Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-07-14

What was nay astOnfshmfnt 10 ma, on
second look, that knew him. Way sir
he's one Of the cussedest horse thieves that
infested the "big woods"
Bill Strah, the name ! knew him by. He
knew me at once.
"Hailol said he "whnt do You do here,p
And as he said this. he picked up his rife;
be and | were never friends.
"What do you Think said |, putting
my hand in my pocket.
"No good, said he, you informal beat, "
and with that he made motion to level
his rife
In an instant whipped out my Derring-
err and gave him an excellent opportunity
to look down the muzzle.
"You are coveredl drop your gun!" |
shouted.
He dropped it, and began to tremble--
II he had known how | trembled inside, he
wouldn't have been scared. The sense of
deadly pain is not an easy thing to get used
10. dismounted, fred his gun into the
ground. and threw it to the bushes, and
tied my horse to stump,
"Now my friend, | said to Merriman,
"be kind enough to march"
"Wherc to?"
Unto The woods
"You bean't a-goin' to kill fcler?' ask
ed b.
mo, Il responded, though you deserve
it; / an goin' to tie you to tree gag and
leave ron"
"rEat will be ten times wuSs" be said
piteon,ly
How pleasant it is to be cruel! It's q
temptation that a few men, one way or the
other. can resist.
As my victim and myself penetrated the
wood begged him sarcastically to select
the tree he would like; and when secured
aud gagged him marched him off ten yards
or 80, AMI aimed my Derringer at him. 1t
was a Jolly sight to see him writhe and
squirm,
Finally fired any weapon over his head,
he tainted My pistols were both empty.
| bazed the trees so that his friends would
find him before night, and made the best
of my way back to the horse. What was
my establishment to find my horse gone.
"Whewl this is moral neighborhood, !"
| solioquized
What was my further establishment to
find my cartridges gone! SO much for
carelessness
There | was in the midst of a township
of notorious thieves, without q weapon or
a horse, and having over two hundred dol
lars of money and property in my posses
sion. 1t did look little dubious,
Thank my stars" thought to myself,
"dhere's one highly conscientious Chris
tian in these woods referring to the old
man, of course and ut his house little
after sunrise | arrived, pretty well tired
ont. The old fellow was on the look out
for me-
"Ah,' said he, as | entered, Il knew the
Lord would bless you, | have been pray.
ing for you all day "
Thanks, said, "but never mind about
the blessing. All ! want is some mush and
blankets and your horse in the morning to
take me to Watertown.
"You shall have them" he said, "but
shant read you a chapter
''No."
THE Lord has blessed your he said, in
quiringiy,
'Yes.h ] said che has-I have done
what wanted and got rid o. my horse be-
sides, and these were the last words | said
10 the old man till about 3 o'clock in the
morning.
About that time, sir, as was dreaming
Of having gay old time, was awakened
by sharp pain in my cheek, and q loud
'thug' on the floor beside me- | clapped
my hand to my cheek and felt blood; be-
tween me and the window was the old
mans form Why, sir, streak of light
ming is nothing to mans nerves at such
time,
Before You could say Jack Robinson
before there was time to form single
coherent thought l found myself doing
the very best thing | could c'utehing the
old man by tie empty throat, and pressing
the muzzle of my empty pistol to his tenn
ple-he shaking like an aspen leaf
"Oh, don't shootw he screamed, Jesus
was always mercifuL'
"Washe? said I, giving his throa; an ow-
ful squeeze
oOh, don't kill him. walled the old
woman, 1.-The Lord will blesssou if you
DON'T
Get up, You Jezabel, and strike alight,
or / viii send him and you, too, 70 the
Prince of Darkness, - growled |
The light was struck
What did ! sect Oh, nothing IN part-
cuAy-only the door torn up, and grave
dug to put me in, where the wolves would
not disturb me- had noticed that the
boards were loose when first came in. As
l saw this | couldn't help knocking the old
man down withthe barrel OF my pistol and
pitching him into the hole, put his Binle
into my pocket as a memento; and in three
minutes was on his horse and on the road
70 Watertown.
Not quite uumolested, though, for as
turned the corner Of the fence bullet wbih-
led spiteiully by me, turned round. The
old she devil was standing IN the doorway
with rifle smoking in her hands.
you daresu't come back, she scream
ed.
"Yaure right, old gal, daresn't," thot
| l. pluugirP into ;he darkness.
weary midnight ride that was to Wa
ertoEu, Net that the pain OF my wound
WAS much for the axe had hut seraped the
skin But the uuuutmble melancholy Of
night In d.. almos, virgin forest, the indie
,cahable sounds, the coyotes ven, the sad