The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1865-10-06

limits 1t was near twilight; and as we
stood gazing from the summit of the
beautiful mound, upon the golden rays
of the sun as it sunk below the west
ern horizon, Thompson addressed me
as follows:--
"This is a fertile city for our bust
ness"
"Supposing that he had reference
to card playing, | answered in the
affirmative"
81 have picked man every night, ="
said he, "and have made plenty.
am not selfish, as you shall soon see.
l have chosen to give you an interest
in a game, to be played this evening
say one-third. / will give you for
your share one thousand dollars"
was out of funds, and the good
news called forth my heartfelt thanks
l Immediately asked where the game
was to come of, and what part he
had assigned for me to play.
"Itwill come off in twenty minutes.
perhaps less, said he, "near the base
of this mound, by the side of the river
Then pointing down the road to
couple of men, some half mile dis
4ort L., ,~,1o;,,ol. ttN.,.l L.. a..
come. The tall man is the pigeon
the other my partner. We have NJ
time to spare. Take these, lie con
"and take your stand one hun
bred yards down the road" and he
presented me at the same time with a
large, horseman's pistol, which lie
kept concealed beneath his cloak, and
a black silk cap. Conceal yourself,
and, after they pass You, cover your
face aud fall close in the rear l viii
demand their money or their lives,
and presenting my pistol at the breast
Of the large man, shoot him down
without giving him choice. Should
l miss. you must blow his brains out
You take ?"
Certainly" replied, knowing that
upon the slightest hesitation upon
part to act, the contents of his pistol
would bring my earthly career to
speedy close.
WELL why don't you move r. he
demanded, as stood undecided, think
ing in what manner Knight escape.
Because ! thought probably it
would be better for you to secrete
yourself along the road, and leave me
to demand his money or his life, p l
answered
You demand his money you," he
angrily rejoined "A pretty demand
You would makel Begone to your
post"
flew at the top Of my speed. My
design, in changing position, was con
ceived in moment bought that |
might escape before the terrible deed
was cousummated | reached the
turn of the road, pistol in hand. In
few moments l lived my whole life
over For the first time since my mi
tiation as a gambler, did realize the
to which had bound
myself in my oath of allegiance. But
/ resolved TO meet the advancing par
ty, and warn the intended victim,
though should perish. | carried my
purpose into execution. Turning the
curve which hid me from hundred
yards in advance of the spot where I
bad been directed to stand, | met the
two men, arm in arm. The tall gen
tleman was humming in the ear of his
companion the sweet notes of that
lovely ballad, The Last Rose of Sum
mer." On my approach, he lowered
his voice and turned partly around.
| grasped him by the arm, and babe
him return, and then ran for my life.
He did return-but neither Thompson
nor his companion ever made THEN APP
pearance at the City hotel | gave
the gentleman, who thus escaped from
the hand of the assassin, brief ex-
PLANTATION of the cause of my singular
conduct, and received his thanks as
the preseryer of his life.
Two years passed, and | was max
ing tour through Mississippi. Stop
ping at Port Gibson few miles back
of Grand Gulf, understood that a
friend of mine, one Skinner, was con-
fined in the jail there for killing the
the clerk of the court. / called to see
him, when, to my grea5 surprise, |
found also my old acquaintance, Bill
Thompson, in irons. He had been
guilty of theft, and now awaited his
trial He did not seem to wish me
to recognize him, and | was happy to
find him thus inclined | took my
leave of my friend Skinner, and re-
turned to the Gulf The next day |