Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-06-27
s@ srHa Central ysu,: assa He yn4r a gppu County
HYDE PARK VERMONT WEDNESDAY. JUNE q, 1866.
sions that often required bold heart and

sions that often required bold heart and
steady hand. 81 e-T.t.... .....
He was passing along one day through
the woods, when his ear, always on the
alert, detected the faint sound of distant
tread, which he soon recognized as being
that of a horse. Taking a position for
defense, if necessary, he waited, when there
appeared through the trees approaching
him, a horseman with long rife balanced
across the saddle. bow.
Joel stepped to the bridle-path; the
traveller rode forward boldly. and coming
up, they passed the compliments Of the
day, and went on together.
In those times no ceremony was used,
or any hesitation made about becoming ac-
quainted; 50 of course they were soon in
conversation,
| The stranger, to Joels interrogatories
questions always asked when trav-
elleIs meet in the West---of where he's
FROM" and what might be his business in
these parts" replied that he was from be-
low, naming settlement some distance
down on the banks of the Ohio, and was
going up to Wheeling to see one 10. Wet
sel,who, he "heerd" say could lick any one
in that neighborhood. Now" continued
he. | call myself 'leetle' the best man
west of Allegheny Meuntings perhaps cast
of them. I've licked every man I've hcern
on in fifty miles of my cabin and / hav-
Mt done a shootin', runLin', or wrastlin',
for so long, that I've kinder got uneasy.
So I've travelled all the way up here,
more than a hundred miles to beat Joel
lWetsel,"
Pr'aps, said Joel, "you couldn't dc
it." .
81 amt afaered of that said the
stranger; "all l want is to see him and
Tam going on to wheeling to find hi
| whereabouts, :,
WAL" said Joe, stronger, you needn'
20 to wheeling to see him for I'm tn
man himself, and we can try it here.
Without the least emotion--tha
character of men become as the Indian
the stranger alighted from his horse. tie'
him to the limb of a tree and merely say
ing. " l am ready" prepared himself 70
the trial. ..| rlf.... ....... ...
1t was agreed that they should ru
and shoot first, and afterwards wrestle-
: aoressle, as they prorounce it. Lookin
out place the the most open they selec
ted two hees near together, and eac
choosing placed mark upon it. On
hundred and fifty PAGES were then meas
ured off, which was the distance the
were to run and shoot and after all pre-
limlnaries were arranged, they prepai e
for the trial. '.. #
. The plan was, that each was to stan
. with his back to the tree on which wa
his mark, with his rife unloaded. and. Q
a given signal, run to the goal, load, an
: fire. each one, at his mark on the tree
The one who fired first after reaching tn
; goal. and came the nearest to the mari
was the swiftest runner and also the be'
shot.
At the signal, off they started, brea'
to breast, like two coursers in harness
but the stranger cast queer glances at Jc
as he saw him, Immediately after startin
livery dexterously commence charging b
y riAe--frst primipg it. and SO on. in tt
regular manner, until by the time they
y run one hundred and fifty PAGES, his rif
: was completely loaded and on that lnstal
reached the stake, and fred
/; The stranger loaded in almost the twinl
ling of an eye, he having. no doubt, d
pended a good deal as to his success
his rapidity at loading. Being behir
=, in the time of firipg-as the race had be'
equal he felt no fear as to the result of Il
a shot. lor Ia rajeU.f arfarti
So he took deliberate aim and fred
!. He was surprised, however. on approac
n ing the trees, to find that Wetsel had bOr'
% the centre, while he, although | e had ma
e a very good shot for the distance, h'
missed. ........ .r.-.
d BEST two out Of three" he said INN