The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1871-04-15


renewed eagerness.
Once more the trail was lost, and all eff
forts to recover it were foiled by the dark
ness. l had been too absorbed to note the
approach of night, which had stolen on me
unawares in the depths of a forest infested
by hosts of prowling ravenous beasts and
myriads of venomous reptiles.
Looking about with a vague purpose Of
seeking place of shelter, saw an opening
through the trees and going toward it, l
came in sight of a settlers cabin. Cheered
at the prospect of bed and supper, hur-
ried forward and knocked for admittance
| Receiving no answer, l made bold to push
| open the door There is no mistaking the
| chill damp air Of a deserted house, and this
| one | knew l should find without inmates
even before had explored its dismantled
| interior by the light of match l happened
/ to have about me. 1t was long, narrow
| cabin, containing but a single room, having
/ a wide fireplace at one end with recesses at
the sides, one of which had been converted
into a closet by means Of a pine board,
swung on deer skin hinges, which served
| for a door
had at least found a place to sleep in
safety-no small boon to a tired man; and
/ having dispatched the lunch of Jerk" and
! johnny cake, till now forgotten IN my pouch,
I threw myself on the floor, and soon, in
/ the land of dreams, regained the lost trail of
my buck
a confused sound of voices at length got
mixed up with my dreams. The sudden
waking that dispelled the latter, brought
proof of the reality of the former The
voices were ac accompanied by footsteps, more
over; and both were rapidly draw ing nearer.
1t might be a company of be!ated hunters,
or it might be gang of Regulators. At all
events, it would be well to settle the ques-
ton before making their acquaintance.
1t was too late to leave the cabin unob-
sc rved but there was the closet Acting
on the thought, I hastily gathered my gun
and accoutrements, slipped into the recess,
and pulled to the door had hardly done
! so when several men entered how many, it
was impossible to discover in the darkness.
There was less difficulty in distinguishing
the char acter of the visitors. Their rude
discourse, interlarded with coarse and bru-
tai oaths, related to some deed of violence
either already done, or nearly contemplated.
As they continued, | learned, to my horror,
that my own robbery and murder had been
already planned, and that these men, by
whom / was suspected to have about me
considerable sum, had been looking for me
all day in the woods
II say, BIant burton" spoke one of them,
you'll hev to do better shootin' this bout
than you did last time 'twont do to miss
this yere chap"
You needn't brag, Jim Sipple; kin take
the consate out O yOu, right now, eff you're
a mind to try" was the answer.
"Oh as likes not, replied the other;
zone mans shootin's as good as another's in
the dark"
That needn't be no excuse" put in a
third voice eve kin have a light-wood fire
in two jifies, an leetle sport Il sarve to
pass away the time
The fire was kindled, by the light of which
through crevice between the closet door
and the jamb, 1 saw three worse looking
cnt-throats than l had supposed could be
found even in Shelby county.
''I'n just stick riae-patch on this yer
door for mark" said the last speaker, ap.
preaching my hidingplace, IAN you two
kin take your revolvers an 60 to tother end
of the room an pop away"
A thin board of soft pine is but poor
protection against "Colt's Navy" To
break from my concealment, or lie close and
take the chances, were the alternatives l
had to choose between, and that quickly.
Either course seemed desperate. If l re-
mained, my body was directly tehind the
mark, with no room to turn to either side
and to leave my shelter was to rush into
hands waiting to shed my blood.
There was another chance. I, too, carried
. a revolver, and was not without skill in It's
use The crevice already mentioned gave
me full view of the man called Durton.
who was standing ready to take the first shot
/ Cautiously cooking my pistol, | raised 1t
and took deliberate aim at the villain $
heart I experienced none Of the tremOr
had felt in the morning My life depended
on the steadiness of my hand, and it acas
steady. Durton pistol was levelled at my
breast, when the report of my own broke
| the stiffness. The bandit fell forward. his
: limbs convulsed with the struggle of death
S His companions advanced step, as if tc
E his assistance, then glared wildly around
e and Ike men appalled, by a sense of unknown
= danger, turned and fed in terror from the
scene. Nor was my own departure Ions
delayed. Wolves and catamounts were bet
! ter company than had met with there, and