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VOLUME 11. |
BY C. R. lIANLEITER.
P © IETKI.
For the “Siuilicrn Miscellany.”
AUTU.MN’3 TRACKING.
leaves are falling round ns, Carry,
Mournfully the winds do sigh—
Tokens to remind us, dearest,
That we too are born to die.
But not like Autumn leaves, that fall
And perish on the wintry sod ;
Our spirits, free'd from earthly I limit,
Shall soar above, and live with Cod !
Oh, blessed promise !—star to light us
Through this darksome vale of tears!
With such prospect to delight ns,
What are woes of number'd years ! T.
Madison, November 1.
©RiiaOKm ©DCiETOH,
For tlie “Southern Miscellany.”
THE MYSTERY REVEALED;
Or the imy all hands were “ most oudacioushj
tuck in.”
A PINEVILLE SKETCH.
Pineville awoke from the quiet slumher
of a s'.arlcss night. The morn inn; was clou
dy and damp, and Ion? after the most fash
ionable citizens had broken their fast, a
dense fog still rested upon the earth, inolv
ing houses arid horse-blocks, shops and slian-
Iccs, sign-posts and horse-racks, flower-gar
dens and duck-ponds, chimneys and fodder
stacks, objects conspicuous and objects out
of sight, things elegant and things inelegant,
(which in villages are usually disposer! in
such pleasing contrast,) in one general in
discriminate obscurity. But the “ glorious
nrb’“at length appeared, dispelling the mists
and vapors of the upper air, anil sending
its genial rays aslant upon the scene, impait
ed life mnl animation to the Pinevillians,
ami brilliancy and beauty to the landscape.
Then it was that signs of animal life and
enjoyment might have been detected by the
discriminating observer. Men and cattle
were astir—the former in pursuit of those
various occupations by which they sought to
obtain a livelihood, and the latter migrating
to the woods and fields, for the same lauda
ble purpose. The village swine were per
forming scavenger duty in the streets and
yards, the matronly old liens were leading
filth their young fledglings to the morning
repast, scratching up the isolated grubs and
disturbing the repose of the indolent bugs
that lay concealed among the weeds and
rubbish, while a gang of vagabond goats
were performing feats of agility about the
court-house steps. But by far the most in
teresting group was that which liad assem
bled round the piazza of the principal hotel,
to pick their teeth in company, whittle the
hacks of the split-bottomed chairs, and dis
cuss the topics of the day. There was a
dearth of news just at that lime, and con
versation was dull. Something was said
tthout the probable price of cotton in the
fall, and some grave speculations were made
as to the prospects of the corn crop. Old
Mr. Hearty, who is generally regarded as
an oracle ir. such matters, expressed his de
liberate conviction, that the price of cotton
Would mainly depend upon the quality of the
staple, what the planter “ a,xed” for it, and
what the buyer was willing to give—there
was no doubt in his mind about that. !t \vaS
& settled matter—lint as to the corn crop,
that depended entirely on circumstances.
One ventured the opinion that the rain was
over. Sammy Stonestreet —whoiil the hoys
Universally etilieil Stonr/Lt'C, because of his
tmCtttltionable ugliness —said he knew a
”yarb” for taking pimples oft* people’s faces,
to which Tom Ungers, who was slightly af
fected that way, replied that it was a pity
lie could not find something that would soak
the ugly out of his own countenance. The
latter remaik raised a laugh at Sammy s
expense, and, after a pause, Billy Wilder
asked if any body had any good tobacco;
upon which Boh Echols pulled out a piece
about the size of his hand—but in reality
only half a hand of tobacco—and passed it
to Billy, after which it passed through di
vers other hands, until the greater part
found its way into the mouths of the by
standers, and not even the slightest moiety
Would ever have teoched its owner again,
had not someone on the outskiits of the
crowd——who probably had a hole in his
|mcket —called out, “whose tobacco’s this?”
