Connecticut western news., 1873-01-10
A DASH FOR LIFE.

all sides by bushrangers. Outrages of every possible kind were of daily occur renee, and many a brave fellow met his death in attempting, with others, to break up the camps of these daring out laws. Did come near losing my life, you ask ? Yes, more than once. And I particularly recall one time of which I will tell you.
 We had small, resolute company of men under us, made desperate by re- peated wrongs, and they hardly cared what they did or what risk they ran, in | trying to exterminate those fierce bush rangers.
 Almost every movement of ours was watched but Sheldric Day, our captain was as keen as the sharpest of the out laws. So when an old farmer came in with his wagon filled with green stuff and covered with straw, Day watched his chance and succeeded in starting him homeward with load of rifles un- der the straw.
 Toward nightfall one man struggled of, whistling in one direction, with his hands in his pockets another one an- other way; another, another and so on. Our rendezvous was Dury's Forks, 8 lonely track of country, where the roads branched off in many directions. When we got fairly beyond the linn it's haunted by spies, we mended OUT pace, and the men were soon coming in from all directions upon the run, ready to seize their weapons and go whither Captain Day might lead.
 Shaping our course in southwesterly direction, we made what speed. the tall, tangled, bothersome prairie-grass would allow, and crept on stealthily. The camp of the bushrangers was at supper we surprised it, and fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued. The fellows were finally routed ; but somehow be- came separated from the rest, and two or three of the ruffians, discovering my situation, bore down upon me. In spite of my frantic efforts they captured me, and bore me with them on the retreat. My company probably did not at first discover my absence, as it was quite dark, and so I was left to the mercies of gang of cut-throats.
 With no delicate touch they seized upon me, securely bound my hands, and advised me, with the cold lips of re- volver, to keep quiet. They then dash ed away toward village some miles dis tant, where their headquarters were, ol rather where the prison was located.
 Without word, was thrust into 6 damp, dark, underground apartment whose only aperture for light and ai1 was grated hole which just rose above the ground level. I Igathered myself up
 and looked my situation in the face. knew these outlaws well. I had noth ing to expect but to be dragged fortl during the night and hanged upon tn,
 first projection which offered suficien
 support for my weight. was too vel
 known as first lieutenant of the K----
 Regulator to hope for mercy. My com
 panions would doubtless think that
 had fallen, and leave me to my fate.
 Worn out with hard work and care,
 fell asleep---though I have often won
 dered since at it---from which delightSA
 rest I was awakened by soft, raspin,
 noise close by.
 "Rats," I mentally commented, an'
 turned over.
 "Hist," said voice at the window
 or the grated opening that served fo
 one. "Are you awake ?"
 "Awake and more than awake"
 answered, and immediately brought m,
 face to the aperture.
 "Be euiet," said the voice. "Thei
 guard is pacing not ten yards from here
 but the darkness is favorable. Get thi
 ron bar between the rods and wrencl
 carefully toward you. l have straight
 ened out the ends that were clenche'
 upon this side"
 Carfully seizing upon the iron ba
 thrust in to me, inserted the end un
 der the first rod, and gradually starte it.
 "Hist! the guard is coming this way wait untl he returns to the front, breathed my helper "Hist!' The guard clanked by, starting tn sweat from every pore of my body; fo , I expected him to stumble upon m = friend and deliverer outside. "Be quick" resumed the voice { l the grating again. "He will return i > just twenty minutes, for I have marke his beats; and---quick.
 One after the other each of the bal was dropped from its place; and the1 t by reaching my hands out through tn aperture, and by dint of using my shoe t less feet against the wall, struggled 2 and was drawn through. Fortunatel, s I was slim and slight; large man mus S have hopelessly strangled himself. NJ S | t the corner at the moment and came t, ? ward us. We crouched behind in th
 shade of the projecting wall. He heard nothing; saw nothing; pace . his beat, and went back. Once out { sight, be very sure we did not lose an
 time. Springing up, and catching |
 the top of the high fence, we swung ou f selves outside.
 U "The only thing that I could get ' said Davis, leading me to an old mul :, and cautioning me in whisper to b U ware of the vicious old animals heel y "Now, look sharp; don't take the Re o Forks, mind you, nor the main rou ' that leads to the courthouse. The u are four roads by the Live Oaks, 6
 running west; you know them; be SUI ,, don't take the third one, that leads rig |. into the camp of the outlaws, but u fourth takes you down among our bo.. o oo the Kegs. Mind well my direction 7L T and ride softly, while I try to take I II the attention of the sentinel" 4 mounted in a heterogeneous ma u ner, the old mule refusing to rema :, sufficiently stationary for me to seat m u self according to the fashions of civi
 zation.
 r. R1de SOftly LAWS must nave De' ,r joking. For the heels of that vicio7 ss brute beat the sod as though he were d drum major beating the devils .tatto IS and with considerable more force al 2. effect. But at last I persuaded him wi 5s my heels to move on, not until I h. is heard the sentinel brawling with Davi g who was personatiug 8 drunken m' l. with great zeal and eminent success. Il I got ont of the place os soon as t ,e stiff knees of my animal would let m 10 but somehow or other I became co h fused as to Davis directions. n The stars broke out through t SC clouds, and so passed the Red Fork Is and the main route leading to the cou1 Il house safely, but when l came to t