The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-01-30
AN UNWEleOME PASSENGER.
A PEDLER's STORY.


found stage load of passengers gathered
together around the warm fire OF tavern
barroom in new England village. Shortly
after We arrived, u peddler drove up and
ordered that his horse should be stabbed for
the night. Alter We had eaten our supper
we repaired to the barroom, where conver-
sation flowed freely. Several anecdoIes had
been related, aud finally the peddler was
asked 10 give us a story, as men of his pro-
fession were generally iul OF adventures
and anecdotes. He was short. thick set
man, somewhere about forty years of age,
aud g.ye evidence Of g eat physical strength.
He guve his name as Lemuel Elnney. and
his home was in Dover, New Hampshire
"W,li. gentlemen he commenced, KNOCK
ing the ashes irom his pipe and putting it
in his pocket, suppose tell you the last
thing OF any consequence that happened me.
You see | am right from the west, and ON
NY way homc Tor winter quarters. 1t was
during the early part OF last spring, one
pleasant evening, that | pulled up at the
door OF u small village tavern, in Hancock
county, Indiana. | went in, calleL for my
supper, and had my toise taken care Of
After had eaten | sat down in the bar
room. 1t began to rain about eight O'Clock
and it was very dark out of doors. Now |
wanted to be in jackson the next morning,
for expected a load OF goods there for me,
which intended to dispose OF On my way
home.
The moon would rise about midnight,
and knew if it did not rain could get
along through the mud vely well after that
SO a>ked the landlord it lie would see that
my horse was Ted about midnight, as /
X a l,a III roI
some surprise at this, aud asked ME why |
did not stay iur breakfast. / told him that
had sold my last load about out, and that
a new lol VI gods was waiting Tor me at
jackson, and wanted to go there before
the express agent lnit in the morning.
There were = humber Of persons sitting
around while tod this, but | took little
notice Ut them; only one arrested my attcD
tien. had seen Il At week notice for the
detection Of notorious lobber. The bills
gave description Of his person, and the
man answered very well TO it, He was a
tall, well formed man. rather slight in frame
and Had the appearance OF gentleman,
save that his face bore those hard, cruel
marks which an observing nan cannot mis-
take for anything but the index Of villain
Gus dispr sillUn.
When 4 went to my chamber asked
the landlord who thIt man was, describing
the individual lie said he did not know
him. He he'd come there that afternoon,
and intended to leave the next uay. The
host asked 'me why | wished TO know, and
| simply told ham that ehe mans counte-
nance was familiar, and | merely wished to
Tkn0wif l was ever acquainted with him.
II was resol, ed not to let the landlord
into the secret, but &c hurry on to'Jackson,
and t..ere to give information to the sheriff,
and perhaps might reach the inn before the
villain LETT, Tor had no doubt as to bis
identity i
Il had da'Alarm watch, and having set it
10 give the alarm at one clock, went TO
sleep was alarmed at the proper time,
and immediately dressed u,yscli When
reached the yard | found clouds all passed
away, and the moon was shining brightly.
The hostler was easily aroused, and by
two o clock was On the road. The mud
was deep, ahd',Ay horse could not travel
very fast. However, On We went, and in
the c5urse OF halt an hour were clear of the
village. At u short distance ahead lay e
large forest, mostly of pine. The road lay
directly through this wood, as near rs | eth
remember, the distance was twelve miles;
yet the moon was in the east, and as the
road ran near west, thought | should
have light enough.
Il had entered tliis ", cd. and gone about
half mile, when my wagon wheel, with
bump aud *, went into deep hole
| uttered an exclamation OF establishment,
but this was not all. heard another ex-
clamation from the same source! What
could rthis',aeau? | looked quietly around
but cduld see nothing; yet knew that the
souhd wiis very close to me. AS the hind
wheels came up, felt something besides
the jerk from the hole. | heard something
tumble 'troMse side to the other in my
wagon, and ouu also feel the jar occa-
stoned by the NOV, ment 1t was simply
mau'in liycart | knew this on the FMS
tant; Of course i felt puzzled. At first /
imagined that S5nle tne bad taken ftN
method to obtain ride. Mynext idea was
that s6lnebody had got in to sleep there;
but this passed away as soon as it came. for
no man Woulc have br, ken into my Hart for
that purpose. And that thought, gentle
men opened my eyes. Whoever was there
had broken IN. My next thought was Of
the suspicious individual | had seen at the
tavern. He heard me say that my load
was all sold out, and of course he supposed
| had some money with me. In this he
was right, tor had over two thousand dol
lars. | thought he meant to leave the cart
wheu he supposed l had reached safe
place, and then creep over aud shoot me,
or knock ME down. All this passed through
ny mind by the time ! had got u rod from
the hole.
I'm few minutes my resolution was
formed. My horse was knee-deep in the
mud, and knew could slip off without
noise. So ! drew my pistol and having
twined my reins about the whip stock,
carefully slipped down in the mud and ex-
sniined the hasp. The outer door Of the
cart let's down, and'is fasteDed by has2,
which slips over the staple, and is then Sc
cured by paddock The paddock was
gone, and the hasp was secured in its place
by a bit OF pine, so that slight force from
within would break it. Nv wheel wrench
stood in leathern bucked ON tho side OF
the cart, and | quickly took it out and
slipped It into the stap.e the iron handle
just sliding down.
Nov had him. My Cart was almost
new, made OF "a stout frame of white oak,
and made on purpose for hard usage. |
did not believe aD ordinary man could break
out | got on NY cart as Doselessly MS
got off. and thenvrged my horse on, still
keeping my pistol handy. knew that at
a distance Of half mile further | should
come to hard road, and SO allowed my
horse to pitch his own way through the
mud.
about ten minutes after this heard
motion in the cart, followed by grinding
noise, as though some heavy force was
being applied to the door. ! said nothing,
but the idea struck me that the villain
might judge where | sat, and shoot up
through the Gait at me; 50 sat down ON
the foot board.
''Of course knew that my unexpected
passenger was "a villain, for be must have
been awake ever since | started, and moth