Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-05-30
GALLIPoLIs, OHIO, MAY 80, 1867.
ard it as long as 1 have breath in

my body"
''That won't be long," said tht
man with coarse laugh, ''if yor
don't listen to reason"
John, for reply, mounted his horse
and sat behind his mail bag.
"Your life is in danger" said the
man. II intend to have those let
ters, and a life isn't much to me-
I'll spare you, Though, for you may
care for it; and I've heard yeu Yere
a good fellow enough, if you'll just
make me no trouble. I'm in earnest
you know; no feoling," and he took
deliberate aim at John Hedwig's
breast.
John was unarmed, and he loved
life, dearly, but he was no coward and
it was ofno use trying to outride the
highwayman. He had nothing but
his fist-rather useless weapon, nm.
der the circumstances; but he
"showed fight" and as the ruffian's
anger kindled, he fired. The aim
was good. The little ball of lead
lodged in Johns coat, just where his
heart should have been, and John
staggered.
He was shocked rather than hurt;
and even in that moment of excite
ment he remembered having heard
that it was often soin mortal injuries
Probably he had received his death
wound, and this highwayman would
walk off with the mailbag, where,
as John knew well, reposed ten dol
lars Sukey Jones, at service, was
sending to her old mother, and the
money due for little Charlie Browns
tuition at boarding school, so hard
as it was for his sister to scrape it
together; and other trusts were in
that leather bag, the humble hopes
and dreams of those who wrote the
letter twined about them.
The German and his infidel tracts
had done John Hedwig little good;
but he was honest and kindly yet.
"Tll fight while l have drop Of
blood left" said he to himself, and
help may come, and the mail bag be
saved yet, even if / die"
And he sprang upon the highway
man with such vigor that the man,
cody waiting to see him drop dead,
astonished, taken by surprise, and
tumbled from his saddle. And then
John struggled for the pistol and
gaining it, quietly knocked the ruff
fan senseless with the but end, aud
sat down on his bosom, keeping
guard as party of young fellows
out for hunt, and all well armed,
rode up toward the scene of action.
They all knew John well and the
more jealous were for dispatching
the highwayman; but the voice of
the majority was for binding him
and carrying him to the city to meet
his reward at the han6 of justice,
and with this party John coincided.
He was weak, and his breast ached,
and he expected every moment to
feel the faintness of death stealing
over his heart, and the bullet must
be somewhere.
A few unpleasant misgivings, which
proved that his opinion of the future
were not so fixed as they might have
been, and he sighed a little as the
questioned him.
''Ihe bullet, went in here" he
said touching the hole. 81 don't feel
any pain, and it must be bleeding in
wardly, if at all l think
And he unbottoned his coat. No
sign of blood appeared. Then his
vest was opened cautiously, and out
dropped Lucy's little bible, with the
bullet deeply imbedded in its cover.
Under God, the book had saved
John's life.
The tears came into Johns eyes,
and the others started, for John had
been in the habit of boasting of his
infidel opinions, and it was odd
enough that he should wear Bible
next his heart; but every one was
too. glad to find John unhurt to care
much else, and then gave three
cheers, and started cityward with
their bound highwayman, in mighty
glee.
John followed, leading horse and
keeping an eye to the mail bag, and
On the way he thought. What he
thought may be judged from the fact
that six months later Lucy Hood
found her lover at her side in d
church meeting, and heard from his |
own lips that he had not half as high |
IN opinion of his own smartness and
hat of his German friend as former
", and that he "believed she was
half right
And before long, it was evident
hat John knew she was quite right,
and Lucy married him.
"It all came of your little Bible,
Lucy" said John "The book saved |
ny life, and cut of queer kind of
gratitude to you and to it, l took to
.eading it, And / found that who
ever wrote it was wiser than any
nan / ever met, and that it was
beautiful as it was wise, ana so we
ire here together Lucy. And am
happier than ] ever expected to be
n this world, all because of your
title Bible"
A CL1EcHER.-We were highly
unused last evening, says an eX-