The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1870-07-21

oud brother has Killed two, an
J. Ripley, the youngest, though scarce
ly eighteen, has earthed one. The,
are all choice specimens of mer
physical organization, and one nIa,
read the word ''homicIde" in the la
rid light of their eyes. They liter
ally bristles with weapons of death
See how sill Mt and stern they stand
banquetting as it were oa visions 0
blood.
The last three of the dozen neeC
!, but a brief description. They ar,
also three brothers, the Coulters
sheer tools, rutfians and common
robbers-the DULLES of the grocery
Suddenly new face appeared il
the circle, and Bill hastily asked
oval, futile, did you find Tom
Wagnon, and ask him in Leeper's
name, to come and drink friends %
'Hush he's coming" said the EN-.
issary, in a whisper
immediately a humping tootstep
was heard approaching, and a young
man of gigantic form entered the
room, and saluted the company with
a bold yet frank courtesy. A genuine
model Of the backwoods, as gener-
Gus as brave, he turned to Leeper,
and sal l.
"Mathey, Sol futile tells me you
want to drink friends. I'm willing,
provided you own you treated the
girl stability; but maybe you didn't
know she was my sweetheart"
And the big buffalo hunter, as he
was generally called, held out his
hairy hand.
"Come to the COUNTER" said Leep-
er, in hollow voice, "come TO the
counter, and we'll all drink"
Tney advanced to the bar, and
Ripley Shelley filed their glasses.
Tom Wagnon, unsuspecting, did not
observe that Ball and the Coulters
took their stations directly behind
him.
Leeper raised his glass, and fairly
Kissed through his teeth
"Here's funeral toast to those
| that deserve it,"
At the same instant, Wagnon
found his arms pinioned in the hug
of Ball and the three Coulters, while
Alt Shelley, STOPPING down, grasped
him by the legs, Leeper pushed the
muzz,e of his pistol 10 his victims
head, and pulled the trigger; but for
the first time, it failed to fire.
"lio ! for another CAPT. shouted
the batfied assassin, furIously.
And Ar- Sheriff Pleasants cooily
felt in his pocket, and presented the
murderer with fresh one.
In the meantime Wagnon, seeing
thousand chances against him, put
his immense strength into one
mighty effort, and shaking off his
foes, sprang out Of the door, and
truly ran for his life.
He was the feetest foot-racer in
the valley Of the Mississippi; but he
outdid himself that day. 1t was
more like flying than running, while
the dozen enemies gave mad chase
in the rear. Twenty pistols were
fired at his back. The sheriff emp
tied a six barrel revolver, and Gen.
Sanders let off his double ban relied
shot gun. For seconds it was one
continuous roar, Bullets and leaden
sfugs flew like hail. One shot col
ored woman drawing water at the
public well another pierced the glass
window of the court house, and
bro Ike mans arm, within three feet
OF the minister, just reading his text,
and third put out the eye Ola babe
on the bosom of its mother, at the
distance OF two hundred wards. But
Tom Wagnon still escaped unhurt,
aud LETT his pursuers far behind
him.
Never mind, I'll catch him."
cried Bill Shelley, as, pistol i'll hand,
he unhitched a horse that happened
to be in the way and thrust his foot
into the stirrup to mount.
But at that moment, John Curry,
a brother-in-Iaw Of WBgnon's, rush
ed from the court house, and seizing
the bride, he said
"For Gods sake, Shelley, spare
Toms life"
Shelley thrust his pistol against
Curry's side, and discharged its con-
tents oflead into his heart.
Curry, without a groan, dropped
to the earth corpse.
"You have killed him." cried L.
ID. Pollock, one of Curry's friends,
in tone of despair.
,"Yes, and | will kill you," exclaim-
ed Shelley, with the distorted coun-
tenance OF a demon, as he unsheath-
ed his bowie knife, and assaulted the
unarmed man, whom he instantly
hewed down in his tracks.
Wagnon also, in his flight, had
recognized the imploring voice Of
Curry, and turned in time to see him
fall. Then, either distracted by the
horrors of his situation, or sGppos-
Ing that his enemies were sufficiently
gorged with blood, he ventured back
and threw himself on his knees, by
the side of the dead body of his sis
ter's husband.
Fatal to him was the act. Ripley
Shelley knocked him down with a
| fragment of stone: aud the human
devil, as be lay unconscious on the
g,ound, plunged the long, glitter,
ing blade up to the hilt in the seat of
life.
Then suddenly broke on the Sab
bath air, two shrieks-two wild, wall
ing cries OF unutterable anguish-as
the young wife of Curry, and the
beautiful hetrothed of Wagnon, hur-
ried from the court house, where
they had been attending divine SER
vice, and fell swooning on the corps
es Of husband and lover.
The sorrow and frenzied despair
of the bereaved females, heightened
to madness the horrors of the drama.
The dark-eyed girl of the raven tres
ses, and the oriental style Of beauty,
chung, as it were, in dying convul-
sions, to the bosom Of her lover,
kissed his cold lips, and strove to
staunch the red current that was is-
suing from his side. She spoke not !;
she uttered not even low moan,
but gazed on with stony eyes like
one oppressed with spectral dream.
Alas tonight, she was to have been
his bride! Poor Irene Mills
Far different was the action of the
other-that queenly woman with the
magnificent bust, the cheek of radi-
ant oses, and the large-orbed eyes,
.blne as the tints of the Southern
summer-Margaret Curry. Recover
ing from her sudden swoon, she
knelt for a moment, with one hand
on the breast of her husband, and the