Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1885-09-19

apack made up ofnapKlnS ana musHnS
and corduroy breeches ever become
alive?" However, he followed her in
to the house, and lifted the candle out
of the jug; never stopping till he laid
his hand on the pack. He felt the
boards that surrounded its edges to
prevent thegoods from beingrumpled,
the cords that bound it, and the can
vass in which it was wrapped. "Ihe
pack is we'll enough" he said finally.
'It is just like other packs. i see
nought that ails it, and good large
pack it il. 1t will have cost the hon.
est man three hundred pounds if the
goods are fine. But he will make it
up, Alice, by cheating fools like you
with gewgaws."
Alice felt some disappointment at
seeing Richard unconvinced, and per-
sisted that all was not right
about the pack. She believed
there were stolen goods in it,. at
any rate, and she had no wish to sleep
i'm the house with it. Next came IN
Edward, the lad of sixteen, who aided
Richard in his work about the place.
He was at this time often engaged IN
shooting crows and other birds, and
had bought a huge old military gun
with which he thundered away at
them, and this very moment he had
seen a flock of birds feeding at his corn
rick and had come in to get his gun.
When Edward heard the talk about
the pack he pricked up his ears atten'
lively. "Faik, Alice" said he, laugh.
ing, "if it's a live pack perhaps I'd bet.
ter shoot it." "Hold your tongue, you
fool, ;" said Richard. But Edwarn, tax.
ing the candle in his turn, declared he'd
have look at the pack, at any rate.
Gliding down the passage he edged up
to the parlor door and gazed within.
Presently he came back with very
different look from which he took
away.
"As sure as death l saw it stirring"
he whispered, "and whatever be in
there Tll shoot it." In vain the 9TH
ers attempted to dissuade him. Car
rying his gun in one hand and the can
die in the other he FASTENED down the
hall. Without hesitating moment
he fired. Great heavens, The blood
gushed out upon the floor like tor
rent, and a hideous roar, followed by
a groan of death, issued from thepack
Dropping the gun, Edward ran into
the kitchen like one distracted, and out
at the open door, taking to the hills
like a wild roe in his flight. Alice fol
lowed as fast as she could; and ole
Richard, after standing for time in
state of petrefaction, went into tn,
parlor. The pack had thrown te
the floor, which flowed with blood
The cries and groans had ceased, anc
only O. kind of gutteral noise wa:
heard within. The old man, gettlni
down upon his knees, unloosed th'
cords and discovered the body OF
stalwart man, from which life had for
ever fled.
"Alas! Alas!" said old Richard, tear
running down his cheeks. 81 wish h
had lived to repent ofthe bad cause tina
brought him here.
By this time Edward and Alice, witt
had gone off with the wild idea ofsum
moning some one to their aid, returne'
: in sad distress. Having found no on
near, they could no longer leave Rich
ard to his melancholy fate. Togethe
they took the corpse from its confint
ment. The way in which it was packe
: was curious and artful. His knee
were brought up toward his breast
and his feet and legs were stuffed in
wooden box, another wooden box,
D size larger, but without a bot
, tom, made up the vacancy betwiS
his face and his knees, and, ther
being only one fold of canvas aroun
this, he breathed with perfect ease.
was the heaving OF his breast whic
had alarmed the servants. His rigf
E arm was within the box, and to h
. hand was tied a cutlass, with whic
( he could rip himself out of his confin
e ment at once. On his person wei
!, tour loaded pistols and a asilver whistl
In an hours time they had the hou'
9 well equipped with armed men, an
: when the robbers, who had thougl
D to establish their confederate with
e i'm safety, arrived about midnlgh
! they were repuIsed with unexpectt
K FURY. several OF their number beil
e killed or wounded and their bodl
e carried away in the retreat OF the OF
:, ers. The body of the robber IN Il
/ pack was buried, and it was said th'
his grave was opened and the corp
e taken secretly away. No clue to 4
;, perpetrators of this base and bold
e tempt at burglary was ever found.