Bob owned the remnant, and conversation
bnd expectoration beceme brisk and gener
al.
Some writers would stop here, now, to
give the reader a group of portraits—-in oth
er words, to give him a seperate and special
introduction to the crowd into whose midst
We have thus unceremoniously ushered him.
llut we will not imitate their example, for
good and sufficient reasons; first, because
we do not claim to be skilled in the limning
Art, and, secondly, because we consider an
Itntuccessful portrait no better than n cari
cature, a libel on the individual attempted
to be personified ; and, thirdly and lastly,
as the logicians say, because we prefer (and
we doubt not but our readers do the same)
to’ form our estimates of individuals from an
acquaintance with their characters, rather
<ha’ by the contour of their features —in-
deed, we find this the only safe way to judge
p'cople. But as Sammy Stoncstreet
appears to have been designed and blocked
out by tfwure herself, rather as a charicature
& JPattiUg Jictospapcr : ©rtootcfc to ftUcvaturc, agriculture, SHccliiwtco, fStmcatlon, iForcign aiD Somesttc tutclUgcucc, *cc.
upon his species, we may venture, perhaps,
to make n dab at bis profile, with no very
serious apprehensions of spoiling the job ;
and after informing the reader that the bal
ance of the company was composed of just
such a variety as lie would be likely to meet
assembled at that hour of the day round the
| door of a village boarding house, leave him
to cultivate his acquaintance with them as
we progress with our sketch.
VV ell, then, when we said Sammy was
| “ uncontionably” ugly, we spoke conscien
tiously. His order of ugliness was perfect
ly syi grttcris —the genius of ugliness him
self (if there ever was such n deity) could
have claimed no kin with Sammy Stone
si reef, on the score of family resemblance,
so peculiar to himself was the style and fash
ion of Ids deformity. It lias been reported
of young Stonestrent that bis shadow left
a disagreeable impression upon the wall
where it fell, and that vegetation was sure
to be checked wherever bis hideotisness
came between it and the sun—indeed, it is
a well attested fact that a strolling Daguer
reotype man ruined hisnpparatus in attempt
ing to get a specimen likeness of him flu
oric of the northern museums. But for fear
the leader should doubt our sincerity in this
general allusion to Sammy’s personal ap
pearance, we will endeavor to give him
some vague idea, at least, of his form arid
favor. To begin, then, Sammy Stonestreet
stood, net, (for lie wore no shoes,) five feet
otic and a fraction, but be claimed full an
other inch, in consideration of the angle of
his legs; fin lie was despot ately knock-kneed;
and had a drooping, forward inclination of
these latteral appendages, which caused
him to stand rather in a jumping aliunde,
upon the palms of his feet. To proceed
upwards, iie Was remarkably short in the
couple, as a wagoner would say, which was
probably owing to a most unnatural and
unhealthy hump, which seemed to have
been originally lodged upon bis right shoul
der, hut which had swayed bar k and down
wards until it bad given n sort of sidewise
twist to bis body, which, as be approached
von, twirling bis cotton ptolk in liin hnmt,
bis white, watery eyes rolling in bis head,
gave him very much the appearance of one
about to deal a blow; and many is tlie un
lucky lick poor Sammy has received in bis
day from over-squeamish persons, in conse
quence of the natural belligerance of his atti
tude. But to proceed to the climax of mor
tal ugliness. A short shrivelled neck sup
ported a head of ponderous dimensions—
a perfect chaos of Phrenological develnp-
I ments—“-a mental Alps, with prometitoiies
! and peaks, ravines and vnllies, utterly defy
| ing every thing like scientific exploration, or
systematic measurement. But what shall
we say of his face ? Broad, round and
quince-colored—but we will perhaps suc
ceed better to take a feature at a time
small nose, decidedly snub, with pink-color
ed nostrils—eyes pale, gray and watery, di
vided hv the slightest particle of nose, which
seemed stretched upwards solely for that
purpose—lips, thin and colorless, the tippet
one short and inclined towards the nose,
leaving exposed the teeth of the upper jaw,
which projected far over bis nether grinders;
mouth, large and difficult to close—while
the chin, which should have terminated the
lower region of the facial territory seemed
to have shrunk entirely away, leaving the
neck and mouth in close proximity. But as
if nature’s finishing touch hud been I<m!
