The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1860-09-12

whip. ] had the same then Ive got now.-
tall, stout, powerful bag mare-and you
may believe there's some go in her. Al
any rate, she struck gait that even aston
ished me. She had received good mess
of oats, the air was cool, and she feA like
going. In fifteen minutes we cleared the
woods, ard away we went at keen jump.
The chap inside kept yelling ip be let out.
"Finally he stopped, and in few min
utes there came the pport of pistol--one
wo-three-four-one right after the 9TH
er, and heard the balls over my head. If
had been on my seat, one of those balls,
if not two of them, would have gone lhro'
me. | popped up my head again and gave
a yell, and then deep groan, and then |
said, 20, God save me, Pm dead man p
Then made a shuffling noise as though
were falling off, and finally settled down on
the foot board again. now urged up the
old mare by giving her an occasional poke
with the butt of my whip stock, and she
peeled it faster than ever.
"The man called out TO me twice more
pretty soon after this, and as he got no re-
ply he made some tremendous endeavors
to break the door open, and as this failed
him, he made several attempts on the top.
But had no fear of tS dong anything
there, for the top ofahe 4 is framed with
dovetails, and each Sleeper bolted 10 THE
posts with iron bolts | had it made so
could carry heavy loads there. By and by,
after all else had failed, the scamp commen
ced TO holler whoa TO the horse, and kept il
up until ne became hoarse. All this time
had kept perfectly quiet, holding the reins
firmly, and kept poking the beast with the
stock
"Wewere not an hour in going that doz.
en- miles-not bi. of it, | hadn't much
fear; perhaps might tell the truth and say
that had none, for had good pistol, ,and
with that, my passenger was safH Yet was
glad when came 10 the old Ii barrel
factory that stood at the edge of Jackson
village, and in ten minutes more hauled
up in front of the tavern, and found a coup
lie of men in the barn cleaning down some
stage horses.
"tWell, old feller,' says !, as | got dowr
and went round 10 the back of the wagon
you have had a good ride haven't ye 2"
"'Who are you q he cried, and he kline
Of swore a little, too, as he asked the ques-
ton.
"sI'm the man you tried TO shoot wa.
my reply.
"'Where am Let me out ~ he yell
ed
"'Look here, we've come to safe stop
ping place, and mind ye, my revolver il
ready for ye the moment you show your
self. Now lay quiet
"BY this time two ostlers had come up Il
see what was the matter, and | explained
it all TO them. Alter this got one of then
to run and rout out the Sheriff, and tel
what believed I'd got for him. The frs
streaks of daylight were just coming up
and in half an hour it would be broad day
light In less than that time the SherIf
came, and two men with him. | told hin
the whole in few words-exhibited tn,
handbills had for him, and then he made
for the cart. He told the chap inside wh'
he was, and if he made the least resistance
he'd be dead man. Then | slipped ih'
iron wrench out, and as lei the door dowI
the fellow made spring. caught him BY
the ankle and he came down on his face
and in a moment more the officers hat
him. /: was now daylight, and the momen
/ saw the chap | recognized him. He wa
marched off TO the lookup, and | told III,
Sheriff should remain in town all day.
CATER breakfast the Sheriff came dowr
TO the tavern and told me that had caugh
the very bird, and that if I would remain
until the next morning | should have th
reward of two hundred dollars which ha,
been offered.
''I found my goods all safe, paid the ex
press agen: for bringing them from Indiana
rolls, and then went TO work to stow then
away in my cart. The bullet holes wer
found in the top of my vehicle just as ex
pected. They were in line about five IL
ches apart, and had been where | usual
| sit, two of them would have hit me some
where about the small of the back and pass
ed upward, for they were sent with heav
charge of powder, and his pistol was a yer
heavy one.
son the next morning the Sheriff calle
upon me and paid me two hundred dollar
i in gold, for he had made himself sure tas
he had got the villain. | afterwards foun
letter in the post Office at Portsmouth 70
me, from the Sheriff of Hancock county ,ant
he informed me that Mr. Dick Hardhead
in prison for life."
So ended the peddler's story. In tn
morning had the curiosity to look at hi
cart, and found the four bullet-holes ju:
as he had told US, though they were nov
plugged up with vial corks.
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