The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1868-02-04

|
kept. should be given up to them This,
of course, was refused, anl they were Or
dered to leave the saloon At this they
yelled and shouted dofiautly, still demands
| ing the cask Of rum. | attempted to
speak to them. but nv voice was immcd-
lately drowned in II torrent Of impreca-
| tiOns.
In the adjoining state room Of the cap
tain's, revolver was lying ON n table
| stepped quietly back, and returned with
it concealed under my Uniform coat. The
captain then, by my advice, ordered the
boaiswain To pipe TO supper. This COM
mani was received by all with drrsive
laughter and yells of defiance. The time
for aclion had come, SO putting the cap
tai" "a little aside. | stepped forward, at
the tame time taking care to let the re
volrer he sen. The sight of the deadly
Seapon produced an almost instantaneous
silence amongst this cowarIlv crew
| Then speaking slowly and firmly, I
said, 'l,oatswain, you have been ordered
hy your captain to pipe to supper: do -.
He answered, with string of nalh@,
that hc woull ait. and conrlulel by tell.
ing rae to mind my own business. tn
king no notice of his bragaadociu, again
spoke 10 him, IN tone that implied that
should he as good as my word.
] BoaIswain,' | said, i have girca You
IN order; if ynn fail any longer tc obey
it. | viii put 1t ont of your power To obey
or to disohcy another order in tins world
for rs sure as you stand there, will send
enc oi these balls through your head
Nov then. what d. yuu say to it ?
/ Wuh these words ! slowly cmcked the
bead
ST the iir.t sound Of that dis 'grecahlr
cli'k Of lac pistol lock hr cried out, For
g"p.lnr-S sake. dunr fire. sir. III do it :
adding n II low grnH fr the Others, 1t
don't m'Il'r chtIs. know you wuu 90
me- the more f.r't
The b,at<.nin'- >h,ill whistle then rang
-llarnN AMI clearly through the saluun
hur no one hre ed it except Ia greet ii
win wells and roar f .i,ri-ire laughter
As ,nrn rs c,nl.l makr myself heard
above the iumnIr, | said strrnly and re-o-
iwirly -
Men. yun havr li.nhr,pd ve:r cap
tain. hnl ven slnll do as | fell vou-'-
Nl"i" ID re wrir shouts of 'WlO arr
yon! '1o b,ck anl b III, vnnr own III n :
Il 'lic lkrD 'Nn", or,ler ven all t,
81 Ar out "t his cabin. Here again was
int"rr piel hy c'irs OF w nj unl murl,
strong expressions 10 the same IF CT.
very gun !. continued YOU want.
Well th'n, I will give you three minutes
10 alter ynnr min Is: at The end Of that
time III blew out the brains Of Zee nearest
man nul then The next and 81 on
AT this there wls II great huzE and
talking amongst the men. yet they made
no signs If moving, hut watched me
standing with the pistol in one hanl an /
my watch in the other
/ One minute has gone you have only
two minutes left, aud Won will have hat
one mnre warning This said keeping
INV eyes on the dial of the watch.
The crowd received this with a sulky
groan, but yet they seemed as if they
wonld stand 10 ;heir ground. 1t WIS
strange to see these wild, almost frauiic
mhn cowed INTO Il state of docged silence
10y one determined mar with revolver.
Two minutes have gone warn YOU
no more. The instant this hand passes
the third minute | fire, and the nearest
man will be- my mark
For few moments more they stood
erumhling and growing bui on hearing
the click of the cooking of TIE revolver
they began TO wavcr. Then. comp ,ring
the respective distances of the torcm at
men from me, AN fying nv eyes stead
fastly on on buHv fellow, sad in a low
tone. as # speaking 10 myself, YET loudly
cno 6 ie he heard by all, Il think he's
the nearest. yes. hy some inches Al
this he covered down, AMI began TO draw
back to give one Of his comrades the pre-,
ference. He in his turn gave way To
another, and So on, until it was evident
that no cne was desiruus of being the
foremost, and 80 they moved IF -ulkily
ont nf the cabin They seemed vi lly ap
p"ehenslve that The last minute @cnll he
shorter than either of the two prrce,liug
ones, aud il was really ludicrous 10 see
how the last half dozen men tumhlei over
one another in their hot haste 10 get out
of the salnn.
Alone again with me-, captain. he es-
claimed, -ezng me warmly bv both
hands. Thanks. my dear friend-a