The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-08-27
AN ILLINOIS STORY.
THE LOST TRAVELLER.
BY II. G. CHIpMAN.
CuAPiER |.
THE MONT RIDE.

ting wind prepared 10 mount hi- horse noble
appearing blg charger. who stood chalnping his
bn- ~ II impatient Of delay.
He was accompanied hv the, landlord sleek
laced individual who had grUwn lat u?m ;he
patronage the public had bestowed on him, ~
hi. chan.ed 10 he the oily place Of eutef,a'u-
ment within twenty five inlet Of the spot He
seemed To 0s demonstrating with the person up
on setting out to cross the prairie At 80 late an
huur.
I'll tell you What il is, Nj Ienox,' he rxclaini
ed ~ i.eirav.llrr threw the rrins of his tritlr
over the neck At bi- horse, Its my opluun youie
gong to- have stormy night Of H. as those cloud
N the North are filed with snow. Better stop
uutil morning aud take day light for sing the
prsIre I've known many suUd man to get
lo-t IN snow storm on that big plan, and some
thri frore too before they 80, oil, Better stay
all night
No Broadrick | thank ycu,' answered Lenox
quickly IT il impossible, must be in Trclooul
ty nlns O'Clock 10 morrow morning
"Wrll. well. II YOU will 60. cannot help it,
But mind nv word you'll wish you had taken
nv ad'icr. before ,ou are done thus nights tramp,
or | am mistaken ID almost NJ soon see YOU
die, n. nttrmp, What youare going to-
would say. l4rdud but my honor depends
Upon getting t. fremont ~ lie time told YOU
Good nc,' snd Leuox hold out hi, hand 10 the
landlord, who gave ita hearty shake.
q" b,e, 10y, good bye, ald | hope YOU may
get over It in safety
The travelled replied hy throwing himself up.
on his horse. and waving his hand TO Broud
rick, as b.. gallan, siscJ g.lloped from tho
door.
Elger Leuox, the young man who set ont up.
on the night ride from tie tavern. was person
rIa,N Hx.. ,f, 9
guine and fearless dsp istion and one who re-.
gafdcd his honor ns the dearest thing of his life
Some twelve month rreviou. to the opening Of
our story, he had been engaged in business with
a man named Nole IN the village of Pckin. but
before hey had been connected long. his part
nuF committed forgery upon n mercantile firm
iu Peoria and upoa IT'S being discovered. fled
the place. leaving LenOx to stand the brunt Of
ms evil deeds a. the forgery had been com.
m,tsd in the name Of the firm EIger was ar
rested Ard tried aS cu-pIruer IN the guilt and
held I" ban IN s5 TOO 10 appear at cuufi. An
old farmer named Lincoln, residing in the edge
"f Grand + airie. had went security aud given
the necessary bones for the appearance of Lenoz
and he was permitted 70 run RI large. De had
been absent fnr sevrrul monlhs AZ Springfield
nni WAS rn his way 20 TtchODt to sand III trinl
which was TO come uH the dat after he lrf Broad
rick tavern and It WIS the -tr"rg desire To be
present aud nv so dong secure ms hH,"r. that
induced HIN to undergo the p'rils Of q Iide un u
dark night over the gloomy prairie.
1hc wird cut ttenly, ani brew strong breeze
from IL" North, ~ he mounted the hf-t little
knoll Of the large plan, and cast hI' ewes over
the dieaiy "Xpanre betHe him For twenty
mI"s ID" Rad lay tht"ush VIDE valley, win
not bu'h or tree I" break ne extensive gaze
ANA Lruox s'uddeted as lie beheid the sun sIhk
h"hlnd TIE western horizon a"d saw the gloom
o'mrht grndnaly setting upon the spot Bat
with compressed lips hc gaYea loose rem to hIi
tue horse who striking into swift prce bore
I liz dsUniless rider rapidly into the prairie.
| Heavy clouds covered the Northern ky and
driven gradually hy the wind. spread over the
entire surface OF the hraven~ and some hour'
gt'sr Lcnox entered The prn,'ie ho iel' h.ke at e'
lake 81 SHOW htEih 10 !HiI upon MS lace, hi'
become aware that he WAS about to eucoan'c'
. the most dreaded of all evi's, night rIdc "ve'
/ the wide valley IN a heavy snow storm. Noise
/ lcs~lv Tie snow came down, and the dark bosom
Ui 'he earth soon began to grow white beneath th'
storm, aud each moment the ROAD grew mof'
aud more dim under 'he snow.
/ An hour passed, an" ~ VAIN the eye oil Ei
gat cnIrnIorej TO trace tho outlines o! the hiRh
way over which he was travelling lie coul,
discern nothing but one wide white eXpause O
u"o''"'>'.'u '""".rve'y "',e'e n''he' A,u "'''u:
/ WY "'''"'"" ~ VI, ''"u' e""er ~ w
'"'"e''"'', "e u''"'" we "''I W o''no "'' ""
Wy ""' "' "'o'e e'e" P",".o ,"p''', ~, wa,
""""s" L''"S U" .W'''"" ""''" ''e"''u w ",
"'"',v" ,', |"''s ~ E''"A 'H'I''s 0PP''"e 81"
yLn. ,I.a. ,',,. I,,,,. r,lI,,lhr and .xor an,
.,,r rJ,a. o,n'l ,E.,;r,n.h ,I. Lnul ~ ,h
nr,,,;. w,J, n. !, ,,ss L,rI and I,.msi ,,ar ,h
XIII u,s,. ..,,,,,L lin, oni ,b.r d,.J ,v,v n
,L,. ,rny. No n,L., ,,n,, s,nt ,Inwn her chser
;m,, ,t. ,I.;n nv ,n,;nlI;r, s,,r oil,
t.T.d wi,h If. G..hls r,b, in ,he Jn,k DOM
,h.ve brt an. M,ck clnnI hid all from ,i.w
and ne tho lorc ,,,v.ll., r,i.,d A.. wi,fl f,ce Il
heaven IN catcb . ylimnse of tho skv IN, col,
snow d,ons fell tbirk and fast upon bi. I.ile
cheels warning HIM that Tho storm still ta,.
an
At Las, be o .i,ed tho shelter 81 some ,imbe,
TIL. n. trs,, J., n. .na,sn L,,pre.s which CIV
o,.d tho w,v and ,bs cors,,,, EALING of n
wind and hc,rp almn., bs,umn.d with cold. h
d,.,norutod fr,m ,b. bn,.. ,i.d him 10 a bu.l
Which h. f,nnd hy t.,i,ny Around him and the
h.gnp to walk ,nd inmn bri.tlv about tn .,t ,b
stay,,,, blood !, c,rc,i,,i,o. This exercise h
coutinucl until d,y b,ok.over the spot. and n
s,,n n. il was I,b, .rouyh Ia So. brc,n to ~
nlore hi, nn.i,inn II. found hims.lfin tho hea
,, ,..,. l ; ii,
-" '","t ," n h,,naL., I,nL, "A aro,n
,r ~ "''"'''''S "'r ,i hs.S a,,;
w" op', o''' '"'' VI "'',' Wv ".',u Nv
' '" Nv ''' ", WV WV Wv, ,,,.,,, l., -,
s,;ar ", a' ". ~, , aJ,'" ''A'" "' ''' "'