Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-10-15
: HOW l BECAME RICH.

"a fautu tuAt Wcht W tuc name OF Bloc
!. Fallow. An exceedingly retired MAJ
named Kent, lived there in great :,
/ clusion with his single servant, an oI
: man, who owned-and that was all 4
: could ovn-the name OF Jerry. Asi
4 when Kent came there; or how b
: made liyibg-there being no appear
snce Of farming or stock raising eoiu,
!, on-nobody knew. Happening mj
= self, however, to becoming possssss
/ singularly Of some Interesting psr,icu
/ lars on the subject. will lay them sbs
!. fore you. snd leave you to form rch
own conclusions.
I l had been prospecting in that vicini
/ ty for several days with indifferen
, success, when one evening finding my
self near his house which had neyel
seen before, and much preferring a
roof over my head if could have il,
walked up to the door and knocked
determined to ask permission to spread
my blankets on the floor for the night
heard voice within direct Jerry
to open the door. Then it was opened
and l was admitted by the old man.
Protfered my request, but be bent
his ear as if he did not understand. 1
repeated it in a louder tone, when n
man l had not before observed, crouch.
ing over low fire, without turning
answered me in the affirmative. l en-.
tered, spread my blankets, took bag
containing gold dust from my pack,
and placed it under my pillow, and
then began eating few biscuits / had
with me for supper, when a slight
noise against the thin partition at nv
elbow made me turn my head suddenly
IN that direction. There was a knot
hole about two feet from the ground,
and looking through il was an eys as
red as game-cock's. A moment more
and il was gone. I heard voice Of re-
treating footsteps, and a door gently
closed.
A little while after, old Jerry came
in from outdoors and sat down by the
fire without speaking. 1 ventured a
few remarks, hoping to start a couver.
sation, but receiving no reply gave up
the attempt, and rolling myself In nv
blanket endeavored to go TO Sleep
There was some singularity in the con.
duct of my host, 1 thought, but then l
was used to singular people, and as
for fear, so long as my two "Colts"
were in order, | did not know what IT
was. l troabled myself but little with
these or any other reflections, however,
and was soon worshipping the "drowsy
god" How long | slept l do not |
know. Ny next recollections are of a
state Of half consciousness, in which | |
seemed to be struggling violently to
wake, without the power to do so, as if
some inde6nable but imminent danger
was near me--that should perish If l
slept. Suddenly 1 awoke. / think it
was the sound Of the galloping steps
OF horse approaching the dwelling
that caused me to regain my conscious
ness; at any rate, that was the noise
that first struck upon my ear as l
opened my eyes. But l did not de-
vote much time to reflection, can as
sure you; for as | did so the first OBJ
lect saw was the figure Of old Jerry
bending over me, while the moonlight,
" hich slanted through the single bro
ken pane, ,glittered upon the white
steel blade Of huge bowie knife which
he held uplifted just in the act of stri.
king. l must own that l considered
my life gone, for there was not even
lime for me to cock pistol; but lucki-
y, while the villain had not seen me
wake, the noise on the outside sudden
y called off his attention. The DELAY
was renewal Of life to me, and fatal
% him. In an instant more l had
covered him with pistol; in another,
! f1ash--a report-a cloud OF smoke,
md he fell dead, shot through the
,rain.
Almost simultaneously 1 heard the !
lorse stop at the door. Some one dis +,
mounted and tried TO force the door,
t was immovable. Next l heard eff. .
orts at the door in the rear, communi-
:ating with the partitioned apartment
have made reference to. At last / !
leard it give way, and some one whose !
read fancied seemed too light for
mans. entered. There was breath ;
ess silence for a moment, during which !
he steed's restless champiDg bis bit !
outside seemed a painful CONTRAST !
Then heard a singular sweet voice, ;
which, however contradictory it may
appear, had yet with it tone of in ,
ense fefocity, uttering the following
with slightly Spanish accent:
"William Kent you are in this .
iousel You cannot escape by the ,
'ther door,, for l have tied it with my !
lariata.' You cannot pass this. for / /
yuard it. / know that you are hearing h
ne, l know that you recognize my 4
Toice. am Juanitsl You entered d
ny fathers house and received his o
You cruelty murdered
lim--you and your villainous compat-
lot. You heartlessly deceived me his Z
laughter. You fed with your booty. +
You thought you were safe; but you A
we're mistaken. l have followed you r
il hundred miles; l have been on your 2
rail for three years. / have found q
rou at last. Will the bloodhound =
orego to rend bis prey? Do you +
htnk / will lose nv revenge noWf--l n