HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Times, 1878-12-12, Page 2l
�4 THE RLUE RIDGE.
In the early autumn of 184o, withi
about half an hour of sunset, I dre
rein in front of the large double log
souse on the very ridge of the Bin
Ridge mountains of hlastern Kentucky
The place was evidently kept as a tax
ern—at least so a sign proclaimed
and here I determined to demand ac
THE TIMESWINTERWISIIIMML DECE1f 1878
and my hands, thus protected, did not T.
suffer as much as night be expected.
With my eyes fixed upon the window,
I slid rapidly' down soil struck the
earth with is jar that wrenobed every
bone in my body. Quick as lightning
I was seized by Bose and dragged
some paces on one side and °loge
against the race of the cliff. Note see
oud too soon, for down came a volley,
tearing up the earth about the foot of
the rope, where, a moliaeut before, I
had stood,
"Thunder, they will escape ! After
alert. defeat their plants by a determin- descended upon the door, and a voice
ed resistance. roared ; •
n I found that from the barred wind. "Quick! Burst the infernal thing op.,
w ow, in which there was a broken pane en, and let use gat a# him ! Til
- of glass, a good view of the stable soaundrel has killed Dave 1"
e could be 11ed. Then, for the other "Let them have it Bose," I whisper-
ed, rapidly re -loading my pistol.
"There, tele second panel."
With a steady hand thepluckv fellow
rise. add I ave a eery exclamation leveled the huge weapon and pulled
t,
p g tele trigger.
• that instantly brought Bose to ney A. deafening report followed, and
n side, Far below I could see the faint again a shrill cry of mortal anguis
t glimmer of water, the low murmur of told that the shot had not been whet
. which came indistinctly up from the ed.
u deeths, while, on a level with what "Sabe ns Ilow it do kick!" ex
- atonic'have been the ground. 1 dimly claimed Boss, ender his breath.
eaw the waving tree -tops as they gent- The blow had fallen like an unex
at fiy swayed before the freeIt night breeze. peoted thunderbolt upon the bandits,
8 and knew that the witndow overlooked and a moment later we beard their re-
f as chasm, the soundings of which I treating footsteps down the corridor.
a could only guess at. to other words, "Daar'1i be more of "am berth 'fore
- the house, or that portion of it, was long, liars Ralph," said Bose, with au
ominous shake of the head, 'Speer
dose b'longs to a band, an' if dey
comes. an' we still hoali, we gone coon,
for shuale."
This view of the oat+e was new to rile,
but I felt the force of it. I knew that
teeth ubands dire exist in these menu -
tains.
A hasty glanee through the window
fr mwhich I had just 1red showed me
that escape in that direeticn was iln-
posible, I looked out and saw a man
with a rifle in his hand dodge around
a corner of the stable. He was on
"guard, and then I knew they bad sent
for reinforcements. letnuned for a
moment. I turned round and stared
hopelessly at Dose ; but he, breve fels
low that be was, never lost his head
for an inatent,
siB+cut 4 to leas heap, Mars Ralph,"
he said, quite confidently. "An' dar
ain't no way gwyne 'cepa tro dat win -
"Dar ! dein s what I like to see !' ;low ;" and he pointed to the ono over.
excl"aianed hose, as he dived down int•• 1ooL•in� the diff
e
coltirnodat'on for myself. and servan
Bose, a dark-skinned body -guard
Bose and I had been playmates i
hildhood, and 1 need hardly say tha
the faithful fellow was attached to me
srs t was to him, and on more the,
one occasion he had shown. hie devo
tion.
There bad been a shooting match
the Mountain House that day, and, a
I dismounted, z saw through one o
the open windows of the bar -room
ratite, drunken ; and evidently guar
" window, I crossed the room,drew aside
- the heavy curtain, and, raising the
4' sash, looked out. A single glance was
sutlioient to cause me a thrill of snr-
h
them --down the rope !" yelled a voice,
- almost inarticulate with rage.
