The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1869-07-20

haa ehg il 81 my belief that he
caal3 nowhcrs make . better selection
t4aa a lAas vicinity
He readily CONSENTED, aal we set
ont together We bad not rilien
uaay miles aLen Geofg sldleuly rec
elected q commission BE aal undcrts-
/ ken f3r a friend. which woull require
bis attendance al public land sale Oh
the following day
Ezacling a promise that he would
not delay bis visit longer than was
necessary. aud having given minute di-
reciious as 10 The route. continued my
way homeeard while be turned back
4 was about retiring to bed on the
might of roy return, when summons
from without called me 70 the door
4 A stranger aske3 me shelter for him
salf aud his horse for The night
I ] invited him in. Though a stran-
ger, bis face seemed not unfamiliar
He vas probably one Of the men l had
seen al tho land Office, a place at that
time much ircluentel
4 Offering him a seat, went to see to
his horse. The poor animal as well as
/ I could see by tile dim starlight, seem
el 70 have been hardly used His pan
ting sides bore witness Of merciless
riding, aud tfemulous shrinking, at
the slightest touch, botokened recon.
fright
4 On re-cutering the house, ! found
The stranger was not there. His ah
seuee excited no surprise, be would
doubtless soon return. 1t was little
singular, however, that he should have
left his watch lying on the table.
At the end Of bali an hour, my guest
not returning, ! went again to TIE sta
bic, thinking he might have found bis
way thither to give personal attention
to the wants Of his horse
Before going out, from mere force Of
habit for we were as yet uninfested
by either thieves or policemen i took
the precaution Of putting the stranger.
watch in the drawer in which kept
my own yaIaables
| found the horse as / had left him
and gave him the food which he was
now sufficiently cooled to be allowed tc
cat, but his master was nowhere to be
seen.
As / approached the house, a crowd
Of men on horseback dashed mp, and
was commanded il no gentle tones, t.
stand !" In another moment was IN
tie clutches Of those who claimed me
as their prisoner"
was too much stupe6ed at first tc
ask Nhet it all meant | did SO at last
aud the explanation came. It was ter
r.ble
Ny friend, with whom I had SO lately
set out in company, had been found
murdered and robbed near the spot al
which !, but / alono, knew we had sep.
arated. | vas the last person known
to be with him. and was now arrested
on suspicion Of his murder.
A search Of the premises was imme
iia,c'y instituted The watch wai
found in the drawer in which | bad
placed It, ard was identified as thc
property Of the murdered mao His
horse, too, was found in my stabr, foi
tho animal I had just put there wa.
none other ] recognized him mysei
when saw him in tie light.
What ! said, l Know not My con.
fusion was taken as additional evidence
and when, at length, / dia command
language to give an ineligible state
meut, was received with snccrs 0.
iucrcduIly
The mob spirit is inherent in man
at least in crowds Of men. It may mol
always manifest Itself with lynching
character But whatever its form j
is always relentless pities4 cruel.
As tho proofs Of nay guilt, one after
another, came to light, low matteriugs
gradually grew into a clamor for ven
geance AID but fer the frmness O
one man tho officer who bad me ii
charge would doubtless have paid
the penalty Of nay supposed offence Oh
the spot.
II was not sympathy FOR me that act
uaiod my protector His heart was
as hard as bis Office but ho represent
el tie majesty of the law, ana took /
sort Of grim rHide in the position.
As much under The glance Of his eye
as before the mnzzle q bis pistol, th,
cowardy elaniorcra drew back Per
laps they Nere not sufficiently uumer
oas 10 feel tho ial effect of that
mysterious reHux influence which
makes a crowd % men 50 much wors'
and st times 50 much better than any
one q them siugiy
At toe end q some months my triaI
came Il could have bat one result
Circumstances 70 plaiuly declared ny
guilt ! alone knew they lad lied
TIE absence 81 the jerry was yerl
. Lrinf - fLnif xcfa.nt rai1 INT lii