The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-09-23
l Western Man Among the Hi klux !-.!
Poor Nights Rest, and Il s'S"on
BreakfaSt."

real name of the ssmad wag' who laid
and executed the plot we shall attempt
to describe; but rs his love of fun and
ready wit have given him Il reputation
extending over 4 considerable tcrrito-
~, the most of our readers will be able
! to recognize in the fictitious name en-
ployed who the hero is. He is n olict
! planter on the Ouachita now. a life so
quiet no wonder his natural inclination
for practical jokes becomes at times
| irresistible.
The narrator, himself Il genial gen
! tlenlan and 4 SojOurncr here at present
from one of the Western States, whom
ago accepted an invitation to spend Il
night under the hospitablc roof of our
above mentioned fellow parishonc1-a
disconsolatc wiuowcr keeping batchC-
lOr'S hall, as our friend Josh Billings
would consistently express it. This
gentleman We will drSi Gnatr a- Mr..
Scmloh. While jogging aIon" after
night in company with his host, bCgrii-
ing the time in familiar interchange of
their personal and family experiences,
the conversation having taken Il sad
turn-in consequence Of the recital Of
some scenes in the chcckcrcd life Of our
Western friend of rather Il melancholy
cast-Our friend Scmlol badc him cheer
up, as llis (Birl'S) Sul1crinGS were rs
nothing when compared to The real
H.
others moment:rilN cNp"ctcl-anu the
agony Of mind which it seemed 10 be
his (Scmloh's) fate to undergo, and That
like the ghost of Iamlct'S father. he
could
IA tale unfold, whose lightcSl word
Would harrow up thy Young soul, freeze
thy Young blood.
Make thy two eyes like stars START from
their spheres.
Thy knotted and combined locks TO part,
And each particular hair to Stund on end.
Like quilts upon the frc:iu! porcupinc.
For but 4 short time ago, within 4
few feet of where they were then pass
ing, one horse had been shot under him,
and, when having passed on Il little
further, he described how another horse
had shared Il similar fate, he himself
escaping each time almost nliraculously
with but few bruises; and that he did
not know on what night the occupant
Of the cabin they were then close to,
would, though apparently friendly,
sally forth and Terminate his prccariOlls
existence, either with knife or bullet,
than one occasion, he had laid in wait
for him for that very purpose.
This was pleasant information for IN
unarncI stranger in Il strange place, Of
4 dark night, who anNiously inquired
from his friend, Semioh, why he did
not move from 4 neiGhbOrhOOIi where
his very existence seemed to hang by Il
single thread. The latter explained to
him that he was the victim of circ,.nl-
stances over which he had no control,
and that the spot to which he seemed
chained by the incNOElblo I'atc.:, con-
including his wife.
This for a time seemed to satisfy oir
friend Bird, who, with an eye to bust
ness, endcavorcd to get his sadly vic
timized friend TO subscribe his name for
one of those monumental tablets. of
which he had L fine stock on hand, one
which might record his many pious,
virtuouS and charitable deeds; once deed
Of charity particularly, namely, when
in con- junction with 4 congcuial friend,
he had cndcavorcd to procure an occtl-
pant for Il coffin, the last Ola lot left on
his hands, and which they did nut like
to see go to loss,
Arrived at the house, our Western
dablc array of Goublc-barrcl Shot-gu
Henry rifles, navy SKIES, cavalry SaHrcs,
etc.; but both seemed we'll disposed to
seek Oblivion from the remembrance of
their woes in naturc'S sweet rcStOrcr,
and were soon (apparcntly) Cninldcd in
the arms of the DrOwsy God.
But their rcposc was doomed 10 a
ruie awakening; for, about midnight,
right by the windows Of our IornnOlrnt
friends, bang! bang. Went the report
of fire arms, breaking on the silence Of
the "StillN night" What n sight met
the vision of our monumental friend,
when, like Il chippcring sparrow startled
from her nest, he GaZcd in hcWl'lrr-
mcmt on the fair form Of the noble, the
brave, the truc-hcartcu SrmlOh. Wrrst-
ling in mortal agony over the floor Of
the room!
TO the oft-repcated appeals of s.why
l.