I saw a dark form swing out and
hastily begin the descent.
'•Now, Mars Ralph," whispered
m
zee oo set of backwoodsmen, eaeln
ewearing by all possible anti i
poaeible oaths that he was not only th
brat shot, but could outfight, outjutnp
eutsvrectle, run faster, jump hignor
dive deeper and come un drier the
any other roan on the mountain,
"I say, Mars Ralph," said Bose in
low tong, as 1 handed hila my bridle
rein, "I dou't like de looks ob den' in
dar. S'porie we go ou to de nes
bunee ; `taint fur."
"'Somme, Norte," I replied ; "these
fellows are only on a little spree ove
their shooting. We Have nothing to
do with thew, nor they with ue. Take
the lt4'rytrs round to the stable, and se
to tli;:ln yonraelf. You know they ve
bad. a hard day of it." And, throwtug
my seethe -begs over my shoulder.
walked up the narrow path to tel
tense.
I have found, as I have intimated
the roam filled wit:! noisy, turbulent
crowd, whoone and all stared at an
witlt^ent seeaki:.g as I wt:ut to the bet
and mowed if I and env servant could
have aea3ttlinnudation 1n the night
Itt.'ct•iviatn an affirmative reply from the
landlord. a little, redheaded, cadaver.
one Peeking specimen of the clay -eater,
I desired t43 be at ooee shown to in
room, whitb'r I went, but not until
had been compelled to decline a score
"
".
a • 4
�a t drink," t rt t.rpt:i to "take a t 1
f 1 i t ce r'a R, novel to
the dimwit of the stalwart bacchanal'.
ans.
The room tr► which I was shown
wawa at the far end of a long. two etori•
eel strt Thum evidently b •t recd Cly ad.
dal o sato the main building, •which it
intersected at right angles. A gallery
ext4•ntie 1 along the front, by wane of
which the rooms were reached. I
found my apartment to ba large and
comparatively well -furnished, there be.
init. b edea the bed, a comfortable cot,
half a. dozen "split• bottomed" chair'+,
a lee nv V clothe..press, and a bureau
with :rinse. There were two windows,
one alongside the door, and the other
in the opposite entl of the room. Th:-
firet.mentiened was heavily barred
wltil titont oak strips—a protection, I
pre:mined, against intrusion from the
perch, while aernss the latter was
drawn a heavy woollen curtain.
In the course of half an hour •Bose
entered and announced that the horses
ad ben attended t) ; and a few min •
later a brigbt-faced Mulatto girl
oned us to supper.
pper over, I returned to my room,
nesting to be aroused for an
fast, as I desired to be on
q sunrise. Thoroughly
my day's rifle, I at once
tions for retiring,and liad
boot, when Bose came
stilt', looking furtively ov-
ler, and then cautiously
cuing the door.
1p11, dar's going to be
s house afore morning," he
a moment that something
•eel to upset the faithful fel-
ibrinm.
Bose, what is it ? \Was do
?'' I asked, barely restrain -
e.
on, Mars Ralph, we'd better
furdnr," was the rather mysteri-
ply. "You see that yeller gal
ole me (lar would he a muss if
yed in dis 'founded ole house all
b built upon the very verge of a cliff, the
solid reek forming a foundation more
e lasting than any that could be made
, by the hands of Ulan. I leaned far out,
and saw that there was not an inch. of
n space left between the heavy log on
which the structure rested and the
a edge of the prezipice ; and then I turn-
' eft away with a. fuli conviction that if
e";cave must be ,nude, it certainly
t would not be in that direction. There
was nothing very strange in this ;
there were many !louses so construct-
s ed. I had seen ou.t or two myself.
and yet when I drew bask into the
room, and saw the look in Base's
e ducky face. I felt that danger, quick
and deadly, was hovering in the &r.
Without epeaking, I weut to my cad.
1 , tele -bags and gut out my pistols• -a
4a superb pair of lour double rifles --that
I knew to be accurate anywhere under
• half a hundred y r.ls.
