Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-01-22
"HALT, OR I'LL FIRE. y
4 RICHMONDER'S ADVEN-
TIRE IN TEXAS WILDS.
Attacked from Ambush by q
DesperadO--The Hero Fires
and Flees---A Joke.

Texas, said MI, tlitOn manon, oHe vi
the assistant secretaries of the Young
Mems Christian Association, few days
ago. "and / don't think stood the
test"
The speaker is a very clever athlete
and without doubt the finest club-swing-
er in Richmond, but the story he pro-
ceeded TO tell to the crowd around the
fireside shows pretty plainly that even
fellows with strength and muscle are
sometimes capable of getting very mnch
frightened and losing their wits.
OF course all the boys wanted to know
about the adventure in the Lone-Star
State. for in their early days they had
feasted upon such che ce bits of litera-
ture as DeadwoOd Dick and" Broncho
Bill" and had their appetites whetted to
the keenest pitch about everything per
tanning to the land OF the cowboys.
Mr.. Mahon stuck his hands in his
pockets, puffed himself up like rooster
about to crow, and after selecting the
warmest place before the burning Goals,
absorbing all the heat thereof. he opened
his mouth and spake. as Virgil would
say, from the Utmost depths of his
chest"
DERR-HUNTING WITHOUT GUN.
81 was visiting my uncle at Wrights-
borough, Gonzales county, last fall, "
said elf, "and had enjoyed myself i'm
mensely. His ranch is located near
Cotton Wood creek, southeast of San
Antonio. in a section where there are
many Mexicana | spent most of my
time hunting. and was always ready to
90 whenever my cousins John and
Irving proposed it. Moreover, | had
learned to ride a horse, and it would
have taken pretty rocky one to
throw me. One afternoon about 3
o'clock-it was November the 4th q
never shall forget the date)-John and
Irving asked me if l didn't want TO
90 after deer with them. OF course
/ did; so we proceeded TO get
ready. My cousins each took their
Winchester rifles and | wanted TO carry
repeating shotgun, but my Texas rela-
tiyes wouldn't hear to it. They said
their guns were enough for the whole
party, az they would lend them to me
whenever | had need of them. | IcCuldnt
exactly see the good that L would de-
rive from this scheme, but | agreed to IT..
Then they gave me an aged poke OF a
horse known to the country for miles
around as Old Hayes" lie hated like
smoke TO hear a gun or pistol fired, but
with all his faults be had a good many
merits. And so We started out over the
open sweep Of prairie, dotted here and
these with a few mosquito-troes and
had gone many miles without getting q
shot. We saw one deer, but he was too
far away for us 10 get chance at him.
As it was getting late we decided to re-
turn home. The sun was setting behind
the hill and game seemed TO be scarce.
John commenced telling me about big
bank robbery that had been committed
by two masked burglars at Smiley Lake.
about ten miles from our place. lie said
the Sheriff and his posse had tracked the
men to the neighbOrhood OF Wrghts-
borough. where they To- the trail. In
cidentAlly nv cousin sgeaded Pc his
Colts reyolyer--a gigantic slX-shooter,
remarking that possibly / might unex-
pectelly run across deer or something
of the sort, and that IL was best to be
prepared. Then he commenced talking
about the bank robbery again and the
daring burglars, and all that sort OF
thing. until | almost wished L was back
at the house. To make matters worse,
he pulled his rifle to his shoulder as we
were passing a mosquito tree and banged
aloose without II moments warn
ing. Then he turned around and
cody said, 81 missed him." | asked
him what he fired at, and be told me II
was an owl. As a general thing he was q
splendid shot, and | couldn't help won
dering how he came to miss his aim.
FIRED UPON FROM AMBUSH.
We went on and in a few minutes we
got To creek ten or fifteen feet wide.
We had to 20 in Indian file through the
thick bushes, 80 John led the way and
Irving came next, while | brought up
the rear. On reaching the top OF
the other bank | discovered some
deer tracks and told the boys
90 wait n minute, but just then
John pulled his gun from its leather
scabbard hanging on the saddle and
cried in a loud voice, "Who is that? '
! glanced to the right and there saw a
masked man crawling on his hands and
knees with cooked rifle III his hands.
He was "a dcsperate-looking chap. On
his head he wore big sOmbrero and
bandana handkerchief was tied around
his forehead, while he had on II sort OF
overcoat. red sash, and leather leg.
gins. My cousin shouted "Halt, OF
III fire." but instead of obeying the
command the man kept on creeping along
until he reached a tree, when he jumped
behind it and fired. simultaneously the
report of Johns rifle rang out through
the woods, aud then | saw him reel and
fall from his saddle to the ground.
Meanwhile Irving commenced fusll-
lade, while the stranger returned fire
as fast as possible. My hair stood on
ends and cold shiyers ran all over me,
but ierked that old horse pistol out and
banged aloose at the desperado. With
out waiting to see the result OF my effort
| plunged my spurs into "Old hayes
and left. was wild with terror My
one object was to get away from that
place. L beat the horse over the head
with my pistol, hoping to stir him on
ward, and finding this would not speed
him enough, fred the weapon to hasten
him. let go the reins, threw one arm
around my steed's neck, and swinging
my leg around the horn of the saddle
urged the beast onward. With one mao
leap he cleared the creek, plunged wild
IL through the bushes, and darted home
ward at terrific speed. 1t seemed tC
me, though, that he was crawling, for
was crazed with terror. On. on, or
dashed Old Hayes, leaping fences and
plunging through briers like mighty
gust of wind. l would have shot my
own brother had he come in my way
for was blind to all surrounding OBJ
iects.
COULD HARDLY TELL THE STORY.
"Heaven only knows how l managed
to reach the house without having my
eyes torn out by thorns and bushes. but
did. whizzed through the pasture
gate without pausing to close it; and
seeing my uncle, l told him that III:
sons had been killed by a robber. de
was horrifed, and hastily sought al ex
nIanation from me. In vain he tried tC