Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-07-22
A Boys Defense.

in front of well known hotel. It was
twenty two years ago, and San Francis
co was in her infancy.
Quite crowd had gathered on the
street, and the center of attraction was
big fellow, who stood with newspa-
per in his hand, raving and cursing.
Whats the matter, Wolf? asked a
new conner, who was evidently familiar
with the irate man.
Matter ?" returned Wolf, for that was
his name, '.matter enough, an rough
it'll be for some folks Them young
whelps that prints this paper has gone
an published somethin, bout me. 0.
I'll fix 'em They'd better never ha'
been born! They'd better go and kill
themselves after ten minutes it'll be
an easier death for 'cm.
Wolf was noted desperate, who. it
was said, had killed more than twenty
men, and but few knew him who did
not fear him. He was at that time chief
of gang of loafers and gamblers that
were nearly always to be found lounging
in the vicinity alluded to, and disturb
ing the peace of the whole neighbor-
hood daily with riotous conduct. If
there was any law those days it was sell
dom executed against such characters.
and in the full consciousness that they
were feared they did pretty much as
they pleased.
The newspaper which had given dead
ly offence to Wolf was little weekly
journal, and its office was in the second
story of building on the same street
with the hotel | have mentioned, and
only few rods distant. 1t was pub
lished by two young men-or, l might
say, boys, for they were only eighteen
and twenty years old, respectively
named Darrell and Haynes. The paper
and its youthful proprietors were already
well known in the city of San Francisco.
The article which had excited the
wrath of the rufian Wolf, was bold
denunciation of himself and his crowd,
and it particularly mentioned his name,
characterizing him as clustering
bully" 1t was the work of young
Darrell. fearless boy, hailing from the
Western States. Before leaving his
home in the Mississippi valley, he had
acquired fair education, so that he
could at least edit a newspaper in those
early days; and he possessed, besides,
that courage and daring which may be
natural in the first place, and which are
more thoroughly developed by exposure
to danger and hardships. Young Kay
nes was quite different kind of person
in point of courage, being of an unusual
! ly GlmOrouS nature.
To return to the scene on Sacramento
street. Working himself up into his
very worst mood-and his best was bad
enough-Wolf tore the paper to atoms
and started for tie publication office.
He was followed by a curious rabble,
most of whom were elated with the pros.
pect of a murder, though there were
some present who would have remon.
strated with the evil-hearted man, hao
they dared.
'Jest you watch" said Wolf, as ht
reached the door, ''if ye want to SCI
Their bloody carcasses tumble out of the
window. 1t won't be long; 1 dom
spend much time on sich fellows"
1t was the intention of the cruel hearted
man actually to cut the throats of tn,
boyish journalists and throw their bodie
out of the window, for the qualification
of the crowd, and the further exaltatio1
Of his already fearful name. So tn
mob on the street awaited the issue will
feverish expectation, as Wolf, flourish
ing his knife and revolver, entered tn
rude frame building and rushed u
stairs.
All unconscious of their danger. tn
two young editors were busily pursuin
their usual work in their primitive office
If they had heard the noise without. the
paid no attention to it, supposing it wa
merely street row such as they were ac
customed to hearing every day. Darrel
was sitting at a rude table, writing, an
Haynes was at the counter arrangin
!, some papers for the mail.
They heard the clatter of heavy boot
ON the stairs, but supposed it was som
rough miner coming to subscribe for th
, paper, or, perhaps, to see lawyer wh
occupied couple of rooms ON the sam
floor: for the building was only a tw
, story one, and the second floor was occ,
E pied exclusively by them and an attol
ney-their rooms being separated frol
f his by narrow hallway that was reacl
ed by the flight of stairs alluded to.
n "Ah, ha! I've got ye, me youn
0 imps!' exclaimed the desperate, burs
ing in.
t Haynes recognized him and turne
pale. Being at the counter which face
the door and extended across the room
: he was naturally the first mark fl
e VOLTS vengeance.
e "Ye young rascals !" he hissed, scow
# ing like mailman, '.ye;l never wri