The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-13
THE HUNTED FAMILY.


ago. It had sprung up like Aiaddin's
palace on the discovery of gold in Cali
fornia, and as the thousands who focked
thither were too delirious with the yell
low metal fever-too wild to get up to
the beds of wealth, to think about laws
regulations, or police, every one did
what was right in his own eyes, and
Vice and Crime went to the wiokets to-
gether, got hold of the ball, and had a
grand innings. When the Anglo-Saxon
love of order began to resume its sway,
matters grew worse, for the vilest crimi-
mails managed to assume the chief author
ity, and carried on wholesale murder and
pillage under the guise of protecting the
citizens. This kind of thing could not
last long; self-protection necessitated
the establishment of lynch law, carried
out by Vigilance Committee, of which
1 was one of the most active members.
was very young, indeed I ought pro.
perly to have been an Oxford freshman
at the time; but my poor father took a
very harsh view of q little peccadillo
got into, and-ah, we'll, we'll II was
young, 1 repeat, but knocking about the
world natures a man rapidly, and some
how took lead, and it was generally
considered that 1 was the principal
agent In bringing certain members OF
the most dangerous confederation in the
town to rough justice. This was band of
desperadoes, headed by a clever, daring,
enterprising villain, known as Tom
Blood-probably sobriquet, and if so,
one as appropriate as horrible. We
could not catch this leader, but we hung
up his four most reckless followers. Mr..
Blood was aware to whom he was in
debted for this spelling of his game, and
honored me with an autograph letter, in
which he confessed that il was my hour
Of triumph just then, but promised to be
even with me one day. And he con-
frmed this assertion with oaths which
might make a Ribbonman's blood run
cold.
Some time after that I joined an ex-
petition to Nicaragua, where happened
to become very intimate with a Spanish
family. Iplayed chess with the father,
the sons taught me how to use the lasso,
and the daughter lassoed me herself. So
l married and settled-settled literally,
not in your sense. bought land, and
sheep, and oxen, and built house, and
led the life of the early colonist who has
to clear away the forest before he can
plant his crops. 1t was rather lonely,
when one had time to think about it, for
our nearest neighbor lived ten miles off,
and he was deadly enemy. The fact
was that he and had both wanted the
same land-a fertile tract on the inland
slope of the mountains rising to the
south of the Great Lake; and I believe
that I was unduly favored in the allot-
ment through the influence of my father
in-law, which was considerable. At all
events, the other fellow, Enrico, thought
so, and loved me accordingly. Indeed,
I happened to be the only Yankee" as
l was considered, in the immediate dis
trict, and my matrimonial success had
excited some jealousy in Granada.
Another matter affected me much
pbre. often had to make the journey
to 0yeytown on business, and on one OF
these occasions went into the bar of the
principal hotel, and suddenly found my
self face to face with Tom Blood. I
caught hold of my pistol, expecting him
to shoot, but he didn't. He only smiled,
if you call the grimace the fellow made
by that name, and said that he was glad
to see me.
II can't jest pay thet little account
We hev together on the nail," he said,
"but I won't keep yer waiting long; no w
"Take your time; have receipt in
full ready for you at any moment" I
replied, as defiantly as possible. But 1
was startled; had a wife and child
now. The course of events did not tend
to reassure me; the country was in a
very disturbed state, and Tom Blood,
whose name soon began to grow a terror,
espoused the political cause which was
favored by Enrico, and the two were
seen together by one of my brothers-in-
law.
One day I had been out telling trees
at distance, and was returning in the
evening, when, about two miles from
home, met my wife, with her baby in
her arms, and looking wild. A stranger
had ridden up, and asked for me, saying
that there was an appointment. She
had invited him in and given him food,
but his manner was so queer that she
took fright, and, making an excuse
about attending to supper, had slipped
out. Surprised not to see any of our
people about, she went to the stable; it
was emptyl the horse of the stranger
being picketed in front of the house,
and our own-gone!
Thoroughly alarmed, she had come to
meet me, and now urged immediate
flight. 1 demurred to this-the man
might really have come to buy bullocks
but the disappearance of the horses 7
Queer, certainly; yet it was serious
thing to leave home and property, not to
mention the exposure of a woman to a
long night march.
1 determined to go back, and Judge
whether her presentiment was we'll
founded. Before we had gone far, how
ever, l saw a CLINT among the trees in
the distance, and threw myself down
amongst the brushwood, whispering my
wife to do the same and keep the child
from crying. Two men rode leisurely
up, following the path close to which we
lay hid. One of them was speaking:
"Oh, he is strong enough to hold half
a-dozen such as Mildmy. He will seize
him when he hears the whistle; then we
rush in and"
Here the cold-blooded villain threat
ened horrors, in language the brutality
of which l was thankful for: it prevented
my wife, whose acquaintance with Eng
lish was as yet imperfect, from under
standing him.
1 recognized the voice of Tom Blood
They passed on.
There was no question now about the
necessity of flight My plan was to
cross the mountain ridge, strike the