The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-04-16


He had heard that morning that his mother
was lying at the point of death, and that he
must come at once if he desired to see her
again in this world. Accordingly he was
Fastening to the river to catch the first
down steamer. But he had no ready money;
he had taken the horse in payment for his
summers work, because the farmer could
not raise the money on SO short notice, and
reached the river. He would sell him for
half his value; fifty dollars wou buy
"Well, I looked the horse over; I exam
ined him closely, and for aught I could see,
every way. Here is my chance I
thought, to make a bargain that will cause
the old gentleman to open his eyes, So 1
told the fellow I would give him just forty
dollars for the horse, and not a cent more;
and he took me up quicker'n you could say
'scatp But I didn'tt think much about that
Just then; I was only too glad to pay him
the money and call the horse mine.
"The young man started on toward the
and I never saw him again. The farmer,
who had watched the whole transaction,
lived near by; so I got dinner with him,
and also fed my horse, which appeared to
have been hard ridden.
"After linn I mounted n started for
home, jubilant over my great bargain.
However, I rode along quite leisurely, as I
didn't want to reach the river that night
anyway. Everything went well till about
four O'Clock, when, much to my surprise, 1
heard a tremendous clatter of hoofs in the
road behind me. Almost at the same in
slant my horse took fright at a partridge
that flew up at the roadside, and dashed off
down the road at the top of his speed. I
tried my best to stop him, but could not. I
jerked and sawed on him with all my
might, but for all the good it did I might as
well have yanked on the rock of Gibraltar.
However, after running a mile and a
half, my hard-mouthed Pegasus seemed all
at once to change his mind, and stopped
almost as suddenly as he started. l imme-
diately dismounted and led him outside the
track, in order to give TIE horsemen behind
me an un~obstructed passage, as they were
coming up at a break-neck pace, and l
thought it best to let them pass before 1
started on again.
"But they didn't pass! I quickly found
myself surrounded by an excited crowd
of fifteen or twenty mounted men.
They seemed terribly in earnest about
| something, and I soon found out what that
something was.
"tWhat's up?' said I, inquiringly, as the
crowd closed in around me.
"Horse-thieves are up, and likely to go
still higher!" was the significant reply;
manner in which it was uttered that set
my heart to humping like a trip-hammer,
for I saw in a second just how the land lay.
"'What do you mean by that? and that
do you want?' l faltered, though l well
knew what was meant and wha was
wanted, but 1 could think of nothing else
to s saK; do we wanty, echoed the power.
fully built, grim-visaged horseman, who
seemed to be the leader of the crowd.
"'Why, we want you, my fine fellow, and
the horse you have there; we want youreal
| bad, too; we've followed you since' early
this morning, and we're mighty glad to see
you. But what made you stop so sudden
| Just nowp
"sI stopped to let you pass, SIR I ans
wered, truthfully,
"That seemed to anger my surly ques-
TONER at once. Young man. said he, it'll
do you no good to lie about this business.
You can't come any of your sharp lodges
on us! But if you've anything to say for
yourself, now's the time to say it,
Anything to say for myself! What
could 1 say? If l told the truth, they
would not believe it, for the circumstances
with a stolen horse in my possession, and
to all appearance 1 had tried my best to
get away from them. If any further proof
was needed, they would find it in the fact
that in age, size and general appearance 1
closely resembled the actual thief!
I'm vain 1 racked my brain for some ex-
pedient by which I might extricate myself
from the trap into which l had fallen, for
I fully realized the peril of my situation.
Once I thought I would deny my identity,
= " al ooohASo AoAAS SAA AoNS oP WV
best story I could for the occasion. But,
fortunately for me, 1 finally concluded
that, as I had done nothing criminal, 1
would tell a straightforward story and
abide the consequences.
Accordingly l told them my NAME, and
also just when and where and how I got
the horse. That was really what saved
my life, too, though it had no immediate
effect.
ayes; just so, just so,' observed the
spokesman, dryly, when l had finished my
story. And then turning to the crowd OF
sturdy backwoodsmen that surrounded me,
he said:
story. What's your opinion of it?'
TITS a lie! a liev roared the crowd,
".Well, then, what shall we do with
him?' came next.
his neck for him!' These and other excla.
nations of a similar reassuring nature
were the quick and unanimous response.
which that question elected.
81 scanned the stern and resolute face!
of the men around me, but they were colo
and pitiless. 1t was too clear a case. There
wasn't q shadow of doubt about my guilt
as they viewed the matter, and knew they
meant exactly what they said. These men
you must remember, were not desperadoes
but honest, hard-working farmers; and, al
a rule, peaceable and law-abiding citizens
, But they had suffered often in this way be
fore; and just as often as the law had failet
to protect their property, just so often hat
: it failed to punish the thieves who robbed
| them.
"This time, however, they were sure Of
! their man-as they thought-and had de
| termined to tax the law into their owl
hands. But I had hardly a minute to thinl
) before the spokesman addressed me again
"sYoung man. said he, you've heart
our decision. If you have any prepare
ton to make, be about it, for you have onl,
; ten minutes to liven and he took out hi
l watch and noted the time.
"What did / do? l didn't do anythin,
l only think. What else could l do? If yol
3 want to know how I felt, I can't tell you
, If you lave never stood face to face witt
1 the grim monster, as l did then, you cam
3 imagine it, either. l tell you, l lave beef
( in some tight places, and had more thai
one close call since then, but never any
, thing that took the s%tiffening so completed,
out of me as that did.
81 was limp as a rag. You may thin
9 what you Please-cal me cowardly an
unmanly, if you will-but l was thoroughly
frightened. I opened my mouth an trie,
t to speak, but the words died in nv (. -oat
r I grew sick and dizzy, and l solemniy be
t Heve l should IA tainted dead away be
/? fore the ten minutes were up, if there ha'
y not appeared upon the scene. in the mean
: time, an unexpected deliverer.
H was a rough-looking old fellow, bu
/ could easily overlook that in considera
ton of the service he rendered me. H
8 lived near by, and. as l afterwards learned
q was well acquainted with most of NJ,
s wouri-be executioners. Joining the crow
Q just In time to hear me tell my name an,
my story, 10 had, up to this time, RENAME