The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-02-06

log 70 keep guard over me.
Going 70 gather q crowd before they do
their hanging l said TO myself Well
that's better than / expected.
You sea l had feared that they would do
their fendish work at once after they lad
/ held their meeting behind the wagon, and
hoped now to have = chance to show them
the trick OF the irons and other perform
snces.
L breatned a little freer when / saw the
/ three ride of, and as soon as they were out
OF sight. l commenced talking to my guards
/ They weren't inclined 10 say much at first,
though | talked on all sorts Of subjects in
fact. l tried To get into an argument with
them, and not succeeding 10 that. 1 told
them stories but they sat there without
opening their lips, aud grIoned, and watched
me suspiciously.
Finally began to bOast extravagEntly.
telling them what had done and could do
in the way Of tricks and feats of strength
At this one OF them became indignant and
declared with an oath that 1 lied when I
said that l could lift the log they were sit
ting on and hold it at arms length above my
head.
Ill wager you hundred dollars in green
4 I 4 LUHn0
IRONS L said.
They looked at each other and then.
laughed.
Show up your papers, said one Of them
with slow grin.
They are in my breast pocket. said 1.
RlaDcing down. and I'll tell you what I'll
do; I'll wager you a hundred dollars against
twenty five that both OF you can't lift that
log above your head and hold Il At arms
length
Wed accept yer bet il we had the money
with us, stranger said one OF them, a
young, square shouldered fellow, who was
always laughing. and seemed rather good
natured
Well, III wager 1t against your weapons,
1 said in breath.
You're pretty wide awake, stranger
said the good-natured one don't you know
ye ain't got three hours to live p
That don't make any difference, ssidI:
i must have something to take up my mind,
and this will do as we'll as anything know
Of
with that the old fellow nudped the
young one with bis elbow, and whispered
something to him. bis companion listened
and his eyes sparkled.
1 watched them almost brestblesslv-
They talked for a moment OF two in tones
too low for me to hear, and the Young fellow
turned to me-
Stranger said be, will We give us vsr
oath not to tell the boys ef we takes YER Set
and wins yer money? Wen be SQUARE.
though, and tell ye that ef ye wins the pis-
tolls, ye won't git 'em now, but we'll send
'em ter anywhares you says
That is fair said l, and reasonable, and
if win, you are to send the money and pis-
to my brother, r. Il. Aacqaie, 75s Dash
street, ST. Louis
We'll, you will hardly believe it, but
those fellows exchanged solemn oaths with
me that they would do what they said.
They then pulled out my pocketbook,
took out the one hundred dollars-all 1 ha5
laid them on the ground, laid their pistols
and belts on top OF them, and then took
told Of the log
They raised it somewhat. It made them
stagger from its great weight, for a minute.
but they gripped il with tremendous
strength, and finally worked It on top of
their heads where they steadied it with their
hands, for breath. Then they turned their
eyes up and began 10 Tsise it. so as to hoI6
It at arms length. Ii took them a few sec.
onds TO accomplish this, but they did 1t held
it theIe q moment and then dropped it ana
turned to claim the wager
But they found themselves looking into
the muzzles Of their own pistols, with ne
sta ndinR behind them.
IL il had not been so serious a situation
for me, conld almost have laughed at the
expression of their faces. They turned
white, their eyes bulged out and their laws
actually dropped. There they stood with
their mouths open, not able to speak a word.
they were so surprised and terrified
Gentlemen said. as quietly and steadi-
ly as my nerves wonld allow, it isn't neces-
sary for you to sag q word. Do as l tell you.
Sit down on the ground. side by side, and
stretch out your legs They did as told
them as meekly as lambs.
Then 1 kicked the irons that I'd lust
sprung of from my ankles in front of the
young fellow. He was the one who had put
them on me, and be h.d the key.
Put those ankle irons on your msts, and
lock them said 1. He did 1t without mo
ment's hesitation.
Now put the handouts on hun, said In
q more commanding way, to the other, for
he was a different kind Of q man. he
reached out and took them and did ss be
was told.
Il then put the pistols in my belt, backed
up the wagon and got one OF my trick ropes
and then went around behind the older man
and pulled bis hands back Of him and tied
them as securely as knew how then cut
the rope and tied the young fellows feet
and then, fearing they might find the secret
springs, tied each Of them where they we're
ironed.
They did not say word during all this
time but sat there glum and angry. took
their best horse and united him as quickly
as L could, for 1 knew that time was pre-
cious, and after picking up nv mo ney. Just
as was jumping into the saddle, 1 said:
'GentlemeD, 1 shall have to take this
horse, but shall leave my own horse and
wagon and other property that will more
than pay for him, and settle the wager be
/ sides.
! 'An right gIovled the young fellow
/ Better be gitten', though IL was evident
4 that the men were inclided to respect the
pluck / bad shoWn-snd this respect for
| courage have seen manifested many times
/ among the Toughs Of the frontier.
We'll. did git l kept to the trail and
the same direction had been going, and
rode like Jehu al night long, for 1 knew
we'll should be hotly pursued.
The next morning I cane down out Of the
mountains and put up at q little town in The
valley; aud am happy 10 say did not see