Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-05
4 ssorx Teller saueIched.

"I know" the northern member would occasionally say, ''that> people would be
 slow to believe some of the things I have
 been telling about my experiences in the war, but they are all true to the letter."
 "I don't doubt for moment" said the western man, who wasn't in the WAT. "And now just let me tell you little maritime story-true beyond a doubt and not in the least fishy, though I will confess it is 30 old that it has burrs on it. A crowd of men were commenced to relate an experience of his own It ran like this: I was on ship ten years ago which was wrecked in mid~ ocean. Many of the passengers did not succeed in getting into the life boats and some of us had to jump into the water. ! sank twice and then managed to catch hold of piece ot timber just big enough to SUD- port me. Recovering my breath congratu- ! lated myself on having support enough to possibly keep me afoat until I could be picked up by some passing vessel. Suddenly I felt one end of my timber go down, and ! turning my head, discovered that another man had grabbed hold of my lumber. In 8 | moment or two we were about to sink. | urged him to be careful, but he would not heed me. We drifted along for some min- | utes, when I made up my mind that one or | the other of us would have to go down. for | with such pressure it was only 8 matter of time when we would both lose our piece of timber. finally edged my way up to | the man and choking him, made him release his grip. He fell of, and suppose drowned l for padded away and saw him no more | It was 8 cruel thing to do, but self -preserva- i tion being the first law of nature, I looked | out for No. 1. You may not believe this, but, \ gentlemen, it is the truth
 "Then," the western congressman went l on to relate. "a big man, with bushy beard and feroe-looking eyebrows, arose from g l corner, and said Alas for you, it was | true. I was the man you pushed that awful 1 day from the piece of timber. Hal hal you l thought you had drowned me; but live tc | face the man who treated me so. Kind | fortune, when 1 arose from beneath the I angry waves, sent along another piece oi | timber, and though bruised by you I had strength enough left to cling like an oyster to | my timber, and in few hours I was rescued by passing ship. For nearly ten long years
 I haue been hunting for you sir, and you shall | die. I will give you five minutes to prepare I for death-more than you would give me in mid-ocean.'
 The crowd disposed to interfere, but the | big man with the bushy beard drew two pis- l tols, and yelled out: Stand back, every bodyi' and with one of the death-dealine weapons he covered the party who had
 narrated the ocean experience. The latter
 pleaded for mercy, and eventually the big man with the bushy beard, said T will spare your life only on on one condition
 [" Name itp gasped the frightened man l ' fThat you will confess to this crown that
 no such thing as you have related ever oo cured, and that you have simply been telling
 whopping lie thinking that these people l would believe you.'
 GAS quick as a flash the man admitted that he had simply been romaneing. He was for given, but not until after he had treated the house."