Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-05-17

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not an easy thing to get used to. /
diSmounted, fired his gun into the
ground, broke the stock against tree
and threw it into the brush, and tied
my horse TO stump.
Now my friend, l said to Merri-
man, be kind enough to march,
Where?
Into the woods replied.
You bent going to kill me? he
said.
No. responded, though you de-
serve it; | am going to tie you to a
tree, gag you, and leave you there
That will be ten times wuss ! be
said piteously.
How pleasant it is to be cruel 1t
is temptation that a few men, one
way and another, can resist. As my
victim and myself penetrated the for
est, | begged him sarcastically to Sc.
lect the tree he would like; anC when
| had secured him and gagged him, |
marched off a dozen yards or 50 and
aimed my Derringer at him; il was a
jolly sight to see him writhe and iquirm
and make motions for mercy finally
fired the weapon over his head, and
he tainted. Ny pistols wer now
both empty. l blazed the tres, so
that his friends would find himbefore
night, and made the best of m way
back to the road. What was ny as
/ tonishment to find my horse gone
stolen, without a doubt!
/ 'Whewr | soliloquised, 'thb is a
moral neighborhood,' and Immediately
! thought about loading up. Whit was
my further astOnishment to iId that
| had lost my cartridges So mich for
being careless. And there | ms, sir,
in the midst of a township Of notOri-
Gus thieves, without a weapon with
out a horse, and with over a hundre
dollars in money and property in my
possession. The thing did lool a lit
tie dubious.
Thank my stars, thoughtto my.
self, there's one highly conscnntiou
christian in these woods'-rferring
to the old man, of course; and at
his house, a little after suniown, |
arrived, pretty we'll tired out The
old fellow was on the lookoutfor me.
+. All said he, as | entered, Z knew
the Lord would bless you. | have
been praying for you all day
'Thanks,i l said, but never mind
about the blessing; all I wants some
mush and a blanket and your horse
in the morning to take NE to Water.
town
You shall have en- he sad, but
shan't | read a chapter?
No
The Lord has blessed your said
the old devil, inquiringly.
Yes | said, he has; ! have done
what l wanted and got rid of my
horse besides and these were about
the last words | said to the Old mar
till about two o'clock in the morning.
About that time, sir, as | was dream
ing of having a gay old slime, | was
awakened by a sharp pain in my cheek
and loud thug on the floor beside
me. | clapped my hand on my cheek
and felt blood; between me and the
window was the old mans form. WHY
sir, a streak Of lightning is nothing
to man nerves at such time Be
fore you could say Jack Robinson ;
before there was time for single co
herent thought, found myself doing
the very best thing | could-cIutching
the old man 10y the throat, and press
ing the muzzIe of my empty pisto
to his temple-he shaking like an as
pen leaf
on, don't shoot, he screamed. 'Je
sus was always merciful =
Was he !? said l, giving his throa
an awful squeeze.
oh, don't kill him, walled the ole
woman; the Lord will bless you if
you don't.
Get up, you old Jezebel, and strike
light, or | will send him aud yot
too, to the Prince Of Darkness, growl
ed |.
The light was struck. What did
see? Oh, nothing in Particular
only the floor was torn up and a grav,
dug to put me in, where the wolve!
would not disturb me. | had noticed
that the boards were loose when
first came in. As saw this | couldn'
help knocking the old man down will
the barrel of my pistol, and pitching
him into the hole. | put his bible il
my pocket as memento; and in three
minutes was mounted On his hors,
and on the road to Watertown.
Not quite unmofeSted, though, fo
as turned the corner of the fence 4;
bullet whizzed spitefully past me.
turned round. The old she devil wa
standing in the doorway, with a riff
smoking in her hands.
You daresn't come back sh
screamed.
You're right old gal, | daresn't.'
thought, plungipg into the darkness.
A weary midnight ride that was t
Watertown. Not that the pain of m
wound was much, for the az had bu
scraped the skin. But the unuterabl
melancholy Of night in the almos
virgin forest, the indescribable sound:
| the coyotes yell, the sad wailings an
T mournful rustling of the leaves, fiIlet
, me with a blueness that was awfu
, blue-set me to thinking of things a
most forgotten, and that were sad t
= think of then-of days that were di
terent from those days; we'll
5 When Tom Vincent, like a maj
t paid me the FIVE hundred dollars,
d went into the picture agency bushes
Y and have not touched card since.
q ROMANTIC MEETING.-There was
romantic meeting on a railway trai
t in Iowa a few days since. At stoI
ping place, middle-aged woman e.
:, tered the cars. A gentleman aros
e and offered her a seat beside him.
:, She had lust seated herself. when 81