The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-01-27
IN HIS PASSENGERS MuFF.
There He Saw a CLEAN of Steel that Pu
Him on His Gnard.

A party of well-known oil men, who
have followed the producing business
from it's infancy and have worked in
its different branches. from dipping
oil to running several sets of tools as
contractors, were at the Union Depot
waiting for the train on their
way to the Mcdonald field last
Sunday, when the talk drifted to old
times and narrow escapes they had
seen and personal "reminiscences. One
of the party, who had quietly listened
to the talk, puffed nervously at his
toby and remarked:
Talk about scares. boys. did l ever
tell you of the scare l had in the '70s,
when / was running the tools in the
Millerstown field? You know the
time that young fellow who came up
from Butler and started a pop factory
in Millerstown, and after making a
collection in Butler of over $500 was
waylaid on the road. shot through the
head, and his body found in the woods,
where it had been dragged by the
murderer, with the pockets of the
clothing rifled and no clue to the
| thief 1t was short time after-in
the winter. There had been heavy
snow and the sleighing was splendid.
| and l had four-year-old colt that cost
me $3.50 when it was year old, and
that did not take dust from anything
| that travelled the middle oil field. The
man was drilling for was sick, and
sent me word to come to Butler and
he would pay me for work done on his
| four wells that month. | drove over
bright and early, and got check for
| 81, 100. I met several friends and, be-
ing in no special hurry, drove around
town until nearly time for the bank to
close. As got the cash turned and
saw man eying the money so greedi-
ly that an involuntary shiver of fear
passed over me. I forgot the incident
and monkeyed around in the town
until nearly 10 o'clock that night, when
| started for home.
Half way home was the piece of
dark woods in which the body of the
young pop maker had been found. AS
| looked at the side of the road
shivered with apprehension in spite OF
the Dutch courage l had absorbed that
evening, as l saw some one trudging
along in the road ahead of me, but felt
relieved when / saw it was a woman.
The woman stopped and in a hoarse
voice explained that her daughter, who
lived up the road, had been taken sud-
denly sick and she was on her way to
visit her. and asked fer lift. Glad to
have company, 1 helped her into the
sleigh, and offered to take her muff,
but she kept it in the other hand.
Jolting over a rough piece Of road she
pulled one hand out of the mutf and
my heart grew cold with fear.
caught the glitter of steel as the moon
shone through an open place in the
woods.
with a presence of mind that
wonder at to this day | cut the horst
savagely with the whip and dropped il
the woman that the horse could not be
held by any one but myself, l begged
her to get out and pick up my whip
She carefully deposited her muff ir
the bottom of the sleigh and sprang
out. As soon as she struck the grounC
l shouted to the colt. who unused tc
the whip and spirited, went like sho
from gun. As he started l heard al
,, unmistakable masculine oath behind
me, and, expecting a bullet in the
back every minute, l crouched ovel
in the sleigh. The ride was the long
est I ever had before and since unit
jangles of the bells brought my wife tt
the door. put the horse up, and as
took out the blankets [ picked up TIL
mutf and carried it into the house
Inside was revolver of large calibre
with all six of its chambers fully load
ed. stayed awake all that night, ant
in the morning paid off my mes."-
oil City Derrick.