The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1860-08-30
DEAR j q DC T.
Come
NlAUDE.
A NARROW ESCAPE.

"Come, Joe, tell US what made you
turn pale awhile ago when Jack tod US
that he had seen grave, and asked whose
it was"
! Bah, boys turn pale, did /? There
are circumstances in the lives Of most
men who live on the frontier, wlich, to
have them recalled, will make them turn
pale. And mentioning tha. grave, and
asking whose it was. recalled fearful
event in my experience. But as the
night is young yet, | will tell You about
it, and perhaps it will be warning to
you never to trust too much to stran.
ger, or throw temptation in his way
Thus spoke your humble servant SO me
months ago, to a party of pectors, of
whom he was one. The following is the
story to which l alluded above:
Several years ago, | was cut with a
party prospecting for silver, hi Oh up the
Gla river. We had been some time
without meeting with any success, aud
were returning to Fort Yuma, disgusted
with the country We had left the Pi-
mos village days journey behind US,
when we fell in with man travelling the
same way that we were. He was with
out grub or blankets, and said he was
going to California. As we had some
spare mules, we told him that if he could
ride pack saddle, he could 90 with US
as far as Fort Yuma None of US liked
the looks of the fellow. He had such
thoroughly villainous expression But
as he seemed so badly used up, we took
pity on him, and made him the offer that
we did He accepted without any hcsi-
tation. We found him tacitnrn, never
speaking unless he was spoken to. When
We camped, he would take the saddle off
his mule, and go off by hiuse'f, never
helping to get the grub ready and when
it was ready he would come and pitch in
with the rest of u.s. However, though
we did not like him or his actions, We
said nothing, thinking he might have
some secret sorrow that we had no right
to pry into We had Travelled two days,
when what | am about to tell you occur
red. We had camped at noon, and as
the weather was very warm, some one
proposed that we should all take bath.
All had felt that it would be delicious
ly cool amusement, bathing in the shade
Of the cottonwood trees which hung over
the banks Of the river We stripped in
stantcr, and were soon enjoying ourselves
gloriously. had belt round me with
several twenties in it, and took it off to
give me free play in the water. | laid
it down on my clothes carelessly, never
thinking of hiding it from any of the
company, as they all knew that | had
the money, and | had no idea that the
stranger would be tempted to take it
As came out of the water, noticed the
stranger looked very lnserlngly at my
belt, but thought no more about it, That
night, from some cause. could not sleep
we'll, and when | would fall into state
of unconsciousness | was troubled with
such wild-lke dreams, that | would rath-
er | had remained broad awake. At last,
about midnight, | went to sleep soundly;
how long lay do not know, but wa,
kened suddenly to find some one kneelins
over me and very carefully cutting my
shirt open Now have always had the
power Ccall it presence of mind, or any
thing else,) of comprehending in an in.
slant all that is going on around me, nc
matter from how sound sleep may be
walked 1t is anything but pleasant to
wake and find oneself in the power Of q
des pcrado who will have no hesitation in
plunging akuife into your heart. l fel,
myself in anything but an enviablc stu
alton, knowing that the slightest indica.
tion on my part of being awake, would
cause the villain to give me between the
ribs the length Of his bowie, or the con
tents Of bis pistol. For, although I could
not see his pistol, Ifelt sure tha. he had