..... o
eel solelv to give full relief to this specimen
* y r t
of her handiwork, she blessed Samuel with
a profusion of bright saffron-colored hair,
for the better display of which she added a
“ cow-lick,” which held it erect fiom ear to
ear, giving a general contour of face more
resembling a weather-beaten sun flower,
with a few seeds plucked here and there for
eyes, nose and mouth, than anything else in
nature to which we can liken it. But enough
of Sammy’s hideoustiess.
The crowd were engaged, as when we
left them, in a sort of running general con
versation, when ah incident occulted—fur
it must he admitted that the passage of a
four-wheeled vehicle through a quiet coun
try village like Pineville, is an incident.—
But the occurrence to which we now more
particularly allude, was an incident indeed,
one that will not be forgotten while the
chronicles of Pineville are remembered.—
A large dapple grey horse, evidently much
jaded, was seen approaching in a forced
trot, drawing a rather dilapidated looking
buggy, with two women, in homespun
frocks and green veils. Conversation was
suddenly suspended, while every eye was
directed’ to the vehicle. It came down the
street towards the tavern, hut it did not stop.
The horse seemed willing, even desirous, as
lie drew near tho sign-post, but one of the
women, not the one who held the lines, ex
tended a brawny hand, in which she held a
stout hickory, and dealt him a blow that tal
lied its date upon every rib of the side up
on which it fell. Tho animal frisked Iris tail
and quickened his gait, but endeavored to
turn the next comer on the opposite side,
which effort was, however, promptly coun
teracted by repeated applications of the afore
said hickory. Having finally gained the
main road the poor animal was forced into
a rapid gait, in which lie continued until
lost to the view of tho astonished specta
tors. Not a word was spoken for full a
minute after the passage of the vehicle ; hut
nuy one who observed the severe scrutiny
with which they had regarded those Veiled
women, and noted the glancing of eyes and
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA, SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 4, 1813.
peculiar suspicious expression of their coun
tenances, would have boeh qualified that
but one sentiment prevailed in that crowd,
and that was, that all was not right in that
same buggy.
Sammy Stonestreet was the first to break
silence.
“ Dadfetcht,” said be, “ if I don’t hot my
best dominicker (Sam Jit chickens occasion
ally) that them’s men in wimmin’s clothes!”
“ Pshaw, what an idee !” ejaculated old
Mr. Hearty, resuming the seat he had risen
from to get a better look.
“ Well, t hoy's monstrous quaro look in
wimmin-flesh, that’s a fact,” remarked Bil
ly Wilder, with on air of curious gravity;
“ f never reed a woman hit a boss sicli a
lick as that afire in my life.”
” And how fast they druv,” ntaerVtetl one.
“ I’d gin a pretty to got a squint at ther
ftces,” said another, “but them dratted
veils bid ’em clean.”
“ l seed ’em ! 1 seed ’em !” exclaimed
Srmmy, bustling about ih the crowd, “ atitl
il that one on this side didn’t have whiskers,
I hope I may never see chinkapin time
agin, dadfetch me!”
“ But, boys did you over sec a woman ns
tall ns that one that tooled the hickory?”
inquired one.
“ Well, they didn’t look much like any of
our gals about ther waists, that’s a fact,”
rematked uncle Heartv. beginning to give
in to the popular opinion. “ Take it all
together, it is tother a suspicious circum
stance.”
•’ Gcntle<wr,” rehiorkcdDr. Peter Jones,
“ that horse has come more than twenty
miles this morning, or more likely has trav
eled all night, a very strong symptom that
something’s in the wind.”
