Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-08-15
SELECTED STORY.
EDITORIAL 1'!'NERVE.'

IS :.
The scene was in Sacramento street, in
front of q we'll known hotel. It was
twenty-five years ago, and San Francisco
was 10 her infancy. @ IT..
Quite crowd had gathered on the
street and the center Of attraction was a
big fellow Who stood With newspaper
in his hand, raving and cursing.
What is the matter. Wolff" asked a
new comor, who was evidently familiar
with irate man. Il =
"Matter," replied Wolf, for that was
his name, matter enough, and rough
it'll be for some folks. Them young
whelps that prints this paper have gone
and published something about me. o,
I'Il fix 'em ! They'd better never ha'
been born They had better 60 and kill
themselves after ten minu.es; it'll he cas-
Ter death for EN-" .....
Wolf was a noted desperate, who, it
was said, had killed. more than twenty
men, and bat few knew him who did not
fear him. He was a: that time the chief
Of gang Of loafers and gamblers that
were nearly always to be found louuging
in tho vicinity alluded TO, and disturbing
the peace of the whole neighborhood
daily with riotous conduct. If there was
any law in, those days. it was seldom exc
cuted against such characters, and in
full consciousness that they were feared
they did pretty much as they pleased.
The newspaper which had given such
deadly offence to Wolf was little weekly
journal, and it, Office was in the second
story Of q building on the same street
with the hotel have mentioned .aad on
'ly few rods distant. It was published
BY TIVE young pen-or, l might say,
boys, for they were only eighteen aud
twenty years old, respee.ively-named
Darrell and Haynes. The paper and its
youthful proprietors were already we'll
known in the city of San Francisco.
The article which had excited the
wrath OF the rufian Wolf was a bold de-
puIcia,ion of himself and his crowd for
their lawle.s conduct, and it particular
ly mentioned him by name, characieriz-
ing him as q '.;blusterly bully" 1t was
the work of young Darrell, a fea1les.
COY, halling from Ohio.-Before leaving
home he had acquired a fair education,
so tina. he could at least edit newspaper
in those early days; and he possessed, be-
sides. that courage and daring which
may be natural in the first place, and
which are more thoroughly developed by
exposure to dangers and hatdships:
Young Haynes was quite different kind
of person in point OF courage, being Of
an unusually timorous nature.
TO return to tho scehe on Sacramento
street.-Working himself up in the very
worst mood and his best was bad enough,
heaven knows-Wolf tore tue paper to
atoms and started for the publication Of
fee. He was followed by curious rab
BILE. most of whom were elated with p the
prospect of murder, though there were
some present who would have romonstra-
ted with the evil hearted man had they
dared.
"Jest watch, said Wolf, as he reach
cd the door, eff you went to see their
bloody carcasses tumble out,of TIE via
dow 1t won't be long. don't spend
much time on such fellers." -s
1t was the intention Of the cruel-heart-
ed man actually to cut the throats of the
boyish Journalists and throw their bodies
out at the window, for the qualification
of the crowd and the further exaltation
of his already fearful name. So the mob
on the stree. awaited the issue with fever
ish expectation, as Wolf, aourishing his
knife and revolver, entered the rude
frame building and rushed up the stairs.
All unconscious Of their danger, the
two young editors we're busily engaged
in their usual work in their primitive Of
fee. If they had heard the noise without
they paidno attention to it, supposing it
was merely street row., !. such :. as they
we're accustomed to hearing every day.
Darrell was sitting at q rude table writ
ing, and Haynes was at the table arang-
ing some papers for the mail.
They heard the rough cla.ter OF heavy
boots on the stairs and supposed it was
some rough miner coming to subscribe for
the paper, or, perhaps, to see a lawyer
who occupied a couple: of rooms on the
same floor; for the building was only q
two-story one, and the second story was
occupied exclusively BY shea,aud an At
,torney. their room bsiag separated from
his by narrow hallway that was reach
ed BY Aight of stairs already alluded to.
.'Ah-ah ! I've got ye, my young imps.
exclaimed the desperate, bursting in.
Haynes recognized him and turned
pale. Being at the counter, which faced
the door. and extended across the ROOM
he was naturally the first mark for VOLTS
vengeance. $780,
I'VE young devils p be Kissed, scowl-
ing Alike mailman aye'n never write
nor print notnm' more bout ME y Here
be fouriAhed hia,knife and revolver above
hrs head. "Pye got sure thing on both