Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-09-23
CARRYING REVOLVERs.
Some Good Advice on a Danger.
GUS and Deadly Weapon.


1t was midnight. l had just gotten
off the late train from the city and was
starting to walk four miles across coun-
try to the village wherein l lived. ]
had been detained in town by business
until the smaller railroad on which /
usually travelled was laid up for the
night, compelling me in order to reach
home to take this roundabout way Of
getting there.
1t was in the summer time and the
country roads were deep with dust
Soon 1 left the gas lamps of the
town behind me and came to the long
and lonesome stretch (where for two
miles there wasn't light or Q house,
which / must pass before reaching my
destination.
Here, also, the sidewalks stopped, so,
of necessity, took the middle of the
road, plodding through the soft and
unusually thick dust.
The sky was black with low lying
olouds-so intensely black that It
couldn't be distinguished from the
earth, and all was as still as death. No
football sounded in that carpet of dust,
not a dog barked, not a frog croaked,
hOb Ill ONA hOOOChB hOl a OICCLC SLAITCus
The awful silence was oppressive and
the more than Egyptian darkness was
horrible.
Beside the spookiness of that silent,
ghostly tramp through the dust and
over strange roads on such hideously
black night there was cause to appre-
bend danger from robbers, for several
persons had lately been waylaid and
attacked In the very spot l was APP
preaching.
I possessed a revolver, but It wasn't
with me, for, not expecting to be de-
tanned, had left it home.
The feeling of security It would have
given might have taken away some Of
my uncomfortable thoughts as / plod-
ded along on my unpleasant journey.
Owing to the darkness and difficulty
Of keeping a path, was In the middle
of the road, and soon reached the
dreariest part of the walk, midway be-
tween the two villages, and q good
mile and over from a human hAbita-
ton.
Suddenly mans gruR voice sounded
not three feet away.
Hello, stranger" it spoke, where
yer going9" Then another voice, too,
close behind me, said: What time Is
it9"
Then both the men, one ct my side
touching me and the other just behind,
walked along with me, for / hadn't
stopped when they spoke.
The inlxy darkness was so utterly IN
tense that not even them shadows
could see, while the soft dust gave NO
sound from their feet.
The silent manner of their waiting
for and joining mo looked bad I GER
tainly should have heard them talking
together before accosting me II they
were bent on no mischief.
OF course was frightened, and more
no because l could not in the pitchy
blackness get the slightest idea OF
their looks
But managed to return their salute
as carelessly and as fearlessly IS
could and then told them to keep
away.
"What forp'' the fellow at my side
asked, brushing against me, don't You
like company"
Keep awayr said I, again, GIVE
got q pistol, and warn your
1--WE got one, too" he laughed, rub
bling up nearer, and the fellow behind
me stepped on my heels.
They seemed slightly the worse for
drink, or, maybe, only pretending, SC
as to get me off my guard.
At any rate they entirely ignored my
warning and stuck even closer than be-
fore, at the same time trying to start g
conversation with me, which ] had nc
humor to encourage.
Being, as ! have mentioned, without
nv pistol, had no choice but u WALL
along In their company, every moment
expecting 20 get blow from the fellow
behind.
When II came-if It didn't knock me
senseless-I intended TO get one hi
back and then run for my Life, Trusting
to escape in the darkness.
But to my most agreeable surprise,
was not molested and soon the light
of nv native town appeared. At tn,
first crossroad my unseen and unasket
for companions said; Good night,
and vanished, and do not know ye
who they were or how they looked
The point Of my story, which looket
like an adventure at first, Is this:
IfIhad not fortunately been with
out my pistol. should certainly hav'
ordered them of to q good and prope
distance. Then the fellows, being tool
ishly familiar and Ahectionately dil
posed by drink, would have done 5ua
what they did or they might have pa
an arm about me TO show their friend
ly feelings or their lack OF tear ut m.
threats.
Then I'd have shot them, or they me
In either case should have been pun
ished severely.
One winter I was spending weel
with brother-in- law.
I slept on the second floor and h
occupied the back parlor on the hrs
floor.
One night was awakened by
woman's shrieks of ''Helpl Murder
TIhevesF' proceeding, as l imagined
from below me in The house.
As quickly as possible ], again wit
no weapon, opened my door to tn
hall (where the light had gone gu
leaving It as black as my midnigl'
walk was) and CROPPED my way dow
the stairs to assist the person i
danger.
AT about the middle of the staircaa
/ ran against man coming up.
We had each other by the Threats
s.==& and after . abort ~