“ Shore enough,” said Boh Echols, “ and
to p&s3 tight through town so, without stop
ping for breakfast nor nothing. 1 tell you
what now, all ain’t right.”
“ Well, who is they ? whereupon yoath can
they begwine in such a hurrymeut ?”
“ Ther an’t no tellin’,” answered Billy
Wilder, “ in these times quare things is
tiiniiiinpoi'UV .luy Th*>y numglu l,f some
fellers broke from the Penitentiary, or it
moiight be the Sub-Treasury runnin away
with the Government money.”
“ That’s a fact, and it ought to be seen
into,” remarked half a dozen in the crowd.
Just at that crisis, old ‘Squire Rogers, in
company with Mr. Montgomery, the school
master, approached from the Post office,
from which they bad just received their
newspapers. The ’Squire unfolded the
“ Columbus Enquirer,” and placed liisspcc
tacle astride of his nose, while the crowd
were relating to him the circumstance of the
mysterious buggy, and indulging in their
vat ions speculations respecting the proba
ble character of its inmates. After glancing
Ids eyes for a moment over the damp sheet,
while some half dozen pressed round and
gazed over his shoulder, the old gentleman
read aloud—
“ DARING AND EXTENSIVE ROPBERY !
TEN THOUSAND DOLLABS REWARD ! !”
The sensation produced in the crowd by
this startling announcement was tremend
ous.
“ All! Eli ! what ? Robbers ? where ?
when ? Didn’t 1 say so 1 Read it out!
Let’s catch ’em!” came from a dozen throats
at once, while Summy went leaping like a
kangcl'oo with a split st'ek on its tail, from
side to side, excl“! ,n 'ng ( “ Didn’t T know,
ui’d* ? Didn’t I say so, uncle Hearty?
Dadfetch me if l’s the chap to be fooled
with pettycoats. Didn’t 1 sec boots and
troWsers legs Under them gowns?”
It was several minutes before any one
could be beard above the genera! clamor of
the crowd, which had now considerably in
creased in number. At length, when or
der had been it) some measure restored, at
the request of ’Squire Rogers, Mr. Mont
gomery read the article from the paper,
which stated that the Insurance and Trust
Company's Bank, at Columbus, known as
the “ Shylock,” had been broken into a few
nights previous by two armed men, and rob
bed of upwards of SSO,OOO in specie nnd
bills, and that a reward of 810,000 had been
offered for the appehension of the robbers.
Before the last word was fairly out of ti e
readers mouth, a confusion of voices shout
ed, “ Them's they !” “ Let’s catch ’em !”
” No time’s to be lost!” and two or three
were seen running for the Sheriff’ without
further consultation.
It: less than five minutes all Pineville was
in commotion. The tiling tvas now settled
in the minds of the majority beyond a cavil,
that a brace of daring bank robbers had just
passed through town disguised as women,
and there was not wanting those who were
willing to affirm that they not only saw
whiskers beneath those Veils, ‘out that pis
tols and Bowie knives protruded from the
bosoms of their gowns; and Sammy Stone
street was “ dadfetcht” if he didn’t hear dol
lars jingle in the bottom of the buggy, when
the wheel struck a certain root. There
were some obstinate people who always
would have opinions of theii own, that
could sec no reasons for entertaining any
such suspicions ; but tinge were few', and
no body cared whether they could or not.
Half the men in town were going in pursuit;
all the horses, old saddles, and remnants of
bridles, were put in requisition and there
had not been such a mustering of old shot
guns and horse pistols since the Indian war.
“ Why, what upon yenth’s broke loose
now ?” inquired Major Joseph Joties, as lie
rode into the midst of the crowd of armed
and mounted men, having just arrived from
bis plantation.
” Cotne on, Major,” said the
“ you’r the very man we want.”
“ But wJiar you gwino, boys—what's to
pay 1”
“Ob, a heap! robbers! ten thousand
dollars reward—escaped ; u women’s clothes!
with green veils! in a buggy ! not more’n
j fifteen minutes ago !” was all the Major
could gather from the confusion of voices
around him. But he was a public spirited
man, and was determined to have a band in
the game, w hatever it was.
“ Come on !” shouted the Sheriff, and
away dashed the whole cavalcade, down
the road, rolling hack a thick cloud of dust
frnhi their horses’ feet, and raising a din and
clamor that nearly frightened the women
ami children out of their senses. Another
minute, and they were lost to the sight of
those whom ilicy had left to indulge irispec-
Culaiiotis, doubts and surmises until their re
in rn.
Like a tempest, they swept through the
country, carrying terror before them, and
leaving astonishment and wniuler in their
train—children ran screaming to their mo
thers, women shrunk from the doors and
windows, dogs harked, and cotVs rah lid
loving to the woods. Onward, and onward
they sped—already several miles had been
gained and eager eyes were looking up the
long stretches of the road in the hope of
seeing the object of their pursuit. At length
the party arrived at a fork of tho t oad—car
carriage tracks were discovered ih both.—
A consultation was held, when it was deter
mined that the Sheriff, with one part of the
company, should take the road to the right,
and the Major, with the balance, should pur
sue that leading to the left. Not a moment
was to he lost. The party are already di
vided, and each division pursuing its res
pective route at the topof theirspeed. We
will go with the Sheriff.
Continuing the same rapid gait, the Sher
iff’s party proceeded about two miles, when
nu ciin” liorncmnn ■wilVi ■wltom tYvcy writ*
well acquainted, they asked if he had met a
buggy With two ivnmcn in green veils ?
“ Yes,” said Mr. Hopkins, “ 1 met o'd
Mrs. Cm 100 and her daughter Nancy in a
buggy, just back het’e a-plpce, gtviue down
to Billy Curloo’s, on the Runs.”
“ Are you certain it was Mrs. Curloo ?”
“ To be sure, for I stopped atid chatted
with ’em a minit; hut they was in a mon
strous hurry, as they said Billy was gwino
to make a die of it, and had sent for ’em.”
This was perfectly satisfactory, and the
Sheriff and his party, chopfallen aud morli
fied in the extreme, turned hack to town,
with only one consolatory reflection where
with to relieve their deep chagrin, which
was, that iho other party wete likely to he
worse fooled than themselves.
“ Now, this lias all come of listening to
that abominable fool Stonestreet,” remark
ed the Sheriff, as they rode leisurely along
on their return. “ I had no confidence in his
story in the first place; but every body seem
! cd to agree with him, and, under the circum
stances, ibe least I could do was to investi
gate the matter.”
“ 1 was a most certain it vi as all a piece
of nonsense in the first place,” remarked a
rather elderly member of the party, who had
hut a few minutes before been thd boldest
; and most detnimiqo3 the pursuit ; “ but
nothing would satisfy ’em but I must come.
I wouldn’t a gin tlie did mare sicli a brush
tint for the whole Curloo generation.”
“ Taint that what I looks at,” said John
Hicks, “its the laugh the fellcis will have
on us, that I dreads more’ll a dozen sicb
rides. We wont hear the eend of the Cur
loo chase in a coon’s age. you see it we do.”
“ That we wont !” said the Sheriff; and
lie laid bark in bis saddle and took a good
laugh pt himself. “ Two women in green
veils ride through our town in haste to see
a sick relation, and in fifteen minutes half
the inhabitants are pursuing them, with guns,
pistols and jack-knives, to take lliefn for
Bank robbers. Was there ever such a pack
of fools 1”
At the end of this speech of the Sheriff's,
he took another laugh, and the whole party
mr.de an attempt to tai<e a general laugh,
but it was a shallow affair, and soon died
away. There seemed to he a conviction
resting upon their minds, that the laugh was
on the other side, and that they were much
better qualified just then to be laughed at
than to laugh. Each seemed desirous of
relieving himself of ns much of the ridicule
as possible. One mentioned the fact that
lie had brought no gun, and nnotlier only
went along to see the fun ; and, finally, they
all came to the conclusion that they were
not half so deeply involved os the patty that
were still in pursuit.
Their jaded horses did not travel so brisk
ly, nnd it was past noon when they reached
the village. Some two nr three made it
convenient to find business in the country,
leaving the Sheriff nnd the balance of their
companions in the chase to hear the brunt
of tho ridicule which was sure to be heaped
upon them by the citizens. As the party
rode up towards the tavern, n crowd of ea
ger enquirers were soon assembled round,
from whom questions came thick and loud.
“ Did you cotii ’em ?” “ who was they 1”
“ what’s the rest o’ the boys ?” and a hun
dred other such interrogatories were put be
fore tho Sheriff, who had began the laugh in
advance, had time to state the facta. As
soon, however, ns he was allowed a bearing,
be made a faithful report of the proceedings,
informing them iff all that had transpired.
A loud shout ensued, in which the Sher
iff ami his party joined with as good a grace
as tho circumstances would permit. After
1 the noise had somewhat subsided, the shrill
squeaking voice of Sammy Stonestreet wus
! heard in the midst of the crowd.
“You needn’t tell me!” he exclaimed ;
“oh no, you needn’t tell me, ‘squire ! Them
1 wasn’t no Cut loos, them wasn't. I knows
the Curious like a hook, nnd I'll be dadfetcht
if ther wus a sign of a Curloo in that buggy
what wetit through here this morning.”
“Did you see the buggy yourself, squire?”
asked one.
“Oh, no, But it was Just on ahead, and
Hopkins told us all we wanted to know.”
“ What Hopkins, Henry or l’cter?” en
quired another.
“ Peter Hopkins, that used to oversee for
old man Stallions, you know ?”
“Oh, yes,” shouted two or three, “lie's
j tlie Hopkins that come so nigh going to the
Penitentiary for stealing riggers;” and the
universal opinion was, that lie was not wor
thy of belief, and that just us liLvlv not ho
had been sent hack by the robbers to put
the Sheriff off their track.
“ I know'll it—its jest as I ’spectcd,” said
Sammy. “ Them devils is got clean off ar
tcr all. Pete Hopkins aint no better nor
he should be, and 1 wouldn’t swart* Ito was
n’t in cahoot with ’em !”
Some enquiry was made about Hopkins.
His character sank a degree at every p obe,
Until it was fitr below the moral £er<>, and
when il was understood that lie disappeared
soon after his inteiview with the Sheriff, the
suspicion that lie was leagued with the rob
bers was entertained by all those who still
hoped that the very worst surmises of the
mottling, respecting the inmates of the bug
gy, might prove true; which, as is usual on
such occasions, was much the largest portion
of the company.
The Sheriff, fully satisfied in his own mind
as to the character of the strangers, soon af-
li r leliic-il. leaving; tlio maul to iiululgn
their various speculations. Uncle Hearty
winked his eye significantly, and remarked
that it was a very “quare way to do busi
ness, to ride ten miles after robbers and get
tight up to ’em and then route away without
even sett in eyes on ’em.”
“ Did you rrer /” said n bystander;
“ and then for to go and take Pete Hop
kins’ word all about it!”
“ I didn’t like the percrcdin myself,” re
matked the eldetly gentleman before allu
ded to, as one of the Sheriff's patty ; “ but
lie was the Sheriff’,you know.”
“ You wouldn't choked this child offthat
a-vvay,” said one, with a resolute twist of
tlie head. “ I’d seed whether they was Cur
loos or not, I’ll be bound.”
“Gentlemen,” said Sammy Stonestreet,
“them was no more Ciitloos than I is.—
Why, Lord bless you, Nancy Curloo, aint
more’n so b g,” (measuring with his hand
from the ground,) “ and don’t know a green
veil from a bed quilt.”
“And I\l like to know,” rematked a very
calculating little tnan, “ what they would
come away round through town for, to go to
the Runs, when they could just cut across
hy Patker’s Bridge, and save more than five
n iles of the distance,”
*• That’s a fact,” chimed in a Jozetl who
luini'itar with the road.
Indeed, so settled had become the opin
ion among the crowd of gossips who throng
ed about tlie tavern, that Ibe Sheriff had
been misled, that there was some talk of
getting up another patty to go in pursuit of
the robbers. But it was getting late, and
the few horses left in town were unfit for
service after the fatigue of the morning.—
Besides, there was strong hopes entertained
of the success of the party still in pursuit,
whom they expected every moment to see
returning w ith the prisoners. Sammy ex
ptfessfed the most unbounded confidence in
Major Jones, giving it as bis opinion that the
Major would follow them to Florida before
he would let them escape.
But the winds themselves are not more
changeable than public opinion; and as well
might one attempt to bold the unseen currents
of the air in check, as to stay the tide of pub
lic sentiment when once the elements of re
action are at work. There are always some
one or two persons in every small coran u
nity who lend tlie mass, and, as when some
nvant swine breaks through tlie barrier that
circumscribes the wanderings of the herd,
the balance are suro to rush impi tuously
through the same hole, so tlie multitude are
certain to give unanimous assent to the
opinions of those whose lead they are ac
customed to acknowledge.
Among the acknowledged sense-keepers
of Pineville. Mr. Montgomery, the school
master, stood “ A, No. 1,” and it was just
the easiest tiling in the world for him to blow
all Summy Stonestreel’s cherished notions
to Ballyhack. The old gentleman was ut
terly astonished at the credulity of his fel
low-citizens, and was suiprired beyond
measure that any body should entertain for
a moment the very ridiculous suspicions that
had been indulged that morning. The town
wus coming to n pretty pass indeed, that too
poor women could not drive through to see
n sick relation without being pursued as
Bank robbers. He had no opinion of the
proceedings in the first place, but since tho
Sheriff had returned, he thought that every
one ought to be satisfied as to the character
| NUMBER 32
WM. T. THOMPSON, EDITOR.
of the strangers. ’Squire Rogers was deci
dedly of his opinion, nnd Mr. Peter Ilojii
kins, who had been detained by bbsihesft hH
ibe rttod. having airived in town and reiter
ated and confirmed the statement of ib
Sheriff, the almost unanimous opinion was,
that the whole matter was a piece iff pbrfbbk
Tom foolery, and that the party that huff
gone in pursuit, and especially those that
were still absent on that business, ought to
he ashamed of themselves.
Only one solitary individual had the har
dihood still to proclaim his conviction Wirtt
the strangers were not what they represent
ed themselves to be, and that was
Stonestreet.
“ Never mind,” said be, “ you’ll see—
maybe I is a fool, nnd Mr. Mountgnmery
knows everything—but I’ll be dadfetcht if
I don't know what 1 docs know jest as well
ns ennybody—and 1 know 1 seed whiskers
and trowsers, and I knows 1 can tell NatirV
Curloo and her mother from Itvn tltatteil
(grate big strappin then, if they is got goWiis
and green veils on. But you’ll see—just
wait till Major Joe comes, will you ?”
And; sure enough, they did wait for Ma
j*'” *1 M esxvxl T*n J, Vmm irrn vxtitl rtTC TtfllTC
anxious hopes that filled the bosom of the
inveterate Sammy. They waited tlie afri-’
val of those wkn had gone in pursuit, ih or
der that they might heap upon them the
overwhelming measure of their ridicule, by*
the bestowal of which they hoped to miti
gate, in some measure, the deep chagrin
which they felt for the part themselves had
taken in the ridiculous affair.
The hours rolled off. It was sunset, and
yet the Curloo chasers, as they teimed them,’
had not arrived. The crowd still lingered
about tlie lintel, eager to greet them, and
many was the funny remark and witty joke
that was enjoyed at the expense of the ab
sent. But all ibis was nothing to what was
in store for them on their arrival—
“Nevermind; you’ll see!” was all tliaf
Sotnmy bofifd* say; (
“ Ybs; you will SH*,” Said one; “you’ll,
see one of the sneakinest iGokihg feangs of
fellers that ever was in Pineville. The fast,
is 1 helieve they’re oshomtd iti tome home.”
“1 shouldn’t wonder if they tvas !” chim
ed in itr.cle Hearty.
“ I’ll bet M:\jorJoncs don’t slftt+b his fare
in town for a mouth,” remarked one of f(t6
crowd. But ns for Dr. Pete, it aint tlie first!
time lie's liefcn tuck in trying to take people’
to git the toward. He oughtn’t to fnmd ii
a snuff’.”
“ 1 liai's a fact, the Doctor’s been mon
strous unlucky,” said another, “ lie got his
mouth badly mashed that time he tuck the
Major, and l wouldn't he surprised if In- was
to git liis dratted neck broke some of these
days by his smartness.”
The unanimous opinion was, that the Doc
tor was not the only fool in the crowd, and
that they deserved a leather medal a-piece.
It was now quite dusk, and still no signs
of tlie party. Various sutmises aud opin
ions were uttered as to the probable cause
of the delay. Some thought they lind gone
so far, in theii headlong haste, that they had
not yet had time to retrace their steps —oth-
ers were apprehensive (among these weief
those who had loaned llieil - horses) that tlieif
horses had given out, while much tfife lafgrf
portion were of the opinion that they were
really ashamed to come home in daylight.
“ Never you mind,” said Sammy, as he
stood with his gaze intently directed Jowu
the road.
The crowd were gtowing more and mord
impatient, mid the prospect iff heihg Corn
pelled to forego the fun they had anticipa
ted in quizzing and ridiculing the Curloo
chasers, began to operate as a check nphii
the hilarity of the hour, when
my was heard to exclaim,
Look ! see !—ah ! eh ?—ves, yonder—*’
dadfetcht, valid they is—hurra, hoys !—now
we'll see !” and away he bloke, followed hy’
the whole company, in the direction of the
road, in which a group of mounted men’
were dimly seen, 6iowly approaching the
town.
In another minute Sammy was dancing
about in a pet feet ecstary, shouting, as he
flourished his cotton-stalk over his head, “I
told yoa so!—here they is!—them’s they!—
them’s the Cur loos ! Hurra for Major
Joties!—l kiiow’d he’d cotch ’em. Maybe/
l is a fool! —maybe 1 don’t knot* 1 a than’
with a frock on from a Curloo!”
And sure enough, to the utter astonish
ment of everybody Except Sammy Stone
street, there they were—two individuals in
women’s clothed with veils ! It was too ‘
dai k to observe the precise color of the veils,
but as the two who wote them were led
along in the midst of the In rsemen, burth
eried with ropes ami cords ulmiul their nectoj?
and arms, the crowd were nt otirc satisfied
of their identity, and with one voice. r
rather in a confusion of voices, pressed their
enquiries us to the whereabouts and..man
ner of their capture. But it would, have ta
ken more tongues than were in that littlo
party to answer half the inter rotatories of
the last collecting citizens, and they hurried!
on to tlie magistrate*’ office, vvherfe it vkas’
generally understood all would be revealed'.
All Pineville was in an uproar. “They've
caught ‘em!” was tho universal cry df old
and young, nt.thcy hastened to join rh#
crowd that Irud assembled around ’Squire
Rogers’ office, Which Was fioW promptly
lighted up and put in readiness for t!> m
ci osary magisterial investigation. Sammy
StonthjtVcet Was in his glory, and could no|