Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-08-22

piazza Of the Cataract House. j. could
not understand what unforeseen power in
terposed to prevent the execution oi
their purpose. riiaI aliignlHo.l NaH
Suddenly the man / had settled upon
as the villain of the party sat abruptly
down upon the steps, and, without warn
ing, burst into peals Of laughter. He
shook, he rolled, he almost sobbed, in
the ecstasy of his mirth. 1t proved con-
tagious, and the other two speedily
I joined him, one leaning up against the
house, the other bent almost double in
the paroxysm which seized them. stared
at them in amazement, but soon i, too,
became infected. ! realized that / was
safe, alive, and well, spared from what
seemed certain and dreadful death I; but
still must laugh no matter how deep
the thankfulness, laughter was its only
adequate expression. The tension TO
which my nerves had been subjected, for
SO long made me an easy prey, and |
roared with laughter till the tears rolled
down my cheeks, and sheer exhaustion
alone put an end to the extraordinary
quartet, .., nr,4srs ,s,t.rvur
Then came mutual explanations. The
two young men who had gone with me
from the hotel had suspected me OF evil
intentions toward themselves, and had
decided that the one who had joined us
on the island was my accomplice. They
had no doubt that | was armed, as, in
deed, | took pains to make them be-
lieve. The third villain, as ! had be-
lieYed him, thought he had fallen into
very bad company, indeed, when we
overlook him, and regretted his haste in
joining u.s. but had quickly determined
to do the best he could for himself by
keeping in the rear, and by watching
us carefully. His suspicion of mez7and
by my heryous, unguarded manner ! had
laid myself justly open to any amount
of suspicion--had led him 20 regard
me SC, intently as we stood side by
side on the bench, measuring me,
that he might form some opinion
as to what would be the result Of
the struggle he believed imminent; all
through the woods on Goat Island had
he braced himself to repel, as best he
might, the attack he doubted not we
we're about to make upon him. 1t was
as pretty case of cross purposes as
one could wish to see, and the reaction
was in proportion to the strain we had
undergone. The other two, in their
turn, believed that we were in league,
and that they were to be the victims;
and it was to consult and devise what
means they could to outwit or overcome
us, that kept them in. consultation on
the tower stairs. AT first, indeed, they
had mutually suspected each other Of
being in league with me, and it was
sometime before they found out their
mistake.
3a 1t took us some time to compare notes,
and heartily we laughed over our mu-
tual fear and suspicion; and we did
more talking in ten minutes than had
passed between us during all the walk.
The next day we ordered carriage,
and passed the morning together visit
ing the places had looked at alone the
day before. found the "thick-set ruff
fan and the other two 'villains" jovial,
good fellows, whose characters and dis
position would entitle them to high
place in any ones estimation.
Z Many a jolly laugh we had over the
contretempS of the night before. We
passed but few hours together; but, 'if
this should meet their eyes" they will
see by these presents that they are
most kindly remembered by the brig
and who, on that frightfully-funny oc-
casion, staked his all on theintimidating
influence of imaginary "shooting-irons.