Litchfield enquirer., 1861-02-21

l iH0 TOCkS WHICH SkITt6u tH6 FOaQ at Gll place were about breast high, and so perpendic ular as to have, the appearance ofsa wall they were covered with a growth of bushes so thicl as to be nearly imperyious. The tall trees ol leach side of the road twined their tops togeth er forming natural roof leaves and branches and rendering the place as dark and dismal al midnight.
 l It was indeed scene sufficient to appal tn, stoutest heart, although he knew that the nex moment might be his last, rode forward with a; careless an air as he might have worn had h, { been travelling the streets of populous city His hand still grasped the butt of pistol, ant his keen eyes still searched each covert Sud denly pistol shot rang out upon the air. and his hat fell to the ground with bullet hole 1 through it, not more than an inch above where his head had been. Instantly turning in the di rectlon of the sound he beheld slight wreatl of smoke curling up from behind bush and without a moments hesitation, he levelled his pistol and fired. The aim was terribly fatal. A wild shriek rang upon the air, and the next mo ment there sprung from behind the tree, not the charcoal burner, as he had expected, but that oi his wife The blood was flowing copously from her forehead. and she presented a horrible spec taele. She tottered to the edge of the wall oi rocks and fell in the road--a corpse. s. Had known it to be woman,' the horse man muttered I never would have fired. But 1t is too late to moralize. What can have be- come ofmy friend the charcoal burned ? --- As he. spoke he turned around quickly and encountered the object of his thoughts. It was lucky for him that he was 50 quick. The char coal burner held cleaning knife in his hand upifted ready to strike. When the horseman' $ attention had been engaged by the tragical end of the woman, he had silently crept up behind him, the would be assassin sprang forward mak- ing desperate pass at his breast The horse. man still held the discharged pistol in his hand and with its long barrel managed to parry the blow.
 He then buried his spurs deep into the horses sides. and the goaded beast sprang forward so violently as to dash the charcoal burner to the ing the knife from his hand, leaving him stunned in the middle of the road. The horseman turned instantly and drawing his remaining pistol from his holster waited for him to rise. The latter staggered to his feet, and leaning against the rocks on the side of the road, gazed sullenly and revengeinlly on his conquorer. Thus the strange couple regarded each other for some time until at last the horseman broke the silence:
 So my friend he said, your career is ended at last
 Yes! curse you! I'd rend you, asunder too, if
 You dared, I presume,' put in the stranger doubt not your good intentions, and can only thank heaven that you have not power pro- portionate to your will; but I am doubly thank full that have been the means of ridding the earth of such monster. 1 presume you can give pretty good account of these mysterious disappearanees of late?
 Aye. that 1 can You are the first richly od bo hos II, l,,o :, ., escaped the bullet CT the knife
 'Pshaw do you take me for one of those simpletons whose purses are, better filled than their heads?
 'NoH exclaimed the other with sudden ener gy. I know better. From the first you read my intention, and you mast have been sent to cntrap me. You are a detective in disguise
 You are right was the reply.
 Well you have come out best hut you have played q desperate game. Few would have es capped as you have, for my wife is d good shot But you were fortunes fayorte.'
 | certainly had narrow escape returned the other, pointing to the bullet hole in his hat But it is not the first time that fortune has proved friendly te me-
 Well who are your st length demanded the other.
 My name is Vidocqr eH 4j .sg
 \ that it would be all up with me when you wore pitted against me-
 C Yes business being rather dull, and having heard s. me rumors of your doings, I thought that l would take trip out here, if only for the good of my health. But it is growing late and you must be moving
 Where must go?
 'To the gallows in the end, was the coo! re- ply; But at present to the jail at P-.'
 To the gallowsr returned the other fercely ' Never! any death but that 7
 The detective leveled his pistol at the char coal burners head, e2claming: az
 You shall have bullet through your head if you prefer it "
 The other ducked his head in expectation of the shot, and then made a desperate spring at detective. The latter however was in DO hurry to fire, and cooly awaited for the others attack The charcoal burner grasped the reins with his left hand, aEd with his right endeayored to grasp the pistol. The detective however, caught his right hand with his own left, and holding it up with an iron grasp, passed his right hand under until his pistol pressed against the others fore. head, when he fired. The other instantly relax. ed his hold and with terrible cry fell back a corpse 1-' ''"F .ii !s
 The detective, having accomplished the pur pose of his visit, did not delay his return to Paris, but having explained the whole affair to the proper authorities at P---, he departed.
 TIE CIRCULATION OF NEwsP PApERs-The DO litical crisis and excitement that Lincofns cleo. ton has precipitated upon the country, have given great impetus to the circulation of news papers, particularly of daily newspapers. Thou sands, who have not before felt the need of g daily paper, now find it impossible to exist with. out one and the want, once felt and fed, will not cease, though the occasion of it's origin and recognition shall subside. The New | ork Her aids daily edition has run up to between 70 ,OOO and 80,000 the Tribune, only two years ago some 30,060 daily, now opportunities 60,000 and has shot ahead of the Times, and ranks next to the Herald among New York papers the Boston Journal, with two full papers day has resched about 50O00; and the more hum ble daiIies of interior cities, receiving and pub fishing the telegraph news, simultaneously with their rivals of greater centers, have experienced rise, also, in greater or less proportion. Bu, the newspaper business is less profitable, not withstanding these facts. than in 1856 or 1859. The expenses of conductiaga daily journal have greatly Increased within the past year. through the large advance in charges for. telegrap6it news, and the necessity of employing more edi tors, correspondents and printers to furnish the freshest and fullest news of the exciting reyolu tion in progress in the country. The Increased bcirculation is no adequate return fore this, ibe cause the fraction of profit on papers, is so in fpitesmal as hardly to be counted, even if the increase be of thoqsands,Ethe more espeeiall, 1 of those journals that print on large doubl, sheets,T the white paper of which Sometime l the wholesale newsmen. Then aeaiu, and tn, ,s,o.t ,<,:,,,,, o1oynonf ;r tho onsS,s,,t Ii