Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-05-14

had purposely made an early start,
and by sunrise was up the steep mount
ain trail that. leads from Washington,
and was passing through the mining
town of Alpha Just as the breakfast bells
were ringing at the boarding-houses.
Soon l was in the dense forest of huge
sugar pines and furs, through which the
wagon-road leads, and which extends
nearly all the way TO Nevada.
Not team was on the road, nor q
soul in sight. When alone In the forest
l am always overcome and awed by the
solemn stiffness, and in spite of myself,
fall to musing upon the wonders and
mysteries of the world and the Creator
in q way that quite carries me out of
and beyond the things of everyday life.
| become, indeed, in such situations,
by insensible degrees, quite absent
minded.
As passed along 1 merely noticed
the point where the road was travel
ing joined that coming in from Omega,
a mining town that stands opposite AL
pha, just across Scotchman's Greek.
merely glanced down along this road
and saw that there was no living or
moving thing on it, when l again fell
into the deep, dreamy mood from which
L had only been partially aroused.
I was walking slowly along in the deep
shade of the great forest, with my eyes
bent upon the ground, and thoughts
far away in some of the old forests l
had seen in Germany while serving as a
soldier, when there came sharp, quick
cry;
"Haltl,
Instinctively 1 halted, hardly realizing
that | was not still a soldier, obeying
the command of superior officer. But
it was only foran incompatible fraction
of time, for on the instant q masked
man, armed with double-barreled
shotgun, stepped out from behind a
where had halted. N
Hold up your hands!" cried the
masked man, and the shotgun was lev
eled at my head.
held up my hands.
The fellow then seemed not to know
what to do next. He stood some sec
onds without speaking, and as if con-
sidering how to proceed.
"Take off your belt"
"How can l take off my belt if | am
to hold up my handsP" said 1.
The man seemed nonplussed, and
again hesitated. -t.s
''You have no pistolP" said he.
That is my business"
Again he hesitated and surveyed me.
Seeing no pistol belt outside my cloth
ing, he seemed reassured, and said:
You can put down your hands and
take off the belt you have about your
waist-that dust is what want. Be
quick about it," and again the gun was
leveled. a
took my own time, nevertheless,
and as long time as possible, closely
watching the robber, who several times
for an instant glanced nervously up and
down the road. | also observed that
his hands trembled. Icould plainly see
that he was really more frightened than
l was. Having passed through many
battles and dangers of all kinds, l did
not feel at all alarmed at my situation.
In a moment L understood the whole
business. | knew that the man only
wanted to get my dust, and did not want
to kill me. If he had not feared COM
mitting murder he would have shot me
down without speaking-would have
taken no chances with me.
While slowly taking off my pouch of
gold dust, my mind was not inactive.
saw that the robber was trembling
fellow, not at all fit for the business.
A man that / could have cowed and
commanded in almost any situation,
had we been placed on an equal footing.
When the belt was off, the highway
man said
clay it down and be off," t
Ilaid it down and turned as though
to 90 away, but as the fellow picked up
my dust faced about and said:
"Do you know who 1 am---who you
are playing this trick uponP"
"No; nor do I want to know. Go
awayl" said the man,
"Did you ever hear'of Big George, of
Siskiyou, the stage robberP" said I,
moving toward him.
He made no reply, but stood trem-
bling and evidently quite bewildered.',
g Poor soul, how nervous you areP'
cried /. "Why, am quite ashamed of
you for man in your business. There's
not bit of style about you"
Twas now quite close upon him, and
suddenly and sternly said:
"Hand me that gun, you trembling ass,
and III show you how to do things in
way that will make you credit to the
profession.7 81 ,,t
The command came so unexpectedly
that had the gun in my hands before
the man knew what / was about.
"Drop that belt!" cried l, leveling
the gun, at his head.
He let it fali to the ground.
Take off that mask"
He hesitated moment, and then took
off his Mask piece of black muslin,
with holes for the eyes-when 1 saw be-
fore me man about thirty years of age,
pale as a ghost, and by no means des-
perate-looking.
"What is your nameP"
The man hesitated. HH7 @
"What is your namep" and l raised
both the gun and my voice.
George Robinson" came hesitat-
ingly from his quivering lips.
81 didn't ask you for allie. Tell me
your true name, or twill be the worse
for you.rl ~ - e -.v.
elf you must have it, Thomas Berry
is my true name, but l don't see why
you should care to know it,"
. " That is my business. shall let you
carry that dust for a time; the gun is
load enough for me. AS for your name,
It matters little whether or not you have
told me the truth, as am going to take
you to- where you are no doubt well
known, for now shall march you
straight to Nevada City," gEtle-t
"To Nevada Cityl' cried the man,
stopping short, and beginning to quake
from head TO foot. Why, amt you
Big George, the stage robberP"
Never heard of such man in all
my life," said l. "I am Carl Waldow,
Of FAN Creek, and not ashamed of my
name. I'll take you to Nevada or blow
the top of your head off! Do you un-
derstand thatP" "a
For the love1of God spare mel'
cried the man, whom Ishall hereafter
call Rapd which ia NOT hic frtaa mama