The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1860-02-04

4 lFIom tue = AuAIy SournaiJ
TEIE SHADOW.
TALE OF MYSTERY.
/ By JAMES HUNcERFoRD.
81 will follow thee
10 the last grasp"
/ las You LIKE IT.
In the winter of 1888, returned to Balti-
more from Cumberland, after a soiouru of
neighborhood. | left Cumberland in the
afternoon Of cold, bleak, windy day in the
latter part of December. There were five
passengers in the stago beside myself
Four of these had travelled the whole length
Of the line from Wheeling +; the remaining
one had commenced his journey with me.
He was O merchant with whom had formed
slight acquaintance during my stay in
Cumberland. The others we're all total
strangers to me. Three Of them, as
learned during the journey, came from the
same place, a small village in Ohio, the
name Of which have forgotten. Two of
! these used the third, very stout, fat man,
Fof an easy disposition, as homo on which
to sharpen the razors of their wit, (Which
were very dull, indeed) and with freedom
which thought unbecoming even in very
old acquaintances. But, as their common
place witticisms have nothing to do with
the immediate course of my narrative,
shall do the reader the kindness to omit
them.
"he only unmentioned passenger, and the
one most Immediately connected with my
story, was tall, handsome and gentleman
| ly young man of apparently some six or
seven and twenty years of age. His hair
was light, his eyes blue, and his complexion,
originally fair, was much embrowned by
| exposure. He was dressed in black, and
wore very full Spanish cloak and a cap of
fine and beautiful fur. There was some
thing very attractive in the ease and free
dom of his manner and discourse; indeed,
he appeared to be one of those fortunate
persons calculated to make friends wherever
their lot in life may cast them.
His life had been one Of adventure
During the afternoon he told US of many of
his
Chair breadth Escapes by food and neld,''
He had been engaged in the Texan war Of
liberty. Although, of course, not present
ut the massacre of the Alamo, he was ac-
uuainted with many of its incidents which
he related to US. He had been present at
and taken an active part in many other
battles during the same struggle, Ct some
of which he gave US a detailed account
His manner Of describing events was very
interesting, and we had lost all consciousness
of our journey with the absorbing attention
with which we listened to one of his mar
ratives. when we heard the voice of some
one without the stage in discourse with the
driver.
"How far do you wish to 60, sir 2" asked
the latter.
The answer We could not hear but
Immediately afterward the stage was stop.
ped, the door thrown open, and a shor,
stout man in a green blanket coat entered
His brown fur cap was pulled so far over
the brows that it almost entirely concealed
the npper portion of his face, the lower
part Of which was hidden beneath long,
heavy and slightly grizzled black beard.
He did not look up to notice his fellow
travellers on entering, but placed himself
unceremoniously on the front seat, which
Cum berlaud merchant. The three Ohoans
filed the middle seat, while the Texan and
myself occupied the back seat.
!
box, and the stage was continuing its way,
the Texan at our request resumed his inter-
esting narrative. During the course of the
his converse he mentioned that be had once
accompanied party of fur-traders to the
head waters of the Missouri, described the
dresses commonly worn by the hunters and
trappers and their ways of catching their
game, the modes of life among the North.
western Indians, the dresses and appearance
of warriors and others among the different
tribes; and many other things he told us
concerning that intererting portion of our
country. Indeed, all that he said showed
thathe had not only seen much, but had
also been q close observer. His discourse,
uninterrupted save by an occasional ques.
ton or remark from some other passenger,
continued until some time after "dayligh,
dawn"
AT length, through the influence partly OF
the drowsiness created by the advance OF
night, and the fatiguins motion of the stage,
partly of the uncomfortable feeling which
darkness produces, the Texans hearers be.
came less interested in his discourse, until
prolonged after increasing intervals, it nj
length ceased. A low snoring from the
Ohio laughing stock had for some time be-
fore BEEN telling Of his having falling into
slumber.
After short pause, one Of the Ohio wits
remarked to the Texan:
"Yours appears to be spirit Of adventure
/ sir.' ...
eyes," was the answer; "and yet it was
not alone such spirit that led me to wan
der, but one which few persons like myself
from Yankee-la are thought to be without
"a desire of gain"
There was heavy sigh from the man in
the green blanket coat.
"And did you succeed ?" inquired the
Ohioan, with freedom which deserved a
rebuke.
"Not according to my Wishes" was the
unhesitating answer, "well enough, how
ever, to secure the amount necessary to OBJ
tain a profession. But that is no longer
needful, az l have lately received consid-
erable fortune by the death of u friend who
made me his heir"
Their came deeply audible groan from
the corner occupied by tine man in the green
blanket coat; and since recollect-though
l did not particularly notice at the time
that felt the Texan shudder ne his arm
rested against mine.
lrebaTueu tHo muH III tuo ktecu uIauket
coat as one Of those vulgar and often-m
with critics who are pleased to show their
disapprobatiop by groan or sigh, and
believed that he took this mode Of express
ing his opinion that the Texan was given
to boasting. l, myself, thought, in fact,
that the latter was unusually communicative.
81 am uow," resumed the Texan, after a
momentary pause, con my way 70 the city
of New York t. render assistance to my
parents, whom left some years ago in
rather straiteued circumstances
The sigh from the green blanket coat was
o gentle one.
We were now ascending one of the very
long hill sides go numerous between Cum