The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1876-12-23


sition in the civilized world.
My eyes fell upon an open newspaper.
| took it up.
eyes there can be no mistake about it.
Here is the regular nomination in the
Doily PWelayer:'
OBADIAH sNAGTOOTH.
ron NIcE-rREsIpEsr,
BRIG. GEN. THOMAS THUMB.
with whom ! was associlted but little
reflection convinced me how polite it
was in the convention to give our ticket
the prestige of military record.
4 loaded article followed containing
an cnunciation Of my private virtues
and public benefactions. the details of
which brought blush to my cheek to
find that my transformations charities
were so greatly over estimated, and the
quiet routine of my domestic life ele-
waited into such heroic proportions.
Nevertheless, felt fattered. My
breast swellcd with joyous emotion.
Ny people krew and trusted me. Self
love, pride. ambition, all were satisfied
in the extremity of my vain-glorious
graduation. Ihad begun to think over
the leading topics of my inaugural,
when l caught sight of another paper.
1t was the opposition organ
"What can they have to say about
mc?" thought l. as l looked over the
columns.
Great heavens! what an awful record
/ found there. Every crime in the cal
cndar, and others of original atrocity
were not only reputed to me, but abso-
lutelv sworn to, with due form of aflida
Wit and italics. From the white heat of
Indignation | gradually cooled down to
the quietude of reflection, and was en-
gagged in Il retrospective survey of my
past lifc-trying to solve the doubt as
to whether | was myself or some other
fellow when a strange suspiciouslook-
ing individual unceremoniously walked
in. A vague apprehension of danger
seized me.
The man took a photograph and COM
pared it with my features; then lifted up
the hair off my forehead where kept it
long to hide a wen-" That's enough"
said he: mo mistake about the identity
We've got you at last. 1t amt no use
in your denying yourself, Snagtooth. or
Offering resistance.
l." I'm not going to offer resistance, or
to deny my name, either" said |, some
what loftily.
well and good replied the stran-
ger; that will save us Il great deal of
trouble. You just come along
"Comc along where?" l asked,
"To the States Prison, from which
You escaped six years ago" shouted the
other, showing his badge, and drawing
Il heavy where You'll have to
stay for the rest of your life"
"What for?" said |, in utter bewildcr-
mcnt
You know we'll enough what for
murdcr!"
The recollection, like flash Of light,
Just blazed upon my memory and van
i,hed, that great while ago killed sew
cral people somewhere. The instinct of
sclf-proscrvation however, gave me in
slant ere.'gy, and with desperate leap
forward, | grappled with the laws min
ion.
"Oh, that's your game, is it?" said
he. flinging me off as though l were Il
child, ana presenting MS revolver IuIi
ut me.
will you surrende.t?' Numbered he.
Never.' l cried, with the enthusi-
asm o. a homicidal martyr.
Then your blood be upon your own
hcad!' he savagely exclaimed, firing all
the barrels ut once.
The noise startled me into the con-
scousness that l was lying full length
upon the carpet in my own room.
On looking at tine table, ! saw the con-
tents of Il champagne bottle. from which
the cork had just popped, fizzling out in
white froth, while the reverberat ing
echoes evoked by passing drum corps
admonished me that my recent politi-
cal glory was nothing but dyspeptic
dream.