Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-06-09
Gbr Na,rttr an0 COMET.
An uNWEAC.ME PASSENGER!
4 raDDLlR's STORY.

A ctld winters night, several yea's
since, found stage lead OF passsn.
gers gathered together ar uad the
wa,m tire Of q tavern barr ON in y
New England village. Shortly alter
We arrived, ppddler dove up and
ordered that bis horse should be e'a'
bled for the night. After ~e bad
eaten our supper We repaired to the
bar room, where CONVERSATION flowed
freely. Several anecdotes had been,
related, aod finally the peddler was. was
asked to give US q story, ss men OF
his profession were generally full OF
adventures and anecdotesa He wss
a short, thick set man. somewhsre
about forty years Of age, and gave
evidence Of great physical STRENGTH,
He gave his name as Lpmuel Vim
ney, aud his home was in Dover, New
Hamphire. a4as
swell, gentlemen, be commenced,
knocking the ashes from bis pipe and and
p,u,tlpg It in his pocket, suppose ]
tell YOU the last thing OIL any cohss:
qu-nee that bapp ned to me. foa ses
am right from the West, apdl on
nv way home tor the winter quarters.
| It was during the early part Of last
spr1irng, one pleasant evening. that !
| 5ullrd up at the door Of email y'ls
age tavern, in Hancock county. lndI
ana. went in, called for my sup''
DIR, aud had my horse taken care Of
After had eaten ! sat down 10 the
bar.,oom. 1t began TO rain about
eight o'clork, and it was very dark
out Of doors, Now | waited 10 be
|in Jackson the next morning, fri
expected a load Of goods there for me,
which / intended to dispose OF on my
way home. a5 .su...,,
night, and | knew it it did NOT ra'ni
could ge, along through the Mul
very we'll after that. So A. k-d the
Landlord if be would see that my
|hcrse was fed about midnight as |
wished to be off about two. he ex-
pressed some surprise at this, and
asked ms Why l did not stay to,
breakfast | told him that ! had soid
m, last load about out, and that q
new lot Of goods was waiting tor me
at jackson, and | wanted to 60 there
before the express agent left IN the
morning. ~
.There were a number Of persons
sitting around while | told this, but /
took little notice Of them ; only one
arrested my attention. l had seem
that week notice for the detection
of a notorious robber. The bills gave
a description Of his per-on. aud the
man abswered very veil to 1t. he
" az a tail, WI formed man. rather
slight iu frame, aud had the appear
ancu of a gentleman, save that his
face hor. those hard, cruel m 'rks
which an observing man cannot mis-
take for anything Int the index Ut .
VILLAIN, Us disposition. ~
"W hen | vent 10 my chamber l
asked the landlord who that man
was, describing the Individual. lie
said be did not know MIN. He had
cone there that afternoon, and in
tended to leave the next day The
host asked me why wished to know,
and, 1 simply told him that the man's
countenauce was familiar, and l
merely wished to know if | was ever
acquainted with him.
"I was resolved not to let the land
lord into the secret, but to hurry onto
jackson and there to give info,m ,mation
to the sheriff, who perhaps might
reach the inn before the villain left,
for I had no doubt as to his identity.
| had an alarm watch. and having
set it to give the alarm, ! went to
sleep. / was alarmed at the proper
time. and Immediately dressed myself.
When | reached the yard ! found the
clouds all passed away, and the moon
was shining brightly.
The hostIer was easily aroused, and
By two O'clock | was on the road.
EThe mud was deep, and my hofse
could not travel very fast. However,
on We went, and in the course of half
an hour were clear ofthe village. At
Mort distance ahead lay large
forest. mostly Of pine. The road lay
directly through this wood, as near as
can remember, the distance was
twelve miles; yet the moon wasfi 10
the east, and as the road ran nearly
west, / thought | should have light
enough. ys
IL had entered this wood, and
t.>ra about ha1( a vn;1., suhan rnr