The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 12, August, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 12, August, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
captured gave me sudden vigor, and overcame the pain of my bruised
knee. I sprang upon my feet, and bounded away towards the entrance of
the City Hotel, turned short to the left, and crossing St. Peter's
street by another alley, kept on under the wall of Thatcher's livery
stables.
Rapidly as I had taken leave of Timothy, he had not lost sight of me
for a second, until I turned the farther corner of the stables. At
this point there had been, a few weeks previous, a gap in the
enclosure of the Jesuits's grounds, through which I had often passed;
and by means of this opening I had intended to lead the chase into
those grounds, with all the turnings of which I was well acquainted,
and where a number of old elms would serve to cover my retreat.
What was my consternation on reaching the spot, to find that the
opening had been closed! I was completely cornered, without means of
escape, except by the steep path up which I had come. Along that path
I heard the footsteps of my pursuer, as he picked his way in the dark.
Not a moment was to be lost, and my determination was instantly taken.
I again turned the corner of the stables, and ran down the path with
my utmost speed, intending to overthrow Timothy by running against
him. As I approached him, he stopped, and seeming to comprehend my
object, veered a little from the path, so as to break the force of the
shock, and grasped at me with both his hands.
And here but for my boot heels I might have escaped; but again they
failed me, I slipped, and Timothy and I were rolling on the ground
together--he clutching to hold me fast, and I struggling to get away.
By mutual consent we soon rose upon our feet--he still holding on with
the tenacity of a bull-dog, upon the collar and breast of my clothing.
I had not lived five years in Montreal without becoming sensible of
the value of _science_ in the use of the fist, and I had taken a
series of rude lessons from an Irish sergeant--Fuller not having then
appeared in Canada to teach the 'manly art of self-defence.' The
moment that we were on our feet, I attacked Timothy, in hopes that he
would loosen his hold in showing fight, and give me another
opportunity of escape. But he was a philosopher in his way, and did
not regard pugilistic _punishment_ so much as the retention of his
prisoner. He allowed me therefore to _mill_ him without mercy, dodging
to avoid my blows, but making no offensive demonstration. I pommelled
him severely, and might possibly have broken his hold by my repeated
attacks, but for the slippery place on which we stood. Several times I
lost my footing and came to the ground. At last yielding to necessity,
I relinquished the contest and walked quietly with him to the street,
determined when on better ground, to make another effort for liberty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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