The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-08-16

very uISL TlSe III Lne ROAD, DuG as 4 had
taken on no additional load at the
tavern, concluded that either my axles
needed looking after, or that old Charley
was feeling tired that morning. At the
foot of the first considerable hill which
we came to, let him stop to take
breath. We were. perhaps. a mile and
a half from the tavern.
had no sooner stopped and put my
foot to the brake than I felt a stir. a
movement, in the cart under me! Al
most at the same moment the little
folding doors at the rear end of my
cart slammed back, and / heard some
thing or some one jump out, or fall out,
into the road! could not see for the
piled-up bales of rags behind me, and
SO climbed up, partly on them. to look
over-when what should | see but the
tall fellow had noticed at the tavern
the previous evening He held re-
volver in his hand and pointed it full in
my face! 4
| could hardly believe my old eyes!
''For massy sake! Who be We, and
what d d'ye want?'' | exclaimed.
"Come now! itwon't t pay to make any
fuss, old man, said he, very coolly.
81 want you, and shall have to ask
you to get down from your seat and
come round here to me"
| There was half smile on his face,
but | knew from the expression in his
steely-blue eyes that he was not in fun.
But my temper was rising. What
right have you to talk to me like that?n
exclaimed. This is my cart, and
this is the public road!''
''If you bother me another moment, :"
said he, with set lips, Il shall be forced
to make it the la@ one of your life, .
and a savage CLEAN shot from his eve.
1 ''Get down instantly and do as ask. y
/ saw that he would shoot me if did
not obey, and angry as I felt, / was not
quite willing to be killed Dropping
the reins over the fender, I got down
and hobbled round to him. If l had
been armed / would have had it out
with the rascal then and there, though
the excitement had set me shaking like
a leaf.
''Take off your coat, your cap and
| your woolen comforter. he said,
''and be good enough to hurry about
it, for moments are precious just now
with me
took them off. Meantime he took
| off his own coat and hat, and handing
them to me. bade me put them on. /
felt obliged to obey him.
''Now get inside the CART was his
next behest. Seeing that, with my
crippled foot, Ishould have some diff
Guilty in doing so, he caught me up as
if had been boy and actually threw
me far in upon the wool.
Now make the least attempt to get
out, or escape. and / shall surely be
forced to shoot you, he said. Think
yourself fortunate that | spare your
life. My own life is at stake.n
Without further parley he shut and
hasped the cart doors upon me. There
was a moments pause, during which,
as presume, he put on my coat and
cap and tied my knit comforter about
his face; then / heard him spring upon
the seat and the cart moved.
But how he drove! / found it diff
cult to keep from being iounced and
shaken to death. Up hill and down, on
we went. If old Charley tagged for
an instant, could hear the lash crack.
My blood boiled with indignation. Once
shouted to him to quit whipping the
horse. - s
Be quiet, sir, he replied. II am
in no mood to be interfered with. -
1t was evident enough that I was in
the hands of a desperate character.
What he was going to do with me or
my property Icould not conceive, but /
felt that my only reasonable course was
to submit and wait for developments.
Judged, from the sounds on the road,
that we met teams occasionally, but I
was not sure, and did not dare to call
out 1855
Hour after hour passed, and still the
poor horse toiled on, sometimes over
rough roads, then on smooth and sandy
ones. f.ele5,
At length old Chsrley seemed ready
to drop from fatigue, but the lash inn
PEELED him forward. 1t was raining; I
could hear the drops patter on the cart
Still on, on, we went, through what
seemed interminable time,
At last my poor, jaded horse stopped
short and refused to move further. /
then heard my captor get off the cart
and let down the horses head. Then
for long time there was silence. 8
After a while the horse reached down
and began to feed beside the ruts. I
now suspected that the fellow had left
the cart and had hurried away on foot;
but | did not dare to attempt to break
from my prison.
Soon after / heard wheels come up
from behind, and Immediately voice,
in unmistakable Irish brogue. bawled
out:
''Tarn out! Is it aslape We are in the
middle of the road?''
Hearing that I burst open the. cart
doors and slid out. 1t was evening,
dark and wet. An Irishman and
Frenchman in wagon were trying to
get past my cart.
what place is this?'' / asked.
''Sure, an it's close inter Coatticook
that ye air. replied the Irishman,
laughing.
6 '.Coatticook, Canada?''
'sThe same, to bef surei Faith, an
the whisky has been TOO much for YOU.
| started old Charley along behind
them; and asked the man to direct me
to tavern if there vyaS ono He kindly