Butte record. (Bidwell, Butte County, Cal.) 1853-1858, 1857-07-11

tudI uC pdsS'u OUT camp Win u cOin-
panion, and their two mules laden with
the flesh of a noble elk, the fruits of
their days hunt. 1t was not alone in
the heart of the wife, that anxiety was
playing its fearful game that night.
From the moment that Lally notIc-
ed the departure of Tenn, he seemed
like one who had lost his only friend.
His anxiety aai grief assumed a fea-
ture so closely bordering on despair,
that our utmost endeavors to reconcile
him were utterly without avail, nor
were we other than absolutely amazed
at the depth OF feeling he manifested
and when Tenn did return, which was
near midnight, and had retired to his
tent, murmur Of voices was continu-
ed therein, till the night-watch an
nounced the coming morn.
Pale, feversh, and weak was Lally,
as he mounted his animal that morn
ing. Starting early. we came upon
the camp of the hunters company just
as they were ready for move, and
more than one of US noticed something
we thought as peculiar in the rccogni-
ton that passed between Capt. Tenn
and the hunter S wife; but owing to
the circumstance of his gallantry the
evening before, the apparent familiari-
ty was ,houg ght of no more. Just then
Lally was taken more violently i'll, and
with every symptom Of that dreaded
scolrge, the chole "A, that while it sport
ed With, had deoimated many compa
nys
We were compelled to stop and pro
vide Cor our sick comral,e as best we
could. Between four and FIVE Ill the
afternoon, during a moment when Lal-
ly seemed to be sleeping, Tenn seized
his rife, and leaping upon his best
mule, said 'Take good care Of Lally
when he wakes, for | intend to have
an elk or antelope before I Sleep He
then started back ia the direction of
Pacific Springs. But e'er an hour had
elapsed our suffering friend awoke, and
raising himself up and not seeing Tenn
any where around, asked for him. On
being told that he had gone for short
hunt, and would be back soon, with a
wild shrek that sent a thrill 20 every
heart around him, he exclaimed, as he
fell back upon his blankets--HeN II nerer
come again
Night came, bat it brought only de-
lirium te poor Lady, for Tenn did not
return.
1t Wis toward midnight, when rack
ed ty terrible par zysm, and his
brain reeling under the pressure Of de-
lirium, that Lally first revealed the
secret, now preying SO heavily upon
his soul, and what think you it was :
1t was pot that he was murderer, not
that he was worse than this, sedueer,
Lally's only crime was, being aoomaa !
the blsely deceived, aud Eow aban
doned victim of Tenn.
For three days and nights more, did
the lamp of life in poor Lally, flicker
betwe reason and delirium, till at
last it went family out, and though |
Mo.ber,' and 'Brother,' were often
upon her lips, she bre 'thed no other
name. Nor could we learn her name
from her destroyer, for he nercr came
agois!
Ten DAYS since, while travelling in
the interior, as | was casually remark
ing upon the probable entrance of ene
o, the branches of the South Pass wa
gon road into California, by the Honey
Lake Valley route, and was speaking
OF the local beauty of the valley and
its advantages as place of settlement,
a stranger, occupying "A seat IN the
stage with me, exclaimed, as it seemed
almost involutariy, Sir, you speak of
Honey Lake Valley, there are remin-
iscences connected with that spot, that
| would deem it boon above any 9TH
er gift, would Heaven but blot them
from my memory!' |
This was just enough TO awaken my
curiosity, and remarked that too,
was acquainted with one fact of inter
est as conn seted with that loeality, aud
as all present seemed drsirous ofknow-
ing what it was. quickly and without
thought replied, graveless tomb
stone or rather head-toard without
a grave, an inscription without name
All present noticed that something
ike thrill of horror shook the frame
of the stranger, he bowed his head but
uttered not q word; while at the re-
quest of many present, entertained
them, or tried to do SO, by a recital of
scenes and events that occurred during
our three months journey upon the
plains, and among them the incident of
Lally's deseriiGn and death.
On arriving at the hotel and stop
ping for the night, the stranger called
for room, and asked me to accompa-
ny him thither. l followed without
hesitation, believing from lis demean-
or that be had something which he
wished, perhaps privately, to impart.
! Closing the door, be began at once by
saying, You, sir. have related this day
that part of tale of horror to which
was stranger, and yet l am the only
one living in possession of the full Sc
cret of its more terrible sequel; and
strange as it may seem, feel an al
most irresistible desire 30 acguaint you