Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-10-19
LUCK WAS WITHBOTH
A HOG SELLERS PLUCKY BLUFF AND
ITS SINGULAR SEQUEL.

We had finished our game of whist on
the train when one Of the players, red
headed man, said: "Your speaking OF
narrow escapes reminds me of one had
years ago in the Sierras. Buckeye
House." he continued, sis public tav-
trn amid the me lntains of southern
Plumas county and is a lonely spot,
being surrounded by dense forests OF
spruce and pine. On the night OF June
4, 49,, 1 stopped there and was told by
fhe proprietor that Il highway robbery
had been committed in the vicinity dur
ing the preceding day. This made me
exceedingly uneasy, for I was carrying
81, 800 in greenbacks into the mountains
to invest in quartz mine. The money
was wrapped up in my horse blankets
and slowed away under the seat OF the
buggy, while I had about 500 in gold
and silver in my pockets.
Shortly after leaving Buckeye the
road ascends deep declivlty and then
crosses a narrow, rocky, brush covered
plateau. Three miles farther on passed
Palmetto ranch, an abandoned stopping
place. where | again entered the dense
forest that grew close to the highway.
Iexamined my revolver carefully, placed
fresh caps on it and laid it on the seat
beside me ready for instant use. Moth
inc occurred until | reached French
mans hill, when as was climbing one
of the steepest parts l was suddenly
stopped-so suddenly, in fact, that had
no chance to defend myself. A man
sprang into the road and caught my
horses by the brides, while a second
robber appeared from behind a tree,
holding in his hands shotgun at full
cock. The man with the gun was tall
fellow with a squint eye and a red
mustache, while the other man was short
and stout.
Throw up your handsn cried the
souint eyed man in harsh voice. l
glanced at the muzzle of the gun and
then at the revolver on my seat. up
with Your hands, or I'll give it to you!
and the look on the robbers face lndl-
Gated that he meant what he said, so L
reluctantly gave up all my ideas of de-
Tense and slowly and mechanically raised
my hands above my head, at the same
time cursing my i'll luck, for robbery at
that time meant ruin to me. Cit out
and keep your hands up cried the tall
man, till jim takes yer money and yer
popgun.' got out and walked to the
head of the horses as commanded and
the short robber deity examined my
pockets and took what gold and silver |
had, saying as he ratified the coins, 1t
pays to drive hogs.
Hogs" exclaimed. What do you
mean by hogs?
"'Oh, that's all right. He told US you
were coming, and we laid in the brush
for YOU was the response.
q glanced up at that second and saw
q murderous look on the squint eyed
mans face, while his finger was on the
trigger of the gun. As | was standing
close to the small robber, the weapon,
of course. covered us both. gave an
involuntary start, which caused the short
man to lookup. His face blanched white
as he exclaimed, Take care there or you
will shoot us both at the same time
stepping back so as to bring my horse
between himself and hisCompanlon gun.
81 involuntarily followed his example,
when the short man said in Il low tone,
Il believe that rascal meant to kill us
both. Now he continued in a loud
voice, at the same time taking my pistol
from the seat, you pile right inland be Oft.
Il had supposed, of course, that they
would search my buggy, and now that l
was about to escape with my precious
preenbacks my heart beat furlously and
the blood rushed to my face as though l
had Just undergone great exertion. L
hastily obeyed the injunctions of the
robbers to drive on and keep a-going,
and as soon as was out OF gunshot L
whipped up and drove at full speed until
| overlook little old man, shabbily
dressed, driving a lot of fat hogs with
the aid of a small dog.
1.-THE old man looked at me with some
establishment as drove rapidly up and
cried, Say, did some fellers stopper back
thar
YES was my reply. Did they rob
your
1.-THE old man laughed and slapped
his leg and then laughed again ere he
replied. Kinder curious how it turned
out he said, but hanged if | knew any
one was a-comin in two boss buggy
"'What do you mean? asked, for |
saw nothing funny in the whole matter.
"'Why, you see, them fellows stepped
out in theroad, rightin front of my hogs,
and cried for me to stop. This scared
the hogs, and they broke out in the brush.
pretended not to understand what they
meant, and sending Boze out on one side
took the other, at the same time a-cuss-
ing them chaps right lively for soaring
my hogs. When l got 'em all back again,
turned around and said, Now, what
do you want!'
Money cried the tall fellow. All
you've got -,
Money! and l roared so you could
have heard me half way back to Buck
eve. You don't reckon that a chap as
has got to go afoot and drive hogs for a
living has any money? If you want that,
just stop the boss, who is coming along
in a two boss buggy, and you will get
some
"'Get right on then said the tall
chap, and we'll lay for the boss
"'And they got you? continued the
hog drover. I hope you did not lose
| much
ga hundred dollars said I, but
got off lucky at that
$50 did l. said the old drover, with
grin, for sold part of my hogs on the
road and had the money with me. j
was case of sheer bluff on my part.
And of luck upon mine answered
1T was a narrow escape for both of u.s.
San Francisco Call.
German papers tell 0f aqueermeth
cd of judicial procedure in parts o
| tba kin yJotn Of Siam | n he DSpDc(