The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-05-06

a IT Z
rations to resume their journey. Ifeisn-
ed sleep, determined to delay the crisis
| as long as possible Presently the wo,
man cane and took me by the arm. Civ.
Ing NE rough shake, and pu,teriDg to
the purpose that. they must be moving
and | might as well let them have The
| rest oftheir duds. 'N
stared at them stupidity, ribbed my
eyes and relapsed again iuto feigned Sc
ml-unconsclous, Another shake. did
not stir. Still another, and this time it
lifted NE squsrely upon my feet. could
hesitate no longer. The worst had come.
aud must face it eourageously.1 B. g.
''Go about your bu-inessl' / said re=o-
lutely, standing up frm and uDHinehing
before them; "but leave this box. If you
carry it one inch ,from here you will have
TO kill me first" ..." ''I l's1a aar a
She stepped back few PAGES and glar-
ed at me with the maligni,y of 6end-
but though trent bled from head to foot
with fear, | did not quail OF falter at her
gaze. They looked at each other under.
standingly, and then, as if some sudden
plan bad been silently matured between
them, they both sprang towards me.--
Quick as the movement was. l. had time
to comprehend it, aud as the WON an came
forward with the bound Of an enragcd til
ger, stretched out my hands and plant.
ed them full in her chest so forcibly that
she reeled and staggered back ag gain>t the
board wall. The next moment the fierce
brawny arms Of her companion. | felt
his strong hand upon my throat, his hot,
filthy treath in my face. gave quick
silent prayer to Heaven for protection,
and knew nothing more. Es r..s
When came back to consciousness,
the dim rays Of a lantern Illuminated the
hovei. and, Lucy, white, fri ightened and
sobbinp, was clingingro my neck Faith
er, Cnleb and Willie, with two of our
neighbors, were tauding over me, and in
one corner of the room, bound fast to.
getber, were the man and woman, whose
very presence made me shudder and grow
faint again. .s-a -e Ee
Going home that night, with Lucy by
my side, Willie in front, carrying the Ian
tern. and father, Caleb and the neishbors
bringing up the rear with the prisoners,
Willie told me the story. 70 az @-.
Bravo bad reached home about FIVE
minