Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-04-07
Stranger Than Fiction.

In the Autumn of 1917, while the
woods were bright with variegated
hues which follow the light touches
of early frost, a mounted traveller was
pursuing his way through a dark
broad, lonely forest in the western
part of New York. He had ridder
three miles since seeing a human
habitation, and he had two to go be-
fore he could get sight of another
He was descending a hill into a gloomy
looking valley, through which flowed
a shallow, but swift running stream
and on reaching the water he permit.
ted his thirsty beast to stop and
drink.
At that moment man came out
from a cluster of bushes into the
road, OF horsepath, on the other side
Of the stream. This man was dressed
like hunter, and carried rifle on
his shoulder. In his appearance
there was nothing indicated hostility
orwicked design. Hewas ofmedium
size, compactly built, with intellec-
tual features and a certain air of gen
tility-seeming rather as one abroad
from some settlement for a days sport
than professional hunter. All this
the mounted traveller noted that he
crossed the stream to continue his
journey, and when they came togeth-
er pleasant salutation was ex-
changed.
"Fine weather for travelling, sir, "
replied the man with the gun.
And for hunting, also, 1 should
suppose" smiled the other on the
horse.
Yes there is game enough" re-
turned the other, "but am not a
good hunter, and 1 can only show
one bear for my days work thus far,
and that is almost useless to me, be-
cause 1 have no means to take it
away, l would willingly pay dollar
for the use Of horse like yours for
a couple of hours. If you could
spare five minutes or so would like
you to see the bear; it is only back
behind the bushes, some two hundred
yards from here
81 will not only look at it, re-
piled the traveller dismountins and
fastening his horse, "but if not too
heavy, I will take it q long for you
seeing I am going your way"
The hunter thanked him in most
cordial manner, and then, as if to
make himself agreeable, and keeping
up the conversation, inquiring where
the other was from, whittier Journey
ing, ETC.; and learned that the latter
resided in Albany, was merchant
in good business, and was travelling
partly for his health and partly
with view to make an extensive
land purchase for future specu-
lation.
Well, here we are" exclaimed
the hunter, as the two men emerged
from the dense thicket through which
they had slowly forced their way into
the open wood; '"and 1 will show
you as fine and fat beast as you
ever saw. Observe whe1e point
with my rife.
He stepped back some eight feet,
deliberately raised the piece to his
eye and pointed the muzzle directly at
the head of the traveller. There was
q flash and loud report, and the
victim fell like a log, his face covered
with blood. This might or might
not have been the first crime COM
mitted by the man with the rifle.
But as the traveller fell the rifle
slipped through his hands, and he
shook violently from head to foot; yet
he ran to his victim and hurriedly
robbed him of his purse, pocket book,
gold watch and chain, some curious
seals, a diamond brest-pin and dia-
mond ring, which he fairly tore from
his finger. Then he dragged his
body into a thicket, picked up his
rifle, plunged madly through the
bushes to the road, mounted the
travellers horse and rode away from
the awful scene.
"Ne must suppose q lapse OF
twenty years.
a, ~ 80 oO7 IL - Ill =.