Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-04-12

kept by an old Frenchman in the city of
San Francisco, and. being in low spirits, ,out
of luck, and with slender purses, were sit
ting disconsolately over their meal, when a
hand came down on each shoulder, and
voice cried, Found at last I've searched
the city for you. Heaven bless you, dear
boysl''
1t was Charles Chester, handsome and
cheerful, well ll-dressed, and we'll -to-do look
ing Charles Chester, whose murderer they
believed themselves to have lynched years
before.
And this was the story he told them, won
dcring at their paid looks and awe-struck
silence the while: The money he had
with him being in gold and heavy for his
belt, he placed it in his saddle bags, and had
completed many miles of his journey, when,
near new and apparently deserted dwell
ling, he saw man lying. groaning terribly
Dismounting, he assisted him, and found
that he was a traveller who had been set up
on by rufians, and robbed and wounded.
He had crawled to this house for assistance,
but found il empty, and now lay dying in
the road. Charles Chester had done his
best for the poor fellow, without avail. He
died in his arm. just as the sun went down;
and by its fading light, he had dug grave
on the turf before the empty house, and
there buried him. There was no one in
sight, and his fears of an attack upon him
self warned him to hurry on but when the
last sad rites over, and he turned to rertount
his horse, it was gone. The animal had es-
capped into the woods, and, with night COM
ing on, all search seemed hopeless. The
a maddenirs one He threaded his way
through the underbrush, calling his steed
By name, until total darkness hid all objects;
and, at last, striking his head violently
against tree. he fell to the ground inseusi-
ble When be came to himself he was ly-
ing in wagon, to which he had been con-
veyed by kindly German who could speak
no English In falling he had broken his
arm, and was very weak and Ill. Before he
was able 10 communicate his story to any
one, all hope Of recovering either horse or
money had deserted him. He was in de-
spair. He could not assist his paretits. To
return to his friends would be to cast him
self upon their bounty. This be would not
do and his struggles had been great at first,
but they were over now. He had done well
by "the old folks and had returned to pay
his debts and resume his friendship with
his old friends -
He was with them-he lived. The far
mer had doubtless told the truth. He did
not know why the turf had grown so green
in the littIo yard, and he had found the
horse at large in the woods, and knew moth
ing of the rider: but the thing had been
done and could not be undone-the dead
brought to life, or the maniacs mind re,
stored. or the blood washed from the muir
derer' hands.
OF course they told their story, and OF
course they believed their friendship as warm
as ever but it was not so. They never
would meet each other again as of yore.
The two could not forget the man they
had lynched to avenge their friend, and
doubted the propriety of returning alive
and merry to trouble their consciences
which were quiet enough so long as he
seemed dead. As for Charles Chester, he
cleared the murdered man memory among
lis neighbors, and saw the wild eyed, white
faced woman, who only shook Der head and
moaned and muttered when he spoke tc
her; and then he too was content to say
goodbye to those who had done the deed
albeit for his sake.
So the three parted, each going his OWE
way for thus 1t seemed easier to forget the
deed done by Judge Lynch and his court
upon tie day of the brides coming home