The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1873-05-31

any more of them. 80 he stopped boldly at the
next house, and again repeated the story OF the
mythical registered letter. This time he was
listened 70 with perfect confidence and thus
encouraged. he kept on his way repeating the
same story, varying il only as the distance from
town increased, and the credulity Of his listeners
required.
OF all his many victims, none so eagerly re-
ceived the news of the registered letter as poor,
lazy Mike Hogan.
1t was the evening of the second days ride.
that Mr.. Peterman stopped in front of Mikes
house and inquired who lived there.
Mike Hogan, sir"
ais he Of home ?f
THAT Is my name. sir"
Well, Mr.. Hogan, | have an GRAND to you
from the Postmaster at -. He requested
me to stop on my way and tell You that You must
come right into town and receipt for q registered
letter that is there for you"
"A registered letter-an' what is that now -
why you see that somebody has sent You
some money,-greenbaoks, you know,-by mail,
and they put it in q registered letter, that there
can be no mistake in your getting it. The Post
master showed it To ME, and there must be two
OF three thousand dollars in it. | should think.
Anyway, you had better lose no time in going
for it"
Go for it? go for it, is it? You bet your
swnte life I'll go tor it the morrow
There was no more peace for poor Mike. He
pressed Mr.. Peterman to put his horse in the
barn and stay over night with him, and the inyi-
tation was very gladly accepted, for the next
stopping place was II long way off. Before they
retired tor the night, the Unsuitable Pelerman told
Nike that when he arrived at the town, if 1t
should happen 10 be late, that the Postmaster and
his family lived up stairs over the Post-ofhee, and
II they were asleep, Mike must hammer on the
door, when the Postmaster would come down and
deliver up the letter. And Mike, in turn, de-
clared his intention of not waiting for daylight,
but that he should start for the town about the
middle of the night and as he was a bachelor his
guest for the night must get bis own breakfast in
the morning. So about y O'Clock Mike arose
quietly, that he might not disturb his guest, and
started Oft on his long, wearisome tramp with a
light heart. He had hardly got beyond hearing
from the house, when, in the darkness, there
came skulking along the veritable and dreaded
Shultz himself, who, tired Of t~ramping on foot,
and hearing Mr.. Peterman's fine riding horse
his oats in the barn close by the road
side, had nOiselessly opened the stable door, sad
died the horse and rode peacefully off to some of
his secure hiding places. When Mr.. Peterman
arose in the morning, and discovered his horse
was gone, his anger and modification were intense.
He ut once accused Mike, to himself, MS the thief.
Here was a fix! He couldn't 60 in pursuit, for
all the population between Mikes place and the
town, he very well knew, would murder him at
sight and well they might. Seeing that there
was no other way for him but to patiently foot it
to Olympia, he decided at least to have revenge
on Mike for his pertidious act. And without
more ado, he at once set fire to the barn with it's
winter store of hay and oats, and to the house
itself; and when they were both well blazing, he
espied in a field near by, a large pile of cedar
rails, and determined to leave nothing but a waste
of ashes for Mike. he started to burn them also.
Mr.. K, the Sheriff, had been down to the
lower emf of the county On some official business,
and having taken an early start, was returning
home. As he came in view he was astonished to
HonnnfS hnY,cn onH h.rD -, A,r,As ,nl ., ,,,o
in the very act of setting fire to some fence rails.
So infatuated was the wretched Peterman, that
he never heard the approach of the Sheriff until
there was no escape. Listening to none of his ex-
and protcstations, the Sheriff took q
pair of handouts from his saddle-bags, and fas-
tened them on the wrists of his unresisting pris-
oner; and tying his feet together with the halter
rope, he threw the unhappy man over the horn of
the saddle in front of him, as the hunters carry a
deer, and started off on q lope for the county-seat
and the Jail.
Mike took another and nearer road, and there.
saw nor heard nothing Of the Sheriff and his
1t was past II o'clock at night when
ne reached The town. He went to the post-ofice
and the shutters were up. The postmaster and
bis family had long ago retired. 1t had been an
awful day for them too. Never in its history had
the little city seen so much excitement. Ever
since the early morning crowds of people had been
calling for registered letters until the thoroughly
and exasperated official swore, that the
: next man dies"
The next man, however, happened to be Jim
from Burnt Bridge Greek; a man that
two hundred and thirty pounds, and was
in proportion. When he explained that he
wanted that ar greenback letter of his'n,'' the
postmaster, rather hesitatingly, it must be con-
essed, insinuated that he was about to put an end
% Mr.. Charlton's existence, as there was no letter
or him., nor would there ever be.
Jim was Infatuated at what he supposed to be
he dishonesty of the postmaster, and quick as
lightning, he reached through with his long mus
,ular arm, and grasping the unfortunate Office
holder, pulled him quite through the delivery win
low, mnch to his personal injury and to the utter
'uin of the fragile frame work of letter-boxes,
md when the postmaster vas finally rescued the
loctOr had to sew on his other ear.
1t was not therefore in a pleasant mood. that
he bruised and wounded official heard Mike ham
nering on the door. He called up his wife and
Oldest son, and held q council of war. Mike be-
anne vexed at the delay and hammered away
Ouder than ever. This decided the family to treat
lin ike a burglar; and the old man opened fire
Immediately on Mike from the up stairs window,
a navy revolver-all the shots were found
he next day in the door of a shoemaker's shop
cross the street-his son went down stairs and
ranged away through the shutters, with number
hree shot, while the old lady did far more execu-
ion from the celier window, with a four pronged
DIRK. She caused Mike after one or two vigorous
trusts in the abdomen, to crawl off on his hands
nd knees.
Mr.. Peterman, the guilty cause of all these mis-
understandings was tried and convicted, at the
ext term of court, for arson. But the Judge was
enient in his sentence, for the miserable Peter
ian proved his previous good character, and re-
pectability, beyond all question, and in cOnsid-
of this, he got off with only fifteen years
olitary confinement, at Steilacoom.- OregOnian.