Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-04

sense all consciousness. Ny hearing
was cultivated, too, by listening for In
dians. Well, by and by, detected
very stealthy movement outside the fort,
and then faint chirrup, such as a young
squirrel might make. In an instant the
drunken man sprang up; and / covered
him with my rifle, cooked. He saw the
movement and drew his pistol, but not
before had ordered him to throw down
his arms, or die.''
1t is impossible to convey, by types, an
idea of Elias manner or tone as he pro-
nounced these last words. They sounded
from the bottom of his chest, and con-
veyed in the utterance, distinct notion
that death was what was meant. Hear
ing him repeat the command, it was easy
to believe that the miscreant dared not do
more than hesitate in his obedience
After moments silence-which was the
climax to his rendering of the scene he
continued:
81 havnt told you, yet, how the man
looked. He was a tall, swarthy, black
bearded fellow, who might have been
handsome once; but who had lost the
look which distinguishes men in sympathy
with their kind; so then he resembled
some cruel beast, in the shape of man,
yet whose disguise fitted him badly. His
eyes burned like rubies, out of the gloomy
caverns under his shaggy eyebrows. His
lips were drawn apart. so that his teeth
glistened. The mans whole expression.
as he stood there, glaring at me, was
Hate and Murder.
my eye never winked, while he hesi-
tated. He saw that, and it made him
quail. With my finger on the trigger, l
kept my rifle lcveled, while he threw
down his arms pistols and knife-with
a horrible oath. With the knife in his
hand, he made movement, as if he
would rush on me- but changed his pur-
pose in time to stop my fire. His cursing
was awful--the foam flew from his mouth.
He demanded to be let out OF the fort
accused me of bad intentions toward him,
and denounced me for robber and muir
derer. To all his rawlings had but one
answer: To be quiet, to obey me, and he
might live; dare to disobey me, and he
should die.
| II directed him to sit down on the op-
posite side of the fire-not to move from
that one spot-not to make doubtful mo.
ton. And then told him / knew what
he was, and what he had meant to do.
When he became convinced of this, he
broke down utterly, and wept like child,
declaring that now he knew my pluck,
and had been the first man ever to get
the best ofhim. he loved me like brother!
There was long night before us. and
had got to sit there, with my rifle across
my knees, till morning. could move q
little, to stir up or add to the fire. but he
could have no liberty whatever. The re-
straint was horrible to him. One mo-
ment he laughed uneasily-another curs-
ed or cried. 1t was strange scene,
wasn't itP Finally, to pass the time,
asked him to relate the history of his life.
He wanted first to shake hands, for the
love he bore me. Touching my rifle,
significantly, pointed to stick lying
across the fire between us. That is our
boundary line; don't go to reaching your
hand over that He sank into fit of
gloom and sullenness.
1--WE must have remained thus silent
until near midnight. Several times OBJ
served him listening to slight sounds out
side the fort But his associates must
have given up the game and gone of, for.
as the morning hours approached, he ceas-
ed to listen, and every thing remained
quiet. His head was bent forward, his
chin resting on his breast, the shaggy
beard spreading over it like mantle.
| "How horrible it must have been to
keep such company. Why not call on
Edwards?"
1.-The boy was worn out and there was
no need Twas very much strung up too
SO that the exhaustion of sleeplessness.
fatigue, or excitement was not felt or
hyena Gagged, though he showed it only
by involuntary movements and furtive
glances. Finally, he could bear it no
longer, and entreated me piteously, abject-
ly, TO give him his freedom or blow out
his brains, told him he couldn't have
his freedom, just yet but he knew how
} to get his brains blown out if he desired
it. Then followed more execration, end
ing in renewed protestations of regard for
me. reminded him that talking would
relieve the irksomeness Of his position,
again inviting him to tell me his history.
| He replied, that if he talked about him
self he should be sure to get excited and
move about; but l promised to remind
, him.
..Once on the sabject of himself, it SEEM
ed to have a fascination for him. What
he told me was, in substance, this: He
had been honestly raised, by good, affec-
tionate parents, in the State Of Missouri
loved young girl, in the town where he
lived; and, wishing to marry her, had
resolved to go to California, to make the
necessary money quickly. He was sue
cessful-returned, full of joyful anticipa-
tions, and arrived at an old neighbor's,
few miles from his home, having hardly
tasted food or taken any rest the previous
twenty-four hours.
| "While he hastily ate some breakfast
and listened to the friendly gossip of his
entertainers, one name, the name of her
he loved, his promised wife, was mention
ed. She was married. He staggered to
his feet, asking the name of her husband
and when he heard it, he knew he had
been betrayed by that man. He could re-
call strange sensation in his brain, as If
molten lead had been poured into it; that
was the last of his recollections. Alter
ward he learned that he had been weeks
in brain fever.
when he had recovered, some of bis
old friends, thinking to do him honor.
made an evening party for him. To this
party came his love, and her husband
1 10 Ixot,. .~Io 70