The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-07-08
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.

II WAS III INC AALt6E OF NOFClubGI5
in the year 1874, that found myself at
sunset, on one of the dreariest days
ever saw, waiting my chances at a little
Arkansas station for a seat in a coach,
which the telegraph operator assured
me would start in a couple of hours for
the town of C., my next destination.
I sat in the operators little cage,
beating tattoo with my feet, and for
the first time in a week feeling utterly
iaded and worn out.
The door, facing the dense and gloomy
forest outside, looked like some yawn-
ing aperture to a cavern, the oil lamp
inside seeming naturally to intensity
the nky blackness outside.
The operator, a weary, pale faced
man, seemed glad of my company, as
he no doubt was, poor old chap, and
delayed me with questions about the
busy world to which he YVES attached
only through his instrument and an
occasional newspaper.
1 ascertained that the coach generally
made its trip in an hour and a half or
two hours.
1 suggested the probability that,
as the night promised 20 bad,
perhaps the coach would ley Over,
in fact, I rather hoped that this
might be the case, as L began to
hate the idea of being whirled through
that dark woods with a fierce wind
twisting the branches together overhead,
and smashing the dry limbs and twigs
with great noise. The operator declared
that, as it was the mail coach to c.,
it would undoubtedly go, whatever the
prospect as TO company, though, he
fancied would have it pretty much my
own way, as there did not seem to be
any passengers beside myself.
He walked down the platform to the
station room, and came back with the
intelligence that it was empty.
Just at that moment a man pushed
the door open and looked in 4; the
glimpse / had of him was not enliven.
ing. He was heavily wrapped, and his
face very nearly covered by q thick,
black beard.
The operator, busy at his table, had
not observed the intruder, and made
no comment except a yawn of general
dissatisfaction.
There's a house down the road
quarter of a mile where You might stay
all night, ventured the operator, list
lessly turning the pages of the last
years almanac, not raising his eyes at
all.
Mine was not a suspicious nature,
and yet took no heart IN his sugges-
ton, and began to think all manner of
things about the man with the almanac.
A house down the road
went to the door and looked out.
The man who had looked in on us
had been sitting on the step formed by
the threshold. was sure it was the
same.
He got up hastily and walked down
the platform (; not glancing back. I OBJ
served then that he wore heavy capote
cloak and lew hat.
The wind blew a hurricane and there
was not a star visible; as to road I
could see none, nor in fact anything,
but about twelve inches of the frosty
rails on which the operators lamp light
fell.
l closed the door suddenly as if I
had retired within. cannot say that
it was y purpose to watch the man in
the cloak, but closed the door.
1t was very dark on the platform, ex-
cept under the grimy window.
The man came back softly, and I
scraped n wax taper 10 light a cigar.
The black beard and Il pair of differing
eyes were within two feet of me. Was
he disconcerted
He walked on to the other side of the
platform leisurely.
The rain began to fail in big splashing
drops, chilling me thoroughly in ten
minutes. went back into the opera
tors room ; he still idled over the alma
nae, scarcely looking up as 1 entered.
Soon after there was the distant rum
bling of wheels. the trample of horses
and few bugle tones came down
mOurnfully in the wind.
There's the coach, said the opera
tor, land Bill Woodford's horn. There
must be something wrong this is not
his rum"
Lights cleaned at the outer end OF
the platform. The clumsy old coach
rumbled up, the driver, in gray over
coat and woolly cap, helped to get the
mail bag in the boot, shouting out,
This way if you please, gentlemen,
and not an inch - time to said a deeu
What's up. Woodford, said deep
bass voice, land whore is Sam to.
night p
He's done gone and gave his ankle q
baddish twist that's all. Come, look
alive there " buttoned up my coat,
felt that my pistol was all right 1 bad
taken 1t from the black bag Just be,
fore the arrival of the coach. I clam.
bered in, took a forward seat, and as
somebody swung a lantern backward
and forward, dlscerned that save very
old gentleman, who seemed to be dozinp
IN the back, that was the only passen.
ger.
The driver cracked his whip and with
terrific iolbng we started at furious
rate of speed. We had, perhaps, ac
complished five or six miles in this way
when the tckety old affair gave a sud
den lurch before coming to full stop
and the driver appeared at the window
dripping with rain.
"Well have to tumble here for the
night, reckon, gents for the storm
last night has blown a tree right square
IN the road, and the leader has got !
rock IN his foot and can't go on any
way"
Pleasant prospect truly There's ole
Job Siiver's cabin yonder we can put
up with him, / guess, until morpin'. ,
As the driver had already began tc
unhitch, there was nothing to do but
beg hospitality of Mrs. Silvers, and the
old gentleman and myself scrambled
out, the former growing savagely wheI
be found the road ankle-deep In
sticky mire, and the rain pouring il
torrents.
&c should like TO throttle that villain
and shoot that cursed leader on tia,
spot, said the old gentleman, making
of toward the miserable shanty, to the
right some thirty yards. After supper
OF trizzled bacon, fried eggs and ex
cellent coffee, which was not so had /
supper, eaten before spanking fire o.
birch logs, the host, tall, grim ole
man, with the face of one of Napoleon
rs soldiers, albeit with certain look OF
simplicity impossible to a soldier, con,
Quoted me up a rude pair of STAIRS 10 &
sleeping apartment. The room Stored
low in the ceiling on two sides, beinp
Just under the roof, and was furnished
with two narrow beds and two chairs,
l took of my coat and waistcoat, and
Hung myself into bed, putting my pistol
and watch under my head.
The grim old man excused his poverty
and took away the candle, his cowhide
shoes crealSing on the stairs as he de.
scended. On second thought took my
watch from under the pillow and placed
1t between the mattresses on the further
side OF the bed, rext the wall, and soon
fell asleep, lulled by the droninQ voices
NanHH HN. 4 L