Ins own bag and ftidwd„ out the old I merely ahaaolt my heard and turned
• 1item piettd that had belonged to my to watch again, hoping to get a good
grandfather, and which I knew was •1h44t at the reseal an alma
loaded to the !nuzzle with number Odle Bose, left to hie own devi.'oe, at once
hac,t:+h,at, It
was a terrible weapon went to work. I hear,' hien fussing
for close quarters. •tbout the bed for Brune timebut never
v The stables in which our horses were looked to see what be Was doing until
I feediug eunoia he watched, and by Iie spelt°.
':veute transpiring, in that lucidity wr -'Now den, for de rope," I heard
would shape our amines. I found the him eay,a m1, in instant, I caught his
door coupe be locked Trona the inside, meaning.
and in addition to this, I improvised at ° ire had stripped the bell of ite cover.
tier by means of a chair lea wreneht•tt ing, dragged of the heavy tick and the
all and thrust through a heavy iron dent bereeen rope with tthiell it wag
;staple that had been driven in the wall. loathed. In five minntee he had drawn
lt'a f,:lloa on the opposite side was the rope through its many tttrniues,
ma, then, adhering the coil in his
hands, he threw up the rah and pre -
pitied to take annndinge. It failed to
touch bottom ; but nowise dishearten-
ed, he seized the cotton coverlet and
spliced on. This succeeded, and the
cord was drawn up preparatory to
knotting it in place of cross-pioene.
In the meantitne the silence without
had been broken more than once. A.
thrill, keen whi'tl ,such as I heard be.
fore, was given by the man on watch,
,end replied to by enure ono seemingly
is little way otr. Then I „heard foot-
•mteps—croft, cat -like ones— on the ver-
andah outside, showing that the reit.
has wore on the alert at all points.
At length 13 me announced the "lad.
der" ready. It was again lowered from
the window, and the end we held was
made fast tothe bed we had dragged
over for the Durpoee.
"Now, den, Mars Ralph, I go down
fast and see if um strong 'nnf to bar
us." And he was half -way out of the
window before I could speak.
"No, Bnee, yon shall not," I an-
swered, firmly, drawing him back into
the room.
"You mnst—"
The words were loet in the din of a
furious and totally unexpected attack
upon the door. The drill, heavy strokes
of the axe were intermingled. with the
sharp, chick clatter of-thatohets as they
out away at the barrier, and once in a
while I could hear deep oaths, as
though they had been rendered doubly
savage by our resistance.
"Here, Bose, your pistol 1 Quick 1"
I whispered, and the heavy aharg
went crashing through, followed by
shrieks and curses of rage and pain.
"Como, Bose, hurry, or all will be
lost."
The brave fellow now wished to in,
.list upon my going first, but he saw
that time was wasting, and he glided
down the rope, gradually disappearing
in the heavy shallows.
The fall of one of their number had
caused only it momentary hill, and I
heard them renew the assault with ten
fold fury. I dared not fire again, for I
felt that every bullet would bo needed
when affairs were more pressing.
It seemed nearly an age before I felt
the signal from below that the rope
was ready for me, but it came,' and I
let myself down, pausing an instant,
as my eyes gained a level with the sill,
to take a last 10011 into tele room. As
1. did so, the door gave way, and the
blood -thirsty demonspoured over the
threshold: t knew 1 had no time for
deliberate movement. They would in-
close gnest+ioninl; I elicited the
that the girl had resile warned
that four men whom I fled notice
talked together were a desperate set
viltaius, and probably had designs
nr property, if not our lives.
-i+1 had seen two of them at the
bile I was at supper, and, by
creeping into the stall next
lie ie "toed, had heard
. that they
tly to this,
lose con
his
em
to
missing. We then lifted the olothes-
press before the window, leaviue just
room enough on one side to see clearly
null, if ueoessury, tire through ; drag-
ged the bureau against the door With
las little noise as pussible, and felt that
everything that was possible had been
;bele.
