The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-05-28

! Wheu get lu
All but then you'll find IL such a dread
ful road, said he. The lane Is nothing
but sIush and quagmirc from one end to the
other"
No matter. We must pick our way
through ltas well As we can, AMI get out Of
1t as soon as possible
Yes said he, $50 you must Bot then
it's SO dismalIy Iong--a league ana hall, if
not near upon TWO.
"No matter, no matter; We shall find
the end OF it. sooner or later, hope
How unfortunate though, yon rid,
pony" said he Why, you'd get through
a thousand times better On horseback
You'll be caked with dirt up to your mid
die"
ooh, never mind that. Dirt will brush
off"
"Ah l only wish you could have started
earlier" said the captain. Its now Just
upon sunset; and, with such nghtas this
III another halfhour or SO you'l have it pitch,
dark"
well we must do the best we can, YOU
know. If we cant see our way, we must
feel it,"
Yes, that's Just what was thinking" :"
said he. "You'll have to grope for it, no
doubt. But then. unfortunately, from the
present. state Of the road, you'lI find that far
from agreeable One time you'l lay hold
of dead bullock; another, ola dead man"
"Never mind, never mind. OF course, in
the dark, we shant be able to tell the diff
ference, so it won't matter which
Hang it all" said Captain Gabion
81 can't express to You how vexed fee! on
your account Why, | came through this
lane myself day or tw- ago, and could
hardly get along, though it was daylight
What will you ever do, with all this con-
voy at your heels, passing it by night a?
Why, it's darker already than when you
started.
Well, at any rate we shall have hedge
on each side of us. That will tell us where
we are, if we have no other clue"
Yes, yes, said he, every true so it will
It's dreadful slow work, though, feeling your
way, after dark, through a long pudd y lane
klleedeep in mire, by the help OF the hedge
especially if there happens to be a ditch
between, which you'll find to be the case
In short I'm 50 perfectly convinced You'll be
stuck for the night, shall make point to-
morrow of sending working party, before
noon, if possible TO dig you all out; that is,
if you are to be found above the surface. II
not, you know, we must bore for you or sink
a shaft"
"Thank you, thank you; much obliged.
Hope you'll remember and send some break
fast at the same time"
"Why, Mr.. Y" roared Captain GA
bion, bursting into an uncomfortable fit of
laughter, 81 really do think you'l make a
good campaigner in time-that is fyou have
practice enough. Il
1t soon became too evident, as we proceed
ed on our march, that Captain Gabion had
given no exaggerated description of the
route now before us. The surface of the
soil, near the river, was loose sand or rub
bic. But this gradually disappeared in the
ane, and was succeeded by subsoiI of thick
clay, equally soft, sobby and tenacious
poached, too, by the passage OF cavalry and
commissarat bullocks, and trenched by wag-
gons and artillery. There were, indeed, but
few parts of the road, except where it was
water-courses, or occupied all across by
piashy inundations, where a careful walker
might not have picked his way without abb
solute danger of detention or absorption.
But, with party like ours, picking was not
always so easy.
Riding on at the head of The party at
tempted to pick my way as far as | could
see it. by making Sancho 60 as | thought
best. This led to frequent contests between
Sancho and me. Sometimes he had his
way, and we got on well. Sometimes |
was positive and had mne which generally
led to plunge and splash. Fired Of this,
| dismUunted and led him. Still it was
troublesome work. Sancho thought be
knew better than did aud often when /
pulled one way, he pulled the other. At
length | gave up the contest, led hun with
a slack rein, and pulled no longer. This
was Just what he wanted and left to him.
self, ne picked his way admirably. no.
ticed, as we passed, several such obstruc.
/ tons as Captain Gabion, had described
and once or twice, came very disagreeably
in contact with them. At length STUN.
. bled over what knew not what and almost
fell; took hold of something OH the ground
it was cod hand that did not return NV
: grasp. Are you a. poor man Do you
shake hands with rich men! You will un
stand the kind of thing. Not relishiug sucI
salutatons, | was induced to try Il different
I dodge; and, finding that Sancho went very
well with a slack rein, while | walked
thought perhaps he might stiil do the same
if mounted. Turning for the purpose,
saw, close at hand, in the gloom OF night
what looked very like ghost the ghos
of myself! Here was |, bride in hand
) standing at Sancho's head. And there wa
! /, alter ego, mounted on Sancho's back
: While / looked, my mounted double sud
denly disanneared The snecfrnl nra nora