The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-12
COUNTED THE MINuTEs.
Two Travellers in Tennessee Who Suf-
fered Agonies Of Fear,


From the NelO York Sun.
A crowd of ten had been sitting in the
Hoffman house barroom all the evening
telling stories. This stranger with broad
brImmed hat had been admitted to the cir
Gle early in the night, and had listened at
tsntively, but had not talked. 1t was near
midnight when one OF the circle demanded
Q story from him.
Really, gentlemen" said the stranger,
"pm not much of a story teller, but | can
tell you of an experience had. lb was the
time came nearest to being scared 60 death.
My friend George Wood aud | had been out
in the mountains in Tennessee prospecting
for coal mines all day. and it was coming
on toward dusk. We hadn't seen a living
soul OF habltation OF any kind in the whole
journey till we came TO this hut. A white
haired old darby sat by the door hummlng
q salvation hymn. An old woman evidently
his wife, was fixing hoe cakes, aud the
smell that came from her kitchen was most
delightful. We hailed the old man, and he
babe us welcome. The old woman came
out and greeted US as only the old memmies
can, and then she hustled around and In
creased the supply of hoe cakes.
''It was dark when supper was ready, and
then there came an addition Co the family
in the shape of the most viilainous looking
colored man that ever saw in my HE. he
looked the brute if ever a man looked ~.
He was fully 6 feet inches in hight, with
coarse features, coarser tongue anu a
surly manner. We felt instineaveIy the
moment we laid eyes on him that he was
probably the wickedest man in the whole
mountain region, and IL made US reel IN
comfortable, especially as we had arranged
60 spend the uight at the cabin. The aged
couple had assured US that the next house
was ten miles away, beyond a little mount
mass hord Tn fra val avar at NIGHT
t'The big brute of negro had a rifle,
which, as he came In. he flung down by the
hearth, making some savage exclamation
as he did 80. We realized that we were IN
for it, as it was Impossible for us to reach
the next house in the darkness, strangers
that we WERE We were hungry, but some
how we couldn't eat. The fellow all the time
Rlared at US out of the corners Of his eyes,
We were glad enough when the meal was
over. We all sat around the big open fire
for awhile, and then the old couple went to
bed, leaving US alone with the big negro.
He had never word to say to US, but every
time we looked at him we could see that he
was watching our every movement, and he
had his foot on the rifle, which lay by the
hearth. George and /, of course, had re-
volvers, and, after whispered consulta-
tion, we decided that the only thing to do
was to go TO bed with these weapons held in
our hands under the bed clothes, cooked aud
EeAuy AOT usSs huu We aEEeSu bAdb bb tu6
first sign Of an attack we would shoot.
1T was about 10 O'Clock when we lay
down. We had hoped that this fellow
woud go off to bed himself. But he still
sat by the fire, and showed no sigus of NOV
ing. We we're in no condition to sleep. and
Didn't sleep. I'm not often afraid Of q man,
but here Che continued suspense was fear
full. felt that every individual hair on my
head was standing straight up, and was very
rapidly turning gray. lreacned my hand
softly over and touched the fingers OF
George. They were as cold as ice. He re-
sponded to the touch with q squeeZs. L
knew he was as bad of as l was.
HALF an hour passed. 1t seemed an age.
felt that l couldn't stand the thing much
longer. was getting weak. My head was
partly buried in the pillow, but with one
eye half opened l could see the figure of the
savage watcher aud caught his furitive
Chances toward me. Finally decided to
draw him on. I was certain he meant muir
der, but anything, thought, TO get the
thing over. began breathing heavily, as
man does in a sound sleep. One-two-
three-fve minutes passed. All the while
the eyes of that villainous wretch were
glued on me. wanted to jump up and
make run for it, but 1 dared not. Six
seven-eight minutes, and then apparently
the fellow was satisfied there was no sham
ming. Slowly he reached down and got his
rife.
"'Now, I thought, comes the end and l
clutched my pistol SO hard that there was
danger that it would explode.
Rifle in hand, the fellow crept up to Us.
The dull light of the IRE threw q CHASTITY
glare on his brutal face. Whether or not
it was my imagination, I do not know, but
his eyes looked shining red. Sroop-
shouldered and almost creeping as he was,
he seemed to me like a great wild beast
crouching for spring. l would have given
all that possessed or all that | ever ex-
pee ed to possess had been out of there.
was pgralyzed. could not have moved
the hand that held the revolver had l tried.
was positively helpless. felt that death
was not a minute away.
Now he was by the bedside. leaning over
and listening l broke out in cold perspi-
ration. A moments inspection and he
strengthened up and began moving noise
lessly toward the door, near which there
was another bed.
He is going to lock the door and then
shoot u.s. | thought.
You've heard tell of all the scenes of a
mans life passing before his eyes when he
Is drowning. Well. believe every SIN /
ever committed, and some l had never
committed, passed before my eyes then.
Just moment, l thought, and he will kill
me- and just the moment that this thought
was uppermosa in my mind the savage, the
great brute with the coarse aud horrible
features and the murderous manner,
cropped on his knees besides that other bed
ana buried his face 10 his hands, and heard
the words:
Now l lay me down to sleep
l pray the Lord my soul to keep.
:" But my partner and had been scared
nlNO ~ 49, 81