Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-07-25
C'U. MoK." 10 the Nows aud Courisr.1
BOHEMIAN AND BRIGAND.
A Mov1Na PLEA FOR THE OUTLAW
"GIvE REDMOND A CHANoE!'

"GIvE REDMOND A CHANoE!"
PIollENs @. H., juno 9.-Redmoud's
second and last raid was made against his
own wishes, was contrary to his Judgment,
and, as ho declares, is tho only thing he has
done for which he condemns himself. The
circumstances under which he told his brief
story concerning it deserve to be men
toned for many reasons which will presently
appear.
AN UNEXPECTED SENSATION.
At tho close Of our first Interview, on
Tuesday afternoon, he accompanied nv
companion aud myself to tho foot of the
mountain. Before We had reached that
point, however, and whilo we wero saunter-
ing quietly alongtho "trail," wo wcro sud
denly salutcd with the summons "Elalt and
surrender! am q revenue officer" which
proceeded FROM tho bushes on our right.
at tho same moment tho sound Of horses
feet was heard in the road in our front, aud
for moment thought was about to have
an experience 1 hud not bargaiped for.
The voice vas that of one friend, however,
and the horse which quickly came into sight
was bcstrode by another, wherefore l was
spared any further sensation than the nu-
mcrous unpleasant ones Ind just felt in
my mind in view of an anticipated skirmish.
Tho newcomers brought tho information
that sqund of thirteen "Revcnues" had
just passed down tho road, milo or two
distant, with prisoner, friend of Red
mond's, in charge; that they were. in search
of Redmond himself, and that they had
divided for the purpose Of "bcating up" the
ncighborhood. Sume of them might be
expected uny momont at the house nearest
to us, (Sherc had left my buggy,) they
said, and it was advisable for us to keep O
sharp lookout. A sharp lookout was ac-
cordingly kept, but Redmond accompanied
US to tho house aud remained with us, and
night had set 10 before he left us, and re-
turned, by another route than that by which
we had come, to the mountain. was quite
i'll by this time, in consequence of exposure
| to the hot sun, and of unwonted and cx-
ccssivo exercise had undergone in climb
ing, but after supper started pgain to find
| him. nm .'1
WHO cAN STAND THIS SORT OF LIFE?
1t was so dark under the trees and ia the
hollow Of the hills that [ could not sec nv
hand held within an inch of my face NV
guides seemed to know the way by instinct,
however, and one of them taking nv arm
they led me by devious path which seemed
endless, aud ouly to lead into deeper and
deeper darkness until we came to tho ap-
pointed rendezvous. Here one struck q
match and lighted a small hand lamp, and
learned for the first timo that Redmond
had joiued Us somewhere on the way. Wo
found seats on the ground 0. on rocks and
roots of trees as best We might, and sat in
silence around the Aickcrpg light while
Redmond hastily ale tho supper wo had
provided for him. had brought kettle
of coffee at tho, risk of my peck, but he
"nevcr drank Coffee" he said. Meat there
| wac in abundance, but he barely touched it.
IL vas very seidom that ha oser secuched
it.p He appeared very thoughtful and spoke
but once or twice during tho repast Once
hc said to me, "Who can stand this sort Of
lilcY It is enough to drive an innocent
man to do wrong"
TIE SCENE WAS IMPRESSIVE
and gloomy enough. We sat within q
narrow circle of dim light, hedgcd 10 By a
thick darkness that might have concealed
an hundred enemies within as many feet
from the lamp. The trees seemed to be
whispering secrets to each other or warning
to us, aud tho leaves looked strangely as
they reflected tho light from their under
sides. The air was heavy and oppressive,
and seemed fraught with danger, and we
looked 10 each other's faces with feelings
not unlike what we might have experienced
had oil instead of one only been under ban
and expecting betrayal and death dealing
| volley out Of the night ut anv momenti II
could not have bcen worse had wo been on
the frontier and surrounded by hostile In
dians. Nor wore these feelings confined to
that little group out there in the forest. It
was shared in kind by ovcry household for
miles around us. One of our party said:
fThere is not ono man 10 ten in this neigh
borhood, bo he guilty or innocent, who will
sleep in his house to nightp' "And you
say true" echoed every voico but mino,
within his hearing. /, too, learned it's
truth in part before many hours had passed.
THE RAID AFTER GARY.
| reminded Redmond of my errand, and
his promise to tell mo Of his "raid" after
Gerry. "lt WAS not my doiog,' no said. ri
did not lead tho party, and at fret refused
to 80 with them. They said they had gone
with mo whom I needed them, and now, I
refused to holp them when they needed me.
So went. Gary had broken up still
and behaved badly, and the man tho still
belonged to collected tho crowd and went
to thrash him. I said to them, sHo has
done nothing to, be killed for--this thing of
killing a man won't do. but I will 10 with
you, If you wish me, to get satisfaction for
| q L. ~