The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-02-08
ould like many things that l cannot

would like many things that l cannot
get
However, soon forgot the fellow in
hearty laugh over q well-told tale.
But the time had quickly passed; 30
rose to put on my coat and wrapper,
SO ying as did so, "Ifear it will be late
before reach u"
1t was not much to say, but it gave
the clue to the direction l WAS going.
bid them all Goodnight " and was
once more in the darkness and the
cold.
had now to descend a steep path
way, which led into an old quarry,
through which l had to pass. Some
parts of the path were only about four
feet wide. On the one side was a sClid
rock; on the other a precipice, a fall
down which would end any mans
troubles, as far IS this world is concern
ed.
Well, l was cropping my way down
as best l could, when suddenly felt
something spring upon my shoulders,
followed by q horrible sensation of
strangling.
For g moment or 30 l was stupefea;
but on raising nay hand, I felt a mans
arm pressed against my throat. /
knew had no time to lose SO leaned
backward little. This threw my as
sailant off his guard-no doubt he
thought had tainted; and then with
the wild strength of despair. bent sud-
denly forward, and threw the fellow
over my head. But, before / had fair
ly recovered, he was upon me again,
like tiger, and this time it was q
hand-to-hand struggle. We wrestled
for some time, till at last we fell, and
my head was projecting over the pre-
cipice.
l felt the hot blood rush to my head;
a numbness seemed creeping over me,
but l shook it off, and determined to
have another struggle for my life.
AS / raised my head, the moon came
from behind cloud, and I recognized
my would-be assassin az the stranger at
the tavern.
| And at the same moment l saw
something glisten in his hand, and l
knew he meant to stab me.
/ caught his arm as it descended, and
with my other hand clutched his
throat. He snatched his right arm
away, and quickly drew the knife
across my hand that was at his throat.
Though it cut me, my struggling pre-
vented it being deep wound. Again
that fearful knife was being brandish-
ed before my face, and more than once
| felt the cold steel touch my neck; but
each time succeeded in beating it OFT
and all this time We were close to the
edge of the path.
How We kept on the pathway at all
is q mystery to me.
Once, in trying to stop blow, / siez-
ed the keen blade in my hand, inf1ict
ing terrible wound; but l succeeded
in getting the knife from him, and l
threw it away as far as l could, Then
came the real struggle for life-who
should 90 over the precipice
1t was hard time. We were very
equally matched, and both strong.
Several times he kept me from going
over, because | held him so tightly
that he would have gone as well.
At last | got the better of him for an
instant; and throwing out my hand to
steady myself, gripped large, sharp
stone.
With all the strength / could muster,
| oei oSh AliL1 dpOh VIC hCau Will IL.
He groaned, and fell back insensible.
l must have tainted too, for l found
myself lying across him, with one hand
still at his throat.
AS soon as my scattered senses re-
turned, tied his hands fast together,
behind his back, with my scarf, and
hurried back to the tavern for assist
ance. directed them where to go, for
| was too weak with loss of blood to &C
company them.
They found him just as I had stated,
and before two hours had elapsed he
was safe in goal.
did not spend Christmas with my
friends, for I was put to bed at the tav-
ern, where l remained for several
weeks down with brain fever.
afterwards appeared against my
would be murderer, and had the salts
faction of knowing that I was safe
from his attacks in the future, for he
was sentenced to state prison for life.