The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1870-04-22
pulaski TENNESSEE, FRIDAY MORNING, April o. 1870.

invisible to him. But my mind wa:
hopelessly confused. I was breathing
q sulphureOus air made thick and diff
cult by its blackness. My only thought
was to keep the ruffian down. l was
only capable, indeed, of this thought
n few minutes had elapsed when ]
head distant rumbling like approacll-
ing thunder. It increased. [ seemed
to feel afwind blowing against my face,
| tasted, too, a continuous draught oi
smoke and steam. ] knew that the
train was approaching, and my hair
/ lifted on head. What rails were we
on? The suspense was frightful
/ My aSsailant increased his struggles.
He became furious. He was evidently
/ fighting to throw me down, and over
in the direction of that side of the tun-
nel along which came the roar of the
train. l saw his object, and maCIly
pressed upon him. His body franticai-
( 1y writhed. He twisted under me as il
he revoIved upon pivot. He endeav-
Ored to shrek some words to me, but
my thrOttling grasp made his voice no
more than horrible hOaFSenesS.
saw the red and green lights of
engine approaching. They grew IA
size and lustre with hideOus rapidity.
There was roar, a shower of dust, z
wind that struck me down like bl0E
from q strongman's fist; then fOllo3
the dying rattle; ending in a dull
Sullcn moan.
rose to my feet. | crossed to
the wall and, feeling along it ok a
walk with all the Feed M king
flame would suffer rne to ps H.
How long [ walked | knob My
passage seemed internl he
damp of the wall agaiIl licII 20
hand constantly pressed, , frQzss
blood. Now and then 5tunbled over
piles of rubbish a.askouued against
the side and g 81 grouping
was bewildered hing across
receSses into VI bands guided
me. --4 Sp--~---
At length NssssW star, ftremulOus,
glorious, in Ihe distance. II was day-
light; the aperture of the tunnel; and
Ipushed forward with invigorated spir-
its. ! neared it slowly; for this star
seemed to maintain an inexorable dis
tance, and would not enlarge. How
shall describe my joy As gained the
twilight of its retiectiOn-as | advanced
and felt the pure air Of heaven upon
my dry cheeks and burning lips-I saw
the blue sky, audi the dim vista of pale
green banks!
As ! gOc>- S1Ight, tcry. escaped
my lips. Ny rSkTiseys HsfTe splashed
with blood. STht.re WAS Use ensan-
guined line, as If fountaiE II blood
had played upSsn1ne.
] seated mNseki To recover my strength.
L could zee .thaG / presented a dismal
and spectacle. = Ny coat was
torn, nj llds were blacES-So, too, /
judged ~ M iacc-myf collar had
been torn S2m ne, aud tac skin at tbs
ends of my fingers had fheen iacerateo.
4 sfsfe& II
bank, and perceived jCt the distance of.
about a mile a small station "a rail-
way official, who was standing looking,
at two children playing in a back gar
den, uttered q loud cry of alarm as he
spied me. narrated my story TO him
as correctly rs / could, and then sunK
upon the ground in a fainting condi-
Jion.
OF what happened after this have
no remembrance. When came TO,
my senses | discovered that l had been
taken To the house of the station-masI
and carefully tended by hiS wifesE
him | learned the conclusion oft
gular incident i'll nv life It %
that after my story had been told,
men We're dispatched into the tunnel Ia
search of my aSSailant. They discOV-
cred him lying dead with both his legs
cut clean off a little above tile knees.
They bore the corpse to an adjacent
dead house, and an inquiry into his
death brought out particulars that are
easily anticipated. The man who so
very closely rcsembIed me at v,
had seduced the betTOthed of a laborer,
one Theodore NeTtOt. This Theodore,
reckless now of life, and E&sOlutely bent
on vengeance, sWOre to Kill her sedu-
Ger. Mistaking me for his enemy, he
attempted to shoot me. This failing he
hung about the hotel, armed with
stilctto, determined to stab me when
ever ] should appear in the street.
Hearing, however, that ! was about
leaving for Paris, he perceived betteT
and safer means of prosecuting his de-.
sign, by stabbing me in the tunnel
through which he knew we would pass,
and then escaping in the darkness.
Reflection had obviously taught him
that revenge would he none the less
sweet because it did not entail his de-
stTUctiOn by the law.
Sucl is the simple but tragical story.
My prototype, who had been the meaIrs
of twice imperiling my life, have new
or seen since. / confess 10 no wish to
see him. 1t is bad enough to have to
bear the brumt of ones own fOllies; it
is altogether miserable to suffer for the
fOllies of others. Ever since the occur
renee of this small episode, | have all
ways thought there is 81 much wiser
providence manifested in the dissimi-
laTitV between man and man than
our philosophers suffer us to dream of.