Year: 1873

Acold winters night several years ago,
found stage load of passengers gath
cred together around the warm fiie of
tavern bar-room in New England
village. Shortly after we arrived, q
peddlar drove up and ordered that his
horse should be stabbed for the night.
After we had eaten supper we repaired
to the bar-room, where conversation
flowed freely. Several anecdotes had
bocn related, and finally the peddlar
was called upon to give us story, as
men of his profession arc generally full
of adventures and anecdotes. He was
short, thick-set man, somewhere about
forty years of age, and gave evidence OF
great physical strength. He gave his
name rs Lemuel Vinney. and his home
was i'll Dover, N. Y.


"Well, gentlemen" he commenced,
knocking the ashes from his pipe and
putting it into his pocket, "suppose I
tell you about the last thing of any con-
sequence that happened to me. You
sec 1 am now right from the West, and
am on my way home for winter quarters.


1t was during the early part of last
Spring, one pleasant evening, that l
pulled up in front of the door Of small
village tavern in Hancock county, Indi-
ana. said it was. pleasant meant
warm. went in and called for sup
per, and had my horse taken care of.
After 1 had eaten I sat down in the bar
room. 1t began to rain about eight o.
clock, and it was very dark out of doors.


"Now l wanted to be in jackson
next morning, for I expected load of
goods there for me, which I intended
to dispose of on my way home. The
moon would rise about midnight, and
l knew if it did not rain 1 could get
along through the mud after that. So
L asked the landlord if he would sec
that my horse was fed about midnight,
as wished to be off about two. He
expressed some surprise at this, and
asked me why did not stop for break
fast. l told him I had sold my last
load about out, and that new lot of
goods was waiting for me at jackson,
and 1 wanted to get there before the
express agent left in the morning.


"There were a number of persons
sitting round while I told this, but
took little notice of them. Only one
arrested my attention. I had seen no.
tees that week for the detection of a
notorious robber. The bills gave de-
scription of his person, and the man be-
fore me answered very we'll to it. He
was tall, wcll-formed man, rather
slight framed, and had the appearance
of gentlemen, save that his face bore
those hard, cruel marks which an OBJ
serving man cannot mistake for but the
index of a villainous disposition.


"When I went to my bed-chamber
I asked the landlord who that man was,
describing the individual. He said that
he did not know him, he had como that
afternoon and intended to leave next
day. The host asked me why 1 wished
to know, and if I was acquainted with
him.


81 resolved not to let the landlord
into the secret, but to hurry on to Jack
son, and there give information to the
Sheriff, and perhaps he might reach the
inn before the villain left, for I had no
doubt of his identity.


81 had IN alarm watch, and having
set it to give the alarm at one o'clock,
I went to sleep. I was aroused at the
proper time, and dressed myself.
When 1 reached the yard I found the
clouds passed away, and the moon was
shining brightly. The hostler was cas-
lily aroused, and by two o'clock 1 was
on the road. The mud was deep, and
my horse could not travel very fast.


However, on we went, and in the
course of half an hour was clear from
the village. At short distance ahead
lay large tract of pine forest. The
road lay direct through this wood, and,
as near as can remember, the distance
was twelve miles. Yet the moon was in
the east, and as the road ran nearly
west, I thought I should have light
enough.


81 had entered the road and gone
about half a mile when my wagon wheels
settled with a bump and jerk into q
deep hole. 1 uttered an exclamation
OF astonishment. But this was not all
Il heard another exclamation from