Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-07-29
'fhe Murdered Traveller.

f. .a .
| was travelling through Nortl
Carolina, an9 ] did not at all like th'
idea Of passing the night alone il
the stage coach, not, OF course, tha
there was anything to fear, but :,
night alone in the coach is ths
fmost gloomy Of all nights.
A. sunset We reached small vii
liage, were ! supped alone. and the
fare was mean enough to testify The
landlords utter 6nptempt for a
solitary passenger, albeit his table
Was spread for tea. ] hoped that
| might have a companion, for the
prospect of the cull evening before
me was gloomy in the extreme; and
! don't know but that, if ] could
have found suitable person, |
should have been willing to pay
his fare, rather than face the night
alone @
| dispatched my supper, and the
driver had intimated wish that j
would hurry UP my cakes and |
bad complied by hurrying them
down. f t aS
"As | am alone, driver, l suppose
you Will not object to my smoking
Inside" | said, as I was about to
resume my seat. .asQf.
"You are not alone -
"Eh?n 3e
"a young woman will keep you
comnany," 81
Excellent How far does she
go?''
Through to Wellen. y
This was pleasing, and ] was viii
ling to forego the luxury Of my ei.
gtr to get sight Of my companion
before the darkness yelled her from
my curious eyes. / entered the
coach, Jehu cracked his whip, and
away we went.
The "young woman" had taken
possession or the back seat, rs in
right she should and placed my
self upon the front seat. She Was II
very pretty girl, not more than
eighteen, we'll dressed, though not in
the style of Broadway OF Chesput
street. She looked very sad, and
several times, as the stage whirled
away, ] noticed tear in her eye.
With some officially / managed
to draw her into conversation, the
pertinent pats Of which ] shall pres.
emily iranscribe. I was glad she Gid
aot deem me impertinent, for her
story was fall ofinterest, and ! dare
say, ! asked great many saucy
questions.
Il am in great distress, she re-
piled, "and | have mind to stop the
coach, aud walk back hcme."
"Why So"
You seem to be a very kind per-
sou, stranger, aud | will tell you all
about it. la few words, ana rum
ming away from home ges
sln4eed?'p' sas ,s
'ssfy father don't use me just as
j think he ought.
''He is not cruel to. You. ] hope!"
"WeH, not exactly cruel, but he
viii not permit me 70 marry the man nal
of my choice. ~ /; s.,i..
ventmed to suggest that parents
often had good reasons for their CD.
iectiens to lovers. i5 .T
"That may be; but I think John
Oxford is as good young man as
any in these parts, and I have de-
terlnined to have him. ss
"Where is your father? Will he
not pursue yoo?" ] asked. :
s.He has gone TO the South to buy
stock, and | am to meet John some-
where or the road -.
"But your father nay return BY
this way" :.
sNo, he will 60 TO Raleigh first" !"
| cheered up the runaway, whose
name was Martha Stoneham, as we'll
as could, and she had disbordened
her mind of the secret. | caution
ed her not to throw herself away upon
a wofthless fellow, who might be
seeking her fathers property rather
than herself, for she had informed
me that her father was in easy cir.
cumstances. She knew John Oxford
and didn't fear anything. and after
she was married, if her father bad a
mind 10 forgive her he might, but
she didn't care much whether he
did or not, ~ as !, !,
This was North Carolina "bluff,
however, for ! could see that she