A death -like silence reigned over the
plate, broken only once by the voice of
the colored girl singing as she crossed
the stable -yard. I had falleu into a
half doze, emitted in it chair noatr tot
window facing the stable where Bose
was on watch, when suddenly I felt a
light touch upon my arm and the voice:
of the faithful sentinel in my ear.
"\Valk up, Mars Ralph ; dey's fool.
in' 'bout do stable do' arter de horses,
ybuah," brought me wino awake to my
feet.
Cautiously peeping out, I saw at a
glance that Bose was right in his c:an-
jectures. There were two of thom—
une standing out in the clear moon-
light, evident.y watching my window,
while the other—and I fancied it was
the landlord—was in the shadow near
the door, which at that momeut slowly
swung open. As the man disappeared
within the building, a low, keen whis-
tle out the air, and at the same instan
I heard the kuob of my door cautiously
tried. The thing was now plain.
While those below were securing th,
bermes those above were eithor trying
to gain access with murderous intent,
or else on guard to prevent my Coming
to the rescue of my property.
A low hiss from Bose brought me tr,
his side from the door where I had
been listening.
"De'ys got de herself oat in de
yard,'' be whispered, as he drew aside
to lob me look out through the broken
pane.
"Take the door," I said, "and fire
through if they attack. I am going to
shoot that fellow holding the horses."
"Lordy 1 Mars Ralph, i'a de tavern -
keeper 1 He ain't 'no 'count. Drop
de big man 1" was the sensible advice
I determined to adopt.
Noiselessly drawing aside the cur-
bain, I rested the muzzle of my pistol
npou the sashwhere the light had
been broken away,and drew a bead up-,
on the tallest , of the two men, who
stood holding three horses out in the,
bright moonlight. The sharp crack of
the weapon was instantly followed by a
;Fell of pain, and l saw the ruffian reel
backward and measure his length up
'nn:the earth, and then from the main
Witting feud out
"lMneder 1 Murder 1 Ob, help '",
ilia lightning „it flasand across roy stantly discover the mode of escape;
d. ' There were three horses out in' and either out the rope or else fire
en lot 1 There was another•trav- down •upon me. I had taken the pre
es ourselves. A heavy blow caution to draw on heavy riding -gloves,
•
Bose, eignifcantly, and with a quick
aim I fired at the swaying figure.
Without a word the man released
his hold and carne down like alnmp of
lead, sbot through the brain, Anoth-
er had started in hot haste, and was
more than half way ant of the window,
when multitude, the scene above was
brilliantly lit up by the glare of a torch.
Again the warning voice of the
watchful black called my atteutiou tea
the figura now desperately struggling
to regain the room ; as before, I threw
up my pistol, and, covering the expose
ed side, drew trigger. With a couvnl•
sive effort the wretcln springing, far I is r 14+,re j" hfp.iatfl P. a C,ty 3tia ••“,4".4 ;ur".
out into the empty void, turned once onttlw-1r,4"+rl an t'nntiaaent.ltrt.v ,lt,yother..
Aa soon ns {a +']t >+' f t rages iu�t,aat rtwo t,4 t1
over and same Clown with a rushing tertorieurit. n a!a'crc"r, It is rel, ,iia ua,,i.,r e.•ei
sound upon the jagged rooke that lay rpp` uiart�'i;^siti't t1`;ira"bvne,4aitnrKttu+clrcatl4
tfitiou, neotruli: eng all • Itbr n'atte pekes. or
eui sting ]Mlle Blood, ta14 i t•stetip, sa a4"74 t.tt
ystenl th%Orrell the natural outh•ta.
MISS GARLICK,
Iles now in stocks complete lino of
SPRING HATS, BONNETS,
FJ AT11.1 RS, FLOWERS,
and Trimmings of Every Kind. in
Latest Sty -loam] Lowest Prices
A full Stock of Ferny Goods,
Berlin Wools, Iloniton Lace, Braids.
Patterns, Cardboard Mottoes, &c,.
ri. Jackets elft and myna to "tr,ier,
MISS G ARLICK,
:Hain St. E Later.
Wonderful Discovery,
`REBS RELIEF
Its F LF O OAC# 1 o.
An Internal a External
REMEDY,
A RA.LIVI FOR EVERY WOU' D.
it euros Itlteumntiem and Neuralgia an,
of irrn 1,.4i11 a ^tint a temv it ' . •41 •
at the foot of the precipice.
A single look to see that the window
was clear --we knew there could be no
path leading down for a long distance
eithor way, or they never would have
attempted the rotas•—and we plunged
headlong into the dens° forest that
lined the mountain. side. \Vo got
clear, it is true, but with the loss of
our annuals and b t:. gage. The next
dray, IN Iwo we returned with a part of
the rognlatore, we found the place a
heap of smouldering ashes, and no liv-
ing wail to tell whither the robbers had
flet].
Q. '-nir:l ,)"1;+� 'SEI'*')
P,RUC E GUM
Beta
Calla hs, ('olds, lloarseness, Loss
Of 'Naive, 1tror,sehlat and
Throat .0 t ti0u .
4Th(' Ginn rhi'•h exude; .fr. en 3heitedSiarncetree
W. without ti•',,t•t. the loom V a1 W.10., native from
for SI' t'Inul 1.nrp•"s's.
tt,r.Itter1 hie!,.,tae:•inroll. •vis', eertaln severe
form:. of ler n, d itis arra it ,unto 4 apt, rifle effect
in curing obstlladtte invehie, courant, is now well-
known to the public ut large. In this Syrup Owe -
prepared tit Inw temperature', rature', t•nutaining
tt" a
large to :ni of the finest pieced Gum in eom-
t,iete -01111' 1,uil tete Tome 1ixTT,t eturaut,litalaau,le
laud Anti-Stn.:stn+'dioeffects of the lied spruce fluid
aro fully inr, ;,••^ve'1 Nur sale itt till Drug c torr .
Price $r, et zit +It 'r l,nt']n. 1)••c e.
Mowers and Reapers
•
•
f'
tom+ �vt
`�,t, •t.tl,..
WE OFFER A TRIAL
o f our celebrated
Single Mowers
AND—
Singie Reapers
u;all kiudsof Grass and Grein, andon all con
Mons of.soiland surface,
AND GUARANTEE SATISFACTION
OR NO SALE
Wo also offer a Trim of our Wrought Isom
Two Bar
JOHNSTON'S COMBINED REAM
AND Ni JW
11laebinessupplied with
'1"wo-Pltmane,
Two Drag -bare,
Two Finger -bars.
Four Knives,
Forked and Keyed.
Nnts,
Self -oilers,.
etc., to.
can be chan'ed from Mower
co Reaper
AND REAPER TO MOWER
B yremovaluffour bolts, ant3inless ohanliftess
minute s'time.
Please call at our works and inspect
our Machiues beforepuroliasing
elsewhere,
Send for Catalogues.
THOMPSON & WILLIAMS
Manufacturing Co., Stratfordl,
IT CURES
Toothache, Etraehe, Ire 4I^teian, Neu -el ,
lthe4n t ttrera.'.c aia'a, .t ilin.' .Ittalnnaati4'a:
Burr t tt I t saes. l ,.4n. i33 Silo, Iain is
Beek,Pain in VI nit, Pain its shocu ler" rough,
e..1.1a 1 ro.it t ,c, s, 4 itil'd neva Iait,r: hoeca, liy.4
• 4,uttnry, N14ee34', r 4•a1314ii11Yt t ,te., t`te
it will e. A". tad' 144n4 •t aea,1a a. tt,t, hater
..,....
1ial or e3nt`.`5 t1"den 13 ono 1,44,,r r. w t i.M ,, e'"..t-„ +
yardpri Islas` t,1:4i PW. 4, •d ":a.: c 4.1:.4.sta ,.
inrtat is ,11:01131 a-1 relief certain, The iirea
secret of its 'nee v:atit lag C3,".• ".e,a i+nsaitb
to VW tact it: is s of mid h ar sit + 1'i Baan
to take gives u,,-t,-ut ca 4 aa. t e a 1p •Leith,^,
t,w a wider ran to of "U-•e,aa'• In ',Very .lay iitr
with greater stireeis than marc ipropttrat:oI
which n:se4trea4 s"ciil and •• •Ie,il t..
.t',, la t r''1 tt *14 aurae I'r.a:er neer dtsoaf'e
ant; r 4 r tel. no matter z1to it amu. ire, Web,
•'r 1'oor, tabs or Young, who hi s'a 't ring from
anv of the above named 14•-,inrul 4 at,1'l;airts
tvili Ball et the Ufar.' in 'tV•,r"nt.' auav 'lug to
• 1110 W., i, trill gut ptLi t14" .,$ "1"r, n 04
eluergn ",af its n1 t lei i i,nwl•r .,a' ea' punt at one
urn i nc on.
Testununl',i Iola all pnartstof the Lonmrtot
.ern a nets, •tly ironing to lanai. giving a>pre•
ion to the must grateful gr.etittt.te for u'•
toaisl,iuit.•ure s St1I"h it has performed, an
WO wnul.t 1a: pleased, t , rr'e olve 1,-,ti4noniai
Earn all others who unto it %two astally+.
i'11v, iei•atis. t t1z•a hi,at t r.•.i', t t:,t,itits r,
eotnt:4r,na1 it as n most el ,-ot,t•tl "dimwit!
rena"'dy"fur th.r relief of 1'.ein in eases of sod
�1'n nnnncrr:,•n4')�.
Carry it to your home:,, taut it wilt prove
blessing to %elle fnn,ily and n!Jietea frmrela.
.....
Tarn., - '
ggism art s,@hn:: eunron Has quantitiestt
it wherever introduced.
1 et an tats!, th,' ' '.rI'i t„ l:r"•4 , r it e'5*si.
rias 1�'l'!.`,orInt m, through the wholesitt
l,rageud Put. r,t Jle,licine Houses of ilontr,
t1�•t oronto, 11,naitt „t ,t 4.'1 Loluton.
'rice 25 Cents per Bottle'
Sued by all Enterprising Druggists.
Sept, lel^, ly,
NEW FALL GOOD,
KELLEY
has just received a large stock of
Watches, Clocks, Jewellery,
tats Strings, Spactaacres Ladles)
and Gents Pocket Boons,
A large stock of Fancy Goods con-
stantly on hand.
NEW BUTCHER S
(rhoundersignod wouldi'iforrr the i ab1-
JL
tants ofExeterand vicinity that ehas
OPENED A NEW BUTCHER SB.OP
e door south of his Bine ttsmitbshop anclhopes
the same liberal patronage that has beau no
corded to him in the
BL140KSMITU AND WAGON te'AJIING
tine willboextend er,tohim inhis new brancb of
business, Ills eaent wagon. willoall atblto resi-
dents of the village three times enal. wookand.
El- E S. I -I M }J A
of all kinds kept constantly on hand at his•
butcher shop. -- _
Blockemitbingg and 'wagon nankin gearried Ee
a usual in all its branches
R. DAVIS.
SPECIAL BARGAINS.
No need of the Grano
thing in my line, vis:
buying ny
Furnittue, Builders
Pain.ts,oils. Glass, Flatus Framer,
Motto Frames, Mouldings, Mottoes
Looking Glasses,
Looking Glass Frames,
Cutloy, Gluots, Stoves,
Tinware, Blushes, Ravest tools, i,
In order to reduce my present stock, I shall oou
tinue to offer
SPECIAL BARGAINS FOB OASR.,
especially in
O'OOD PU,2iaNITUBE;
Sign—Golden Stove, now north side (teens,
Marys
J c.GI,Lgnie