The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-04-04
CLOSE CALLS.
PEOPLE WHO CAME WITHIN AN ACE OF
DEATH AND YET ESCAPED.

We propose to offer to our readers a
few incidents of hair-breadth escapes, by
which various human beings have been
saved from death.
Colonel GilmoE, relating the story of a
fight i'll which be figured, SAYS, in his
''FOur years in the saddle - Turning
half-round in my saddle to call my men.
I received a sudden shock and felt dead
ly sick, and at the same time saw "a man
trail his gun and run off. | killed him
before he had gone three steps. His ball
had passed through two coats and stuck
in pack of cards in my left side pocket.
They We're quite new, the wrapper not
even having been broken open. The
suits were each distinct. The bullet
passed through all. stopping all the last
card. which was the ace of spades.''
Such another literal illustration Of the
phrase within an ace of death is not
on record; but hair-breadth escapes are
common in war. At the battle of Laon.
Steff.ms saw a shell strike the horse of a
PrusSian officer. Entering near the
shoulder, it caused the poor animal to
make a c0nvUlsive spring and throw its
rider. the fragments of the shell being
projected from all sides. while the II
der jumped up from the ground unhurt
During the CTimean war, COEDnel Wind
ham. dispatched to find out bow matters
were going in the first attack on the Re
l.. II
trench two or three yards ahead of him.
Presently. a round-shOt came flying over
the Parapet, and the man was hidden
from sight by the dust. When it subSi-
ded the colonel was astOnished to find
himself beside 4 living man whose coun-
tenanee presented curious admiXture
OffriEht and JOY, rs. scratching his head,
he exclaimed: Why dash my buttons.
but that was amazing nigh -
''Ay, ay, my boy, " responded the Col
onel: wed much better be digging
trenches at threepence a rod in Norfolk?'
To which his sfellow-cOuntrymanr replied:
What are yew tew from Norfolk -
Amazingly nigh death, although III
blissful ignorance of the fact, was the
Confederate staff-ofhcer marked down by
NoTtheTner's rife. and only saved by
the officer commanding the platoon hap
Pening to recognize in him a client of
the insurance office of which he was sec
retary. and striking up the leveled wea-
pom with: Don't shoot. we've got a
policy on him."
DR.. BTydon. the sole English survivor
Of the retreat from CabuI. during the
late Afghanistan war, was quite aware
of the narrowness of his escape, but never
could understand how it came about.
After long and terrible ride. he was
just cOngratulating himself upon having
at last got clear Of the enemy, when he
found himself pursued by solitary
horseman.- He had but a broken sword
with which to defend himself, and with
this ne managed to intercept a cut at his
head. directed with such force that it
cleft through the base of his blade. leav-
ing only the hilt, which the doctor hurl-
ed in his assailant'S face and the next
moment the Afghan cut through Bry-
don's head-piece and the magazine he
had that morning placed inside it. IN
armed half-stunned, and hopeless, ne
stopped to recover his fall
en- rein: when to his surprise and relief.
his foe turned away and galloped off,
leaving the Doctor to drag himself to
,Jelabad.
The sword of justice is not always
rightly directed. and sometimes comes
near perpetrating murder 4 young New
Y orker named Wells went one evening
to Booths Theater Taken with fit of
he left the theater. intending
TO 90 home but after going some little
distance, it came on showing so fast that
he Tetraced his steps. As he strobe
along. two men came rushing down the
street. one of them dropping gold watch
and chain. which Wells picked up and
then went after the loser. running into
the arms of n policeman. who marched
him off to the station to explain matters.
Presently a messenger arrived in hot
haste, saying the thief was wanted at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. Wells was taken
here, and brought face to face with a
nan lying on a lounge covered with
,lood .'Is this the man that stab
,ed you - asked the officer. 1T is. -
aid the poor fellow, falling back, never
G speak again. Wells was tried for the
nurder, found guilty and sentencedto he
l. l.,
Il fortnight before the day liked for the