to a-sav.
ed my soul! | couldn't speak. | couldn't
breath! liked to have a-dropped RICH: Of
fen Molly's back. One on ZEN says, says
he:
"sGive her some brandy And t'other
SoANS C1s IA Ah0 PdhC =
says. says he:
".Here. drink this
"WeIl, master, as he had me still by The
scruff % the neck 1 couldn't do no other
ways but open my mouth and drink it. And
as soonsas | took a swallow my breath come
back and my speech.
".And Oh. gentlemen says 1, sef it's
'your money or your life you mean, l haint
it about me! Deed 'clare to the Lord-a-
mighty / huint!n's wrapped up in an old
cotton glove in a hole in the clustering in
the chimney corner at home, and eff you'll
spare my life you can go there and get it,
says |.
You old blockhead. saws they, I'VE
want neither one nor t'other! Come along
quietly and you shall receive no harm. Bat
at the first cry or attempt to escape this
shall stop you.' And with that the villain
held the mizzle of a pistol SO nigh to my
nose that | smelt birthstone, while t'other
one bounda silk handkerchief round my
and then took poor Molly's bride ana
led her along. couldn't see in course,
and | dissint breathe for fear o. The pistol.
But | said my prayers to myself all the time.s
swell master, they led the mule on
tie path, until we coined to a place
wide enough to turn, when they turned US
round and led US back outen the wood,
and then round and round, and up and down,
and cross ways and length ways, as eff they
didn't want me to find where they were ta-
king me.
eWell, sir, when they'd walk about in
this fused way OF leadin' of the mule about
a mile, l knew we was in the woods again
the very same woods and the very same
PATH knowed by the feel of the place and
the sound of the bushes, as we hit up a.
gainst them each side, and also by the rutnb-
ling of the Spout as it tumbled along to-
ward the Punch Bowl. We went down.
and down, and lower, and lower, and lower
until We got right down N the bottom OF
that hollow.
"Then we stopped. A gate was opened.
/ put my hand to ruise the handkerchief, and
see where ] was; but just at that minute,
l felt the mizzle o. that pistol like a ring OF
ice agin my right temple, and the william
growing into my ear:
"'If you do -"
"ButI didu't-I dropped my hand down
as if | had been shot, and afore had seen
anything either. So we went through the
gate, and up a graveIly walk--I knew it by
the cracking of the gravel under Molly's
feet-and stopped at a horse-block, where
one o. them williams lifted NE off. | put
up my hand again.
ado, if you dare,' says t'nther one with
the mizzle O. the pistol at my head.
81 dropped my hand like lead. So they
lead me on a little way, and then up some
steps. | counted them to myself as [ went
along. They were six. You see, master;
/ took all this pains to know the house
again. Then they opened a door that opened
in the middle. They then went along a
passage and up more stairs-there was ten
and a turn, and then ten more. Then
along another passage, and up another flight
of stairs, just like the first. Then along
another passuge, and up a third flight OF
stairs. They was alike.
"Well, sir, here we was at the top O. the
house. One o. them williams opened u
door on the left side, and t'olher said-
"sThere-soi in and do your duty!' and
pushed me through the door and shut and
locked it on me. Good gracious, sir, how
scared | was! / slipped off the silk hand
kerchief, and feared as | was, | didn't for
get to put il in my bosom.
"Then | looked about me. Right afore
on the hearth was a little weDy taper
burning, that showed | was in a great big
garret with slipping wall. At one end two
deep dorner windows, and a black walnut
bureau standing between them. Att'other
end a great tester bedstead with dark cur
tntnS Thara ,u.s a - 1arI onrpof 80, Hho
floor. And with all there were SO many
dark objects and 50 many shadows, and the
little taper burned SO dimIy that | could
hardly tell l'oiher nom which, or keep from
breaking my hose against things as | CROP
ed about.
..And what was | in this room for to dol