Sharp County record., 1888-11-22

one who was to shoot to kill. As he
said, it wasn't my fuss, but it wasn't
human nature to leave him to fight a
mob alone. When all had been ar
ranged he went in tO'supper, and after
the meal a dOuble-barreled shotgun
was got down and loaded for the wife,
The husband had his army musket,
which he loaded with buCkshot, and |
had my revolver as weapon. As we
finished our preparations and sat down
on the door step the wife carelessly
inquired of her husband!
"Gwine to shoot to kill, John?"
"Reckon | orter," he replied.
"Andcme?"
"That's according. Mebbe you'll
have to-
"And the stranger?"
"Oh, he'll fire high"
"Pap, can't | sh oOtP" asked the eld-
est, girl of ten.
"Shet, Tillym
The children went off into a corner
and rejoiced that there was going to
be "a fOut," but by and by grew
sleepy and went off to bed. Up to ten
o'clock we talked of every thing but
the coming event. At that hour Hun
gerford said:
"Reckon it's time. They'll be here
by 'leven if at all"
The wife tied shawl over her head,
picked up and examined the gun, and
walked off to her station with never
a word. Iwent over to the shed, took
the place picked out for me, and five
minutes later all was darkness and
silence. 1t was just about eleven that
| heard the low hum of voices and the
footballs of men, and ten minutes
later four or five of the gang of twenty
came directly up to the shed and
leaned against it as they inspected the
house.
"All sound asleep" whispered one.
"We are dead shore of him." added
a second.
There's to be no let up, boys!' eau
toned a third. "We must switch him
till he gives in. We've had enough
fooling."
What of the wife?" whispered the
first.
'Blast her! She's as bad as he is!
Let's give her taste of the CAD, too"
agreed"
One of them went away to call up
the crowd and in a few minutes all
were assembled. Then l CLEANED from
the whispers that John Hungerford
was to be whipped to DEATH and that
his wife was to receive less merciful
treatment. They even planned to fire
the house, and wipe out the whole
family, root and branch. At a signal
all advanced, and five or six men
jumped against the door. 1t was
barred. Then voice called
open, John Hungerford! We've
come fos.re- and W. Fayc!d to have
ye!g--3 s,.---P-
The words were answered by a shot
from the house, and then the shotgun
roared from the smoke-house. |
elevated the muzzle of my revolver
and fired six shots over the confused
and flying crowd, and next moment
all who could get away were gone.
Hungerford came out with lantern,
and by its light we saw two dead men
and three wounded. The wife had also
shot to kill. One of the wounded was
past speaking. The other two, who
were strangers to the family and be-
longed in a distant village, begged for
mercy and promised all sorts of re-
formation il the future.
In the morning, as was ready to
90 on, there were three dead outside
the door and the two wounded were
groaning with pain The nearest doc
tor was five miles away, and | was to
stop and leave word for him. As | left
the house Mrs. Hungerford said:
"Thankee, stranger, and we won't
forget it."
And the husband said:
ut wasn't your fuss, of course, but
what a shame to have wasted all them
bullets! Goodbye and God bless yew
M Quad, IN Detroit Free Press.
Custom-House lnspectresses.
Passing the Sub-Treasury recently |
noticed near the entrance a number Of