American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-11-14
For the Citizen.
A SKETCH.


At an hour when the tide of being seemed
almost merging into the softening hues of
evening, I stood upon the banks OF that
lonely stream which courses the Mississippi
valley until il empties into the waters of the
Yazoo. There were but few inhabitants
upon its shores. | do not think there was
single plantation at this time. Beautiful
beyond description, ii still bears desolate
and wild appearance, and you may threS2
the channel for many miles without sesrDsg
the dwellings Of man. Dark brakes, of cane
and darker swamps alone present them
selves, and wild animals are yet plentiful
among the thick cane and rank weeds.
There had been fishing party made up of
young men from the plantations on Deer
Greek, aud my companions had gone. on,
leaving nosto wait for game that might come
to drink Mt nightfall. For long time
stood musiig upon the banks at the landing,
and the sun had nearly run his course l
had been thinking of the many daring feats
of hunters in these wiids, and was lastly
dwelling upon the character of a notorious
bandit who, for many years, had been the
terror of the Yazoo and Sunlower valleys.
Many brave hunter and pleasure seeker
with merciless and miserable deaths at his
hands and those ofhis aecomplices. and their
bodies were neFerfound. onee he was over
taken and captured, but breaking jail again,
went Q his hiding places and dared those
who saw hin TOR he sometimes visited
those who labored in bodily fear OF hiln,) 10
tell of his whereabouts. While l was thus
listlessly waiting for deer or bear, a slight
rustic in the grass. behind caused Re to turn
quickly, when, to my surprise, saw o man,
dressed in brown jacket, colo1ed shirt end
dark pants, standing on the higher ground
above me. There was belt about his waist.
and gun resting from his hand upon the
ground. He must have erept cautiously to
have been so near before heard him. This
ing his friendly intentions, and his conduct
during our first words, at first disarmed me
of fear, and raised in their stead surprise
and wonder. AS turned upon him, he
readily remarked that iotered long behind
my Company, aud before | spoke, as If eager
TO continue, he said :. A year ago. if had
found yousu this place alone, whether you
had money or not, your friends might have
looked ill Judgment for your body but
am not now what | was then. have be-
come sick of blood, and having nothing for
my mind to.reeoil upon, | want to go as
have sent Others, that is, to die by the hand
of man." l knew then he was a desperalo +
had heard that the former robber was in
telligent and educated, and wondered if some +
lark calamity had brought on his despera-
lion and crazed his brain, whether, from
1ow, stated with blood, his heart really
'hrank from more; he continued--ssI am a
'obber I am the nameless Murrell of the
'wamps, and that beautiful river, if it could
speak, could tell you tales that would horrify
-our soul, but not mine as the prime actor
n the murderous tragedies, the thoughts of
hem are all that feed my mind, that has for +
many years th.rsted for nothing but blood 2
Ie then entreated me to come upon the bank
nd shoot hiln in his tracks he said that my
ountry would be certain TO reward me, and
he whole community be freed from an nn-
lerciful incubus. hardly knew whether i
e was in earnest OF not; at any rate, / was
ctermined to move cautiously l thought !
e would not have crept upon me, nor q
-atched my companions, as he evidently {
al, from first saying that l loiterea long !
ehind them. | thought these things, but 9
id not hint them, lest, finding that | had 9
Ispected my having seen him before he
urdered me, and thinking his best chance
as then to shoot or retreat, Ire nj gnt elude
e or injure me. / FIRST pretended to per- !
lade him from guilt and turn him to good
eeds, and even limited that he was only
lnter and trying to tamper with me but
} scorned me, and only thrust his gun into 2
y hands and threatened instantly to knock =
1t ny brains if did not fire aud put him y
1t of misery. | still hesitated, when he :. :,
ID stepped back a few PAGES, be drew forth !:
iong and cleaning knife and threateningl, !,
sglayed it, becoming angered and cursed
; rashness, calling himself a cursed ma
&C. AL the while I~had been passing nj, 4,
lnds over his gun, lest there might be some
Of laid for my destruction III it; but my q
Is and best discovery took place when he, ~
gning rage at my slowness, rushed on me to
th his knife hoping to make me pull trig-
= and ruin myself; for, as | cooked his n,
ece and put ii to my face, ] saw that the m
Q barrels opened from behind the crooked
MINERS which had hidden them. Imme- d.
ately the demon rosein me dropping bis III
n and drawing my revolver, as my gun hs
IS not lying near enough, cooked it and III
icing it at his breast, l made him take of co
clothes to his shirt. Then the leopard TO
splayod hinself--lle eringed like hound As ar
saw death in earnest just at his heart IN
/, how boldly he courted 20 die before, and -
" tired he was Of blood when, if I had "
/ seen him SO soon, my life could have 30
- ~ lis hands aud f.;tfny - b;s g., ke
enpt, HE had sought il and nearly took il, -
piece of strategy with the curious gun, :"
ose tubes ran yearly to the middle and
re was deposited the load, while false de
-