A TRAVELLER'S STORY.

Southland Times, Issue 562, 17 September 1866, Page 3

A TRAVELLER'S STORY.

(TO THE EDITOB OB THE SOUTHLAND TIMES.) Oh, Mr Editor, " I have a horrible tale to unfold !" the horrors of which haunt me both by day and night, my hitherto calm and refreshing sleep, is troubled with dreams of unheard of cruelties and wickedness, of which I previously had but the slightest concept: oa ; but to my tale! During my peregrinations this week, I chanced to seek lodgings for the night, at the house of an hospitable settler, not a hundred miles from the thriving town of R — e — rm,t — n, after tea, whilst sitting round a cheerful fire, relating stories to one another of the cruelties and barbarities of the middle ages, and Reign of Terror in Prance, our worthy host who had previously remained silent, and seemed lost in deep thought, suddenly starting up from the deep reverie into which he had fallen, said that he would relate a true anecdote of the 19fch century, the r -fined cruelty of which should surpass anything that had been related that evening. "Well, Mr Editor, you can fancy how we all shuddered, how the little ones crept into their mother's lap, how the' girls turned pale, and the young gentlemen, includiag myself, pretended not to be in the least alarmed, but I noticed that we all drew our chairs nearer to the fire, pretending that the night was cold. Our host, whose veracity cannot be impeached, and whose word could not be shaken by any of the gentlemen of the black robe in any court in Christendom, having quaffed his tankard, of ale, began in the following strain. As I returned, not many days ago, along theR — r — rt — n beach, in the dusk of the evening, just as the dark shadows were stealing imperceptibly around me, making everything look dark and sombre, I thought I espied a small fire burning on the sandhills, a little way from the beach. Hah ! I exclaimed, here is some bold smuggler making a signal to a distant craft, or perhaps some villanous wrecker carrying on his nefarious trade, intent on luring some ill-fated vessel on our benighted shores, villians thought I, you shall be watched, your wicked deeds brought to light, so I turned my horse, and gently stole unobserved to the very spot. At first I could only discern two dusky forms, but as my eyes got accustomed to the flit-full light, thrown from the dying c nbers, I distinguished a large body on t le ground, that groaned as if in intense agony, whilst close to the fire, lay a searing iron, and some murderous looking instruments, and a sickly smell of burning flesh arrested my attention, and made my flesh creep with horror. - What demoniacal deed is being practised here ! were my first thoughts, when the figures turned and displayed the well-known features of an eminent M.D., Dr. M — rt — n from R — v — rmt — n and Mr R , as also well known in that town. Dr. I exclaimed in a tone of voice hoarse from suppressed emotion, what is the meaning of this ! what foul deed are you perpetrating here ? the question rather startled him, at first I thought he turned to fly, but no, evidently undismayed by anything in human form, he hesitated, stammered, and said, holding up the leg of a horse, Ahem ! I have been performing a surgical operation requiring great scientific skill in handling the instruments of our profession, my friend Mr R les horse broke its leg, a compound fracture some weeks since, and mortification having set in, I have removed it to save the life of the animal. Well, Dr. I said, lam glad to find that it is nothing worse, but surely you now intend to shoot the poor animal, and put it out of its suffering, it must die of hunger. Oh no, Mr R les will supply it with nourishing diet according to my prescription. I shuddered, and turned away, sick and faint at heart. Ah, Mr Editor ! you can picture how we all felt when the tale had ended, how the little ones had sobbed themselves to sleep on their mother's lap, how the girls clung to their fathers arm, and how the gentlemen of the party vowed eternal vengeance against the perpetrators of this evil deed, and now Sir, will you answer these questions. Do we live in the 19th century, and in a civilized country ? Did you ever hear of amputating a horses leg to save his life ? Do you think that they intend to make a wooden leg to save his life ? Can't they be severely punished for cruelty to animals ? Would it not be humane, to send a Sergeant of police to shoot the horse ? — Yours truly, Tbavelleb.