The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-12-31

some one. When she caught sight of
Myrtle, she paused moment, and looked
at her earnestly-but not more earnest
ly than Hugh was now regarding her.
She was a fue-looking woman, of per-
haps forty-she looked thirty-fve-and
beautiful as in her earliest youth. Her
bonnet was swinging from her arm, for
the day was warm. Her hair was put
up in a classic braid behind, and clus
tering in rich ringlets down either side
of her face; her cheeks were as fair as
a girls, and flushed with exercise; her
form was full, but graceful; and her
step light.
IT'S the dead alive ?" gasped Hugh
She heard and saw him not: /: her eyes
were upon the face of the young girl.
She threw her bonnet and scarf upon
the grass, and ran and claspcd her in her
arms.
{" My child-my own little Minnie J
say, are you not.?" she cried, holding
the surprised girl away from her, SO as
to gaze again upon her countenance.
at am Myrtle = Myrtle Fielding.
What do you mean ?" asked the young
girl, confused by this unexpected appa.
rition.
s' Fieldingl" said the lady, in voice
which thrilled to Hugh's inmost heart.
y Hugh Fielding WAS it he who found
you ?'' .z-gf. .-.s..
at was"
"And were you lost, fifteen years ago
this day, upon a prairie? Speak, speak
quickly: are you my child ?''
Are you my mother ?" was the re-
sponse; and the two clasped hands and
clung together as if they had longed for
each other since the moment. they were
SO terribly separated.
"Myrtle, do I see you again F' said
a doep voice beside them.
Both started, but it was not our Myr-
tie who was addressed this time. The
lady gave one glance of those still glo-
rious eyes into Hugh's, and sank faint
ing in his arms.
" Forgive" he heard her whisper, as
her senses deserted her.
Myrtle ran for water to the lake,
while Hugh supported that beautiful
head upon his bosom with a strange emo
tion. She was sure she saw him kissing
those pale sheeks as she hastened back
with her straw hat dripping from the
wave.
"It was too muoh," said Mrs. Sher
wood, as she came back to life. "It is
weak and foolish for we'll people to faint.
But to find my child, and to find you,
Hugh'' .--
F." Whose fault was it that you ever
lost me ?" he asked, with bitterness, as
the dreariness of twenty years returned
upon his heart.
"Not mine Alone" was the reply.
"That was not firm enough in resist
ing the mandates of a father, who had
selfish purpose in giving me to that
man, that man." she added, with a slight
shudder, "who perished so fearfully,
and who was the father of my child; for
that, I shall remember him with respect
if not Affection
When Mrs. Sherwood was recovered
sufficiently to sit upon the grassy knoll
under the tree, and tell the story of the
past, while holding tight to her daugh.
ter's hand, she gave a brief account,
which she afterwards made more circum-
stantial. of what happened after they
were surprised by the Indians and her
husband murdered. Herself and her
companion in suffering, the wife of the
other murdered man, were driven off in
the wagon; and, in an attempt to escape
with her child from the back of the ve-
hicle, she had been detected, and jerked
back SO rudely as to cause her to drop
the infant They would not pause to
pick it up, but hurried on, unmindful
of her agony. & s-"
She herself CHANGED to have knife
in her pocket, which she resolved should
liberate her by death, if no other chance
of succor offered and possibly it might.
be of service in securing her both life
and liberty.
The first day they left the wagon, and
journeyed on foot through the wilder
ness. Her companion sank down, and
died before night. She journeyed on,
urged by the speed of her tormentors,
until the second night, when they bound
her, hungry, weary, with bleeding feet
and aDguished heart, to the earth, and
went off for water and food, intending
to return and camp at that place. They
had stopped before reaching water, be-
cause she could go no further. As soon
as they mad disappeared down hillside,
leaving no one to watch her, she cut
the thongs which bound her, and ran for
her life. She did not know, when she
arose, that she could place one foot be-
fore the other; but fear and hope gave
her superhuman energy. In few min
utes, she. came to stream. In this she
waded to put them at fault The cool
II r !