The Shasta courier., 1865-02-18
Our Highwayman Captured.

A private letter from Ell Dorado county.
Cal, informs US that two hishwaymen, re-
Gently captured there, acknowledged to hav-
ine levied forced contribution upon Bob Bell
and ourself. last Fall. That reminds us, chat
we might as well tell the whole story-the
parties of The first part having told what they
know of IT. 1t was Saturday 18th Septem-
ber-as honest looking day as we ever
went anywhere. Bell had asked US to ride
mn to Georgetown with him, to see Uncle
Conncss. We went. Coming home, Bell $
| sorrel walked leisurely along, while Bell and
self talked old Investigating our political
battles oye again. We were old Broderick
men-left over from times when 1T was not so
good a thing to be-and were felicltating
ourselves upon the great altitude at which
| the goose is now a days suspended.
| We had got to a turn in the road, not more
than two miles from Coloma. Bell was tell
ing some interesting anecdote. Suddenly we
espied tall man, with a long pistol, rise
from behind a buckeye bush, and draw. The
fellow seemed very TALL just then, and the
pistol very long. He had black silk ker-
chief drawn across his nose, covering the
lower part of his face. We didn' need any
explanation. He called Hold on hold on =
Bell had Mt seen him yet We reached for
the whip, which stood at the dasher. Bell
reigned the sorrel in and struck up our hand
asking What's the matter?" and was en-
lghtened in minute, by the secondfellow,
not quite so tall, but otherwise the very coun-
terpart of the first drawing on us another
very long pistol. We tried again to get the
whip, and begged Bell to start the horse; for
we thought of business we had in Coloma.
Bell seemed fixed with compassion for the
poor highwaymen, and Immediately brought
the horse hard up on his hind legs, and dis
bursed Sll .50-all he had in coin with him.
One of the attentive cusses came TO the 9TH
er side OF the buggy, and gave us an oppor-
tunlty OF contributing: which we did at once.
We have got so in the habit of contributing
something to everything that comes around.
that we never thought to ask what the fund
was for, nor what others were giving.
We did mt come out quite as unreservedly
as Christ required his followers Todd MT
give up eyerything-but then we did MT in
tend to follow these fellows. We tried to
play them, and it worked. Gave up 500 so
in small gold coin, first. Fellow looked say
age, and asked if that was all. No, have a
little sllyer-here!' and then for clincher.
reminded him of the toll bridge at the foot of
the mountain; asked if he could MT stand
toll. Bell put in, saying that for himself he
did MT care; was near home; but that his
friend had long way to travel. and not a
cent to spend. We thought we saw tears
into the fellows eyes-are not certain but
he handed back our three dollars in silver,
and reminded us that they saw our watches,
but would not take them. We feltlike offer
ing vote of thanks but all was not lost
yet, and we whispered to Bell to hurry down
that road if the horse could stand it for the
climate did't suit us.
We got into Coloma with about S400 in
our left hand pocket, and feeling luckier than
if we'd found it in the road. We never met
men more prompt and afable in business
matter than the two on the Georgetown road.
Their promptness was contagious-it was
like Fallstatfs wit, the cause of the like in
others. The poor fellows confess to this lit
tie operation, but say they were not there for
US, but waiting for man expected that way,
whom they knew to be carrying a considera-
BILE amount of coin. 1t was cheap. 1t was
a new ensation-looking into the Navy pis-
tolls, by the light we had and the relief, at
getting off so happily Things may go rough
with the boys, but they are hereby assured
that whatever fortune attends, one faithful
heart still BEATS and so forth.
N. B.-After a considerable distance had
been placed between us and the road men,
we asked Bell to go on with the pretty story
which had been interrupted by the late stop
page. He looked us in the face, and with
all the innocence supposed case of an un-
born babe asked What was it abont?" Tn
der the""circumstances we did MT tell him.
Humboldt Register.