The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1882-02-24

Nv lblndlkS dDOuJ lilt .tIc tOuhbi1
the mines, the success Of some and the
failure of others-in a word, anything |
could think of to induce conversation
watching him furtively all the while. lie
answered easily and readily, and yet with
that peculiar kind Of reserve that was not
suggestive, or tending toward familiar
ity. His replies, howeverevinced a man
of mind and education; and | began to
give him credit for being thinker
perhaps a practical and selfish dreamer,
if may use paradoxical term that best
expresses my idea.
One day, scarcely know how, I
touched upon the general superstitions
of mankind, and to my surprise saw
that at last he was interested. His eye
changed expression, and frightened, and
emitted strange and peculiar CLEAN
and my attention being thus directed to
his eye, | now betho1ght me thlt had
never seen one exactly like it--onc capa-
BILE Of being so apparently open down to
the soul while conccalirg so much, 1t
was off its guard now---the 1oor was
really open down to the soul of the man
and looked in at that door,that open
ING. and saw that the soul of that man
was dark.a one. a nameless fear came
over me--a strange thrill passed through
me. like an electric shock felt an in
ternal shuddcr of dread. No wonder
had not been able to read him before I;
he man had been wearing an impene-
rable mask.
now had the key to the mystery and
to him, and | used it. He was interest
cd in superstitions-bad men always are
because they carry he'll of wild fan
cirs with them. Thus it was with this
man, as | could see by his eye, and
could make his fancies work upon him
| told him stories of sorcery, witchcraft
and magic-of ghosts hobgoblins and
devils-till he became pale with fear
brcathed with compressed lips, an(
trembled in spite of his great nerve and
will
If good men, rs have said, are some
times supcrstitious, why, you ask, did
think this man bad for being supersti
tioua also? First, | answer, because
| had accidentally thrown him off his guarC
and read his soul and secondly, because
he was not naturally nervous and credu
lous. Fear only had made him so and
in one of his iron nature, fear could oni,
arise from the self convicted knowledge
of a past wicked deed. The man wa
even then a criminal.
But let me hasten to the d,nouc
mcnt
I al, ,n,s Il ,nI nt hlp n
present when the conversation occurred
about the supcrstitious fancies of men
and as soon rs we were Interrupted b,
the entrance of another customer m,
dark visitor left somewhat abruptly
After that he did not come rs often a
before. and never seemed much at ease
and never renewed the conversation tha
had 50 agitatcd him, aud never, in fact
entered into any other than he coul'
possibly avoid. kept my thoughts t
, myself, but male some casual inquire
, about him, aud learned that he had bee
, so fortunate as to secure capital ''lead,
from which, with his partner, anothe
, young man, he was taking out gold i
quantities that promised TO enrich botl
> anu tIlul DOlU llI'l lIlt ScOt VIII anu q
, teen of all who knew them.
One dark night, about three or fou
, weeks after this, was startled from IN
sleep by wild, prolonged shrieks, an
cries of:
"Mmder! murder! help! help"
= jumped up, seized my revolvers, an
! darted out Into the open air. The erie
t aud screams still continued, coming fror
. a point on the bend of the river about
| hundred rods below. In a minute | va
> Joined by five others, all well armed, an
g together we ran as hard as we could t
the place from which the alarm pr,
| cccdcd.
, When we arrived there, at least thirt
men were collected in and around tn
tent of the dark man ! have been d,
! scribing, and he himself it was who ha
given the alarm. His partner and con
panion had been murdered and robbie,
and he himself had been slightly Ct
f across the face and gashed on the lie
arm, aud he was all excitement, lamer
, ting his dearest friend, and ayowin
t vengeance against the assassin, 1t WI
some time before we could get at the pa
! ticulars and then we learned that bot
1 had been sleeping side by side, whC
; an unknown robber had crawled und
| the canvas, stabbed one the heart, an
f had taken large bagof gold from unl
5 his head, With this he was ESCAPING
= when the present narrator awoke an
4 seized him, and received the woun,
a which had compelled him to relinqui,
, his hold. Lights were brought; at
= there, sure enough was the bloody co
$ firmation of all that had been related
| shall not attempt to portray the i
: tense excitement, the wild rage and &C
t sternation, which this daring murder o
o casioned, Every man felt that, if Il
assassin escaped without his Just puns
t ment, there would no longer be securit
e for any one in our hitherto peaceful AZ
Il quiet vaIey,and solemn oaths were take
II to hang the wretch if found, upon Il
nearest tree a large reward was oife
v ed for his detection, and every gambl
e that had ever been seen about there WI
i more or less suspected; and believe tn
4. had any man been arrested on the tC
;, lowing day, he would have been hur
?, first and tried afterward said less tn;
Il any, for | had my own suspicious, and
y contriyed my plot in secret, making
II confident of no one
The murdered young man was as d
e Gently buried rs the surrounding circur
/. stances would permit and then his COZ
II panjon, my superstitious friend, gre
k moody with grief, refused to work |
n 'lead any more, ana proposed sclir
c off his rocker and tools and quitting t
< country altogether. think he wou
d have gone at once, only that told hi
's it would not look well to leave witho
! an effort to discoyert the murderer, as sof
C people might be malicious enough to $
h he knew something of the matter and
M ,rrt him into troubln IIa turnn1 ,a