Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-14
AN ADVENTURE IN TEXAS.
By TEXAS JACK.

BY TEXAS JACK.
At the period when the following in
cident occurred, California and Texas
were infested by bands of desperadoes,
who held the rights Of property and life
in the lightest possible estimation.
L acted as Sheriff in California dur
ing her most lawless period, and had
occasion to bring some bad characters
TO justice. y number of them were
hung and Others escaped unhung,
swearing vengeance. | eventually re-
signed my commission, and then went
into Texas. / had some pretty hard
knocks there, and once came near my
death at the hands of some horse
stealers. AS it was, | did not get off
my bed for six weeks. In the conflict
/ was shot in the thigh, tine bullet
leaving a tearing wound; and | was
stabbed in the right breast. At one
time was given over; but my temper
ate habits told favOrably for me. We
broke up the band, and that was some
sat iSfactiOn.
l had scarcely regained my wonted
VigOr when | met with an adventure
that is worth relating.
had been off to the western part Of
the State ON business, and was return
ing home on horseback, when | reached
stream that was crossed by means Of
q ferry. The boat was on the opposite
side, and by the faint light | distiu-
guished the signal trumpet hanging on
an old oar. This blew, and hearing
the answer OF the ferryman, waited
with lmpatience the moment when |
should see the ferry boat move from the
opposite shore.
shouted at last: "Come, make haste!
I'm behind time nOwn'
Hang your timew was the response,
i'm deep and powerful voice.
| saw that Impotence would make
matters worse, so | held my tongue. AT
last the boat moved out into the stream,
and | could hear the mutteringS of the
ferryman. Ere long the barge grated
on the sand, and after getting my horse
in as best could, followed.
AS seen in the dim light, the couu-
tenance of the ferryman was not very
prepOSseSSing. The nose appeared to
be broken, and one eye gone. Then the
laws were heavy, and a grizzly mus
tache, which he was constantly biting,
lent most determined expression to
the face. He was q thick-set fellow,
and seemed hard customer.
When | stepped into the barge |
noticed that he eyed me rather sharply,
and if the moonlight had been clearer,
| might have seen something in that
eye different from friendship. | VEN
tured one or two Oti.hand remarks, but
received only grunts in answer; so |
gave up the idea of being sociaOle.
Once or twice | turned toward my
su!leu companion, and each time caught
that one deep and penetrating eye fixed
on me. The first time paid no atten-
ton to it; but the second time | was
startled by an expression rs If all the
evil a mortal was capable of was con-
ceutrated in that single orb. sat gazing
into his sinister eye, a. if under the in
fluence Of Serpentine fascination.
Suddenly felt a shudder rs the moon
broke from the clouds and poured light
down upon the ferryman's face.
1t was the face of a certain Dick
Thurder whom / arrested in California,
and whose father was hung for murder
committed under such aggravating cir
cumstanees that we strung him up be-
fore there could be any possibility of
escape. Dick broke out of jail-nOt
difficult performance in those days
and swore to shoot me whenever or
wherever he might chance to meet me.
| was not expecting to meet this des.
perado in just such a place, and under
lust such circumstances, and was taken
entirely off my guard. My opinion was
that he failed to recognize me at first,
thinking, perhaps, that was still act
ing as Sheriff in California; but now he
knew whom he had on board, and thai
he would attempt TO carry out his
threat, had no doubt.
My revolver was in my breast-coat
pocket. A moment under such cir
cumstances is an hour, and | saw that
any plecipitable motion on my part
would draw his fire before | could even
unbOtton my coat, for | well knew that
he had a revolver ready at hand,
either to shoot victim or resist an ar.
rest.
thought it best to show no feeling,
but appear to be perfectly uncOncerned.
SO ntrned my eyes down the river,
and remarked carelessly:
"A fine sight. 'Spose you've been IN
these parts long enough to know all the
hooks and corners"
"Ies- and all the cOntemptiblescoun-
drels that cross here, too"
This was hitting pretty close, but
remained imperturbable.
"Ah! so you nab a few OF EN-, no"
and them"
turned sharply on him, when l said
this, and, rs l did so, managed 10 I'M
button my coat with the lett manu-,
which was on the loft side"
"You Internal neck-puller, dye thinR
to fool me again? I've got ye! lou
know me, and you'll know something
more before you can say yer prayers!
l looked him calmly in the eye. /
quickly resolved to distract MN Ion
his present purpose by engaging MIN OH
other grounds till could operate. =,
"GOu were q coward to Kill a woman,
said |, with voice OF sarcasm.
You should have seen his eye, then!
It seemed fairly bursting from his heau,
and he was now growing blind WIN
fury. ,,r, l., o,,oa.
s'pil show you that L can XIII TWO peo-
plem oo-h o,arrad
with the spirit of murder, and dropping
the rope which was stretche from snore
to shore, and by which he was pulling
the barge, he thrust his hand Wltnlh
his flannel shirt.
sNow seize him. cried /, as If adj
dressing some Que behind him.
Lost in his passion he fell into the
trap, and turned his head for an instant,
as If TO defend himself from one OF my
men. He saw the trick st once, put IL
was too late. My pistol threw on the
CLEAN of the moonlight-a Hash and
Teport, and the body of the ferrymsn
piIched headlong into the river. The
current carried it out of sight, and |
pulled the barge ashore and continued
my journey.