The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-10-11

Nallse Iull; besides Wnal lnev ndu Oh
heir person. They made their way up
he coast, but got lost in the widest,
Darest region, he said, out of Hades. |
And there they were, with diamonds |
and Jewels and more gold than they felt |
able to carry, starving day after day. |
For two days they had no water. They |
cursed the Yankee Blade, and the
plunder and themselves, and each other
and the God that made them. They
held on to the plunder though, and kept
together, and they found water and
stopped by it to rest. Then they shot
rabbits with their revolvers and feasted,
and when they went on they found
trail that led in the direction they
wanted to go, but it wasn't long till they
run across a grizzly bear with two cubs
They both sprang for trees, but his part
ner fell back when he was part way up,
owing TO his holding on to the valise.
The old bear tore him to pieces,
the cubs shifted at him minute and then
went on toward the water.
81 was sitting by the trunk as he told
me the story, and here he took me by the
arm and rolled his eyes till the cold chills
ran down his back.
"' / got down after awhile" he said,
and looked at that partner of mine,
He had been a handsome man-One of
the handsomest in San Francisco. If
you had seen fine ladies, real high-toned
ones, too, as 1 had, hardly month be-
fore, looking up in his face as they
waltzed with him, you'd have known it
by the way they looked. And mighty
well-dressed man he always was, too.
And there was what was left of him
Just a heap of bloody rags and torn
flesh. And 1 pulled the bloody rags
away and took off the belt he wore with
the diamonds in tan old Spaniard had
brought them from South America-and
took up the valise and went on. I
was glad after awhile he was dead, for
we both wanted that belt, and there
might have been trouble
"He was very weak after this and told
me the rest the next day.
"He was nearly dead when he got in
sight of a ranch-house, but he went
back more than mile to find place tC
hide his plunder. He hid all but few
| hundred dollars and one diamond
| Some men at the ranch-house talked
about the Yankee Blade while he wa:
eating his supper, and he thought they
looked at him suspiciously. He inquired
about an American horse, dark bay, sad
died and bridled, and with blanket strap
ped on; said he had lost his and got los
hunting on foot, and would like to buy {
cheap horse to ride till he found him
He did buy one in the morning anC
pushed right on to the city. Felt safe
then, he said, than in the smaller places
where everybody is curious about every
thing. He meant to go back for hi
plunder when the excitement was over
"But he wasn't safe, after all. Their
was row in gambling house, if l re
member right, and man was shot, ant
he went to the State Prison for it. HI
raised himself and sat up as he come t.
this part of his story, the last time b
ever raised his head without help, an,
clenched his hands and cursed.
'"I was innocent, he said = innocen
/ had nothing to do with the murder
| gaye lawyer my diamond to clear me-
but he didn't clear me, and / was sen
to prison and worked there like slav
for years. After / had risked and don
anything and everything from my boy
hood rather than work; with the wealt
to buy every luxury that l had eve
wanted within my reach; worked an
suffered till my soul ate up my bod.
e and / grew old and weak and felt th
: felon's brand all over me. And didn
i shoot the man, mind you, didn't do
0 I was innocent.
: "Blast me, if I didn't pity him.
G mixed him little whisky hot all
raised his head and gave it to him an
> he went in"
a "He got away when he had served h
! time, and found his treasures as safe
he could have hoped. The valise ws
Q rotted and some of the things tarnishe
L badly, and the watches spoiled for tim
e pieces, but that was of no consequence
|. Nothing was missing. He thought /
J had better go back to the city, for
= had done something not quite accordiI
IL to law to raise the funds to get ava
;. with and was afraid.
) "He went on down the coast, most
% by stage to Santa Barbara, and intende
- to take a steamer there and get off
= soon as possible for Europe. He stot
- on the wharf waiting for the boat tn
, was landing passengers from the steam
- before taking those going off. Wht
u the first load drew near enough to reco
- ~ nize faces he met the eyes of 81
n L ldHCloCO uCGCCllhCs 11Cr SGCPpCu Ud'
v among the crowd that stood around al
~ ~ hurried up the street. A stage Goa,
v was about starting, the driver had t
Z reins in his hands, and there was
~ passengers. He stepped in and W
~ away before he had time to think VIII
u to do. He fonnd himself going over
;f same road by which he had travelled
~ his way down. He had no idea of goi
~ back to the city. One plan after 8
y " other came into his head. Long &C
u, fnement had very likely broken
- -, spirit and weakened his mind. He b
" " had horror of going ON and was afrs
,;r to stop.
of "He did stop, however, dozen or
of miles from town. He paid the driy
Is. and said something about prospect
ke as he strolled off. He had his plume
n by this time in such a shape that
ed could conceal it about his person, a
IS the weight of it distressed him.
ch wandered about, resting on the rocks
day in the sun. He was not hung
ID. but thirsty and dead tired, so he turn
re, in where there was couple of shant
;Iv for something to drink and a place
re- sleep. He dreamed that the detecti'
of had him and had taken his plunder, a