The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-03-16

1
gerous territory 10 comparative safety, and
tlattered myself that no one guessed my
riches through my apparentpovcrty.
In fact, on two occasions, | began to
think il might have been to my advantage
to have looked little more respectable.
| The first of these was when, in travelling
| through the Chootaw Nation, found a drove
of horses that pleased me very much, aud
was told by the owner, in reply to my ques.
ton as to what he would take head for
the entire lot, that he was not in the habit
OF making his price to every wandering
beggar that chose to satisfy an idle curiosi-
| ty. ! was disposed at first to put on some
dignity aud get Indignant, hut concluded,
alter careful survey Of my person, that the
man had good cause for speaking as he did,
and so merely assured him that knew an
individual who wished to buy horses II he
could get them at fair price. The horse
owner, however, was not disposed to be-
lieve my statement, aud 80 passed him by,
with the resolve that, il nothing better
turned up, would give him another call
under moro advantageous appearances. As
the second instance alluded to was similar
to the hrst II may be passed. over without
any further notice. H-H ..t Iu s.I.
But out of this same cause grew q very
remarkable adventure which lis my present
purpose to relate. .,.I s..u .,l.
While passing between two settlements.
over lonely, gloomy horse. path. leading
through dark hemlock wood. aud while in
the most solitary part, there suddenly came
before me, lc9ping from thicket on the
right human figure of most startling APP
pearance. II was man of medium hight,
but OF o stout, powerful frame, all covered
with dirty tatters that he appeared to have
worn and wallowcd in for years. lie had
no covering for his head nor his feet, and
his skin was so coated with CRIME that it
was difficult IL FIRST look TO tell whether
he belonged TO the white race or not His
face, high up on his cheeks, was covered
with dirty brown beard, and his matted
hair hung in wild profusion all over his
head, except q little space before his blood
shot eyes, and altogether looked like mad
man or human devil. His hands ho!i and
swung q formidable club, and his att ttude,
as he leaped into the road before me, was
one OF fierce menace and defiance. dds
stopped in alarm, and willie fixing my
eyes sharply upon his quietly slid my hand
into convenient pocket and gresped tho
butt of one of my revolvers, firmly deter.
mined to keep him at the short distance
that divided us, or kill him if he advanced.
|
lently regarding and surveying each other,
and then resting one end OF his club on tho
ground. ana partly leaning forward on the
other, he said, in coarse, gruff tone, with
a kind of chucking laugh:
"Well, - me Is in hopes I'd got a
prize at last; but if you're much better of
nor me, you don't show it, by -! Stran.
ger, who ar you? and whar ar you from :"
"Well," returned ], feeling highly com.
| plmented, Of course, that resembled such
a vllainous looking object as himself,
Some people call me heggar, and know
| do not pass for a genteel gentleman
"Pll swa'ar that---haw, haw, haw," was
his chuclSling response. The world han't
made much of you moren't has of me. l
sec stoal in your face rs plain as daylight
What Jail or penitentiary was you in last -
"Never mind that, probably neither of
us have got our deserts" es eai
We'll, if you had been decent dressed
looked like you had five dollars about you,
I'd have knocked your brains out, pursued
the villain, with broad grin. cas- it is,
you can pass, for sw'ar you han't red
Much obliged Tor your candor y re-
Joined l.
He still stood before me, looking straight
into my eyes, and now seemed to be pom
dering some idea. Presently he muttered
as il to himself. ''-'''
at think he might do" Then moment
after he said to me: ''+ '.Ht4 '' .'
Il say, old fellow, how'd you like to
make raise ?" '' '''# 1'T1t -
tlTow would like to eat whom hun.
gry?' answered, thinking it nut unlike.
| " that the scoundrel had some dark pro.
jcct in view which by seeming to chime in
| with him. might discover. a1af7t saf
Well,I'Ve gotta plan" he said, throwing
| down his club, as if TO assure me of his pa
cific inteTtions towards myself, "lve got
plan that willgive us both lots Of mon.
cyl and it'll take just two to carry it ont
| I've been waiting a pal this'loug time, and
if you'll join inlll go your halves."S = d
"If theresa chance to turn penny, I'm
Your maui" said L. sllra-,t a.ytesS
"Gpod 'returne he "you look like
trump, and I'll bet on you" IL don't exactly
know, 'he added, eyeng me sharply rbnt
may be deceivcd--but think I'll risk it.
! If you go to play any game on me, you'd
better look ont for yourself that's alt .hs
rDo laok like sucl' a scamp as that ?"
| returned |, in an indignant tore. .su q
,,"Wel now, let's take seal and talk it
an pNei' Grg 't.sctittt- s.tssg.a. ...f 1.4l.I-
We found an old log and sat down. and,
after some preliminary conversation, my
new and interesting acquaintance Wlulded
TO. me o most damuable scheme, the subject
OF which was as follows: ,sa 8..rs.r gsdI
He knew tho country well, for miles
around, and the exact position aud condi,
ton of every settler d, 4. ......T .,.,r
One man, living in n rather lonely quar-
ter, about five miles distant, was a specula-
tor in horses and cattle which he bought
mp and drove to distant market. lie had
a good deal of money, which it was sup
posed lac kept secret in his dwelling. and
to get possession of this money was. of
course, the object which he had in view.
The trouble was. the man himself was
brave, determined fellow, who always went
we'll armed, and who had besides his wife,
two grown up sons and daughter, Which
was a force two great for any one ndivid
nal TO encounter. About mile from him
lived poor widhw, who Lad nothing worth
stealing except her clothes which would be
valuable in carrying out our plan. ''"
This plan was first to rob the widow Of
her clothing, dress me up in them, and
have me seek lodging at the spectators
heuse. Then 10 The night, when all The
family should be asleep, was to unbolt the
door, let in ny confederate, and we were TO
attempt the murder Of the inlnates--and
the robbery and the burning Of the house
were to follow aud be the concluding scene,
lsecretly shuddered at the alrocity Of the