The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-04-06

| soon convinced me that he was making
disclosure to her of his recent stealthy
discovery, A strong sense of the danger
| in which was placed commenced to oper-
ate disagreeabB upon me, and to drive it
off | produced late copy Of the Louis
vile Journal from my pocket aud attempt
ed to read. The first thing my eyes en-
couutered was a small advertisement
headed "Cut this out, it may save your
life" " "
Here's a funny coincidence" said !
to myself, "just as | was trying to deyert
my mind from the fear Of immediate
danger, here comes a quaek advertiser
with recipe for an escape" and yielding
to natural propensity for doing foolish
things, I opened my pen-knife and cut the
advertisement 1t was not more than an
inch broad, and as | ran the sharp blade
around it, eluded my fingers and huttered
to the floor. While searching for the fugi-
tive, my gigantic hostess announced in
harsh, masculine tones that my supper
was ready.
Some fried bacon and tlinty corn dod-
ger composed the homely meal My
appetite for the last half hour had been
growing fainter by degrees and alarmingly
less, and soon arose from the table !
Immediately retired to the other room aud
attempted to solace myself with an old
cob pipe and some natural Leaf tobacco
] found on the mantle Presently my
host came in bringing with him candle,
and Informed me that he aud the "old wo
mau" were in the habit of going to bed
early, and as their bed stood in the room
] then occupied | had better climb the
ladder 10 the loft where he said | would
| find a place to stow myself away
Taking the candle, made the ascension
as gracefully as possible wondering all
the while ii ] should ever come down
again alive Ny bed, a very rude one
stood in the furthcst corner Of the loft
| facing the place of ingress An empty
barrel standing upside down served as a
candle stand, and upon it ! placed my
feeble luminary, thanking my stars that
twas a whole one, for ] had determined
upon staying awake, aud prevent, if posi-
| bic any attempt 10 rob me Of my money
and life ] felt quite certain such an at
tempt would be made and if ! had had
my pistol with me ! should have awaited
developments without the least fear Of
being overcome, but alas the day before
] had broken off the stock while using il
for Il hammer, and had left it with back
woods gunsmith to be repaired
at that time ] was something Of an
athlete. Ny form was slender, and my
weight was one hundred and forty pounds,
but my muscles were well developed, and
leaving knives and pistols out of the ques-
ton, had little fear Of an encounter with
the average native. But the noble art
is Of little account to sleeping man, and
! Morpheus has never been known to spar
successfully with an assassin. ! remOv-
ed my coat only, and taking large chew
| of tobacco, lay down upon hard bed.
amused myself for long time by com
| posing doggereI, all of which ! have for
| gotten except the following lines:
| Climb TO bed OF a wretched ladder
Poor ole fellow Iaid Of his shadder,
Pretty sad case, bat it my DO sadder
/ First thing you know, old boy"
threw of great deal Of that sort oi
thing, and feel fortunate in having for
gotten the most Of it. Its composition
served to keep me awake, and that was
the point ] was striving after, rather than
fame as a poet Ny candle had burned
rather more than half away, when [ dis
missed the muses. and took fresh chew
Of tobacco Everything was as silent as
death below, and the only sounds outside
were the mouruful ho0ting Of the owls
and the sepulchral moaning Of the wlnd
among the forest trees Concluding Il
pass away the remaining time before day
light by reading, ] noiselessly produced
the journal, and propping my head a:
high as possible with my emaciated pillow
stroYe to become interested in the news d
the day.
! An hour must have passed. ! was ly
! ing with my right foot on the floor, Will,
] held the fully open sheet before me
the dwindling candle on the barrelnear M
right shoulder furnished me scanty
| light. Suddenly thrill Of mortal terror
for an instant seemed to freeze my blood
for through the narrow opening ] haC
made in the paper when fooIishly obey
ed the injunction Of the quack advertiser
I caught the glimpse Of a murderou:
knife. My fear IN moment gave way L
cool determination to out8it the assas
sin if possible, aud keeping him in my
view which was easily done by shifting
the sheet, / gathered my energies for &
strategic movement, which if successful
would be very apt to completely demoral
ize my enemy.
Nearer and nearer he crept, noiselessl.
and slow, ] saw his hand tighten on th
knife for the fatal stroke; he was nea
enough. / suddenly dropped the pape
and measuring the distance In a twinkle
sent my heavy soled boot against his un
der chin he.tumbled backwards and fel
: so heavily that the building trembled q
if an earthquake had passed beneath i
The Amazon below Immediately suspecte
that something uafagorable 10 her caus
had happened, and started up the ladde
The man on the floor was fast reYiying-
there was no time for exercise Of gallar
| try toward the fair sex, and as her hea
. appeared 10 sight above the floor, swun
the other boot at her with such Ygor tha
| I had the satisfaction Of hearing he
/ reach the floor belo8. Quickly returnin
10 my male victim / stunned him with
. blow from his own knife, and tied hir
hand aud foot then descending the ladde
{ I found the woman inseusible, bound he
also, aud then building a roaring FIRE sa
down by it aud congratulated myself o
{ my narrow escape from death and robber.
, Daylight soon came, and | put off a
+ speedily as possible for the settlemen
where | told my story aud returned wit
I an officer 10 the scene of my adventure
! Ny victims had returned to consciousness
/ and were cursing their misfortunes, an
, yainly endeayoring 70 burst their bond
! Before the sun had set we had them saf
ly jailed Reader, what do you think {
my little 1ad" venture,
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Among the other claims to which tn
hope Of justice" from an ex-Confederat
Congress has been the father IS one of