The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-09-24
CARRYING REVOLVERS.
Some Good Advice on Danger
GUS and Deadly Weapon.
The Man Who Carries Loaded shooting
Iron II Menace to Himself and
friends-IseIy on Muscle and

1ne Mah VINO Varies y Loaded shooting
Iron II Menace to Himself and
Friends-Rely on Muscle and
stout stick.
IT was midnight. | had inst gotter
off the late train from the city and wa.
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 We're deep with dust.
Soon | left the gas lamps of the
town behind me and came to the long
and lonesome stretch twherc for two
miles there wasn't a light or house)
which | must pass before reaching my
destination.
Here. also, the sidewalks stopped. so,
of necess ty. took the middle of the
road, plodding through the soft and
unusually thick dust.
The sky was black with low lying
clouds--so intensely black that il
earth, and all was as still as death No
football sounded in that carpet of dust,
not a dog barkea, not frog croaked,
not an owl hooted. not IA breeze stirred.
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-
hend danger from robbers. for several
p ,rsOns had lately been waylaid and
attacked in the very spot | was APP
preaching
possessed revolver but it wasn't
wi h 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 a good
mile and over from a human habita.
ton.
Suddenly mans gruff voice sounded
not three feet away.
Hello stranger" it spoke, where
yer goingo" Then another voice. too,
close behind me, said: What time is
it?r
Then both the men. one at my side
touching me and the other just behind,
walked along with me. for l hadn't
stopped when they spoke.
The inky darkness was SO utterly in
tense that not even the r shadows
could see, while the soft dust gave no
sound from their feet.
The silent manner of their waiting
for and joining me looked bad. | GER
tainly should have heard them talking
together before acco,ting me if they
were bent on no mischief.
Of course | was frightened, and more
so because l could not in the pitchy
blackness get the slightest idea of
their Looks.
But managed to return their salute
rs carelessly and as fearlessly as
could and then told them to keep
away.
What for?" the fellow at my side
asked, brushing against me, don't you
like company
Keep away said /, again, ''I've
got pistol, and ] warn your
i've got one. too" he laughed. rub
bing up nearer, and the fellow behind
me stepped on my heels.
They seemed slightly the worse for
dunk, or, maybe, only pretending. SO
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 a
conversation with me, which / had no
humor to encourage.
Being, as ] have mentioned, without
my pistol. had no choice but to walk
aong in their company, every moment
expecting to get blow from the fellow
behind.
When it came-if it didn't knock me
senseless-I intended to get one hit
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 lights
of my native town appeared. At the
first crossroad my unseen and unasked
for companions said: Good night,
and vanished. and do not know We,
who they were or how they looked.
The point of my story, which looked
like an adventure at first, is this:
If had not fortunately been with
out my pistol, should certainly have
ordered them off to good and proper
distance. Then the fellows, being fool
ishly familiar and affectionately dis
posed by drink, would have done just
what they did or they might have pu
All arm about me to show their friend
ly feelings or their lack of fear at my
threats.
Then I'd have shot them, or they me
In either case should have been pun
ished severely.
One winter l was spending weel
with brother-in- law.
slept on the second floor and h
occupied the back parlor on the frs
floor
One night / was awakened by ;
woman's shrieks of Help! Murder
Thieves" proceeding. as l imagined
from below me in the house.
As Quickly IS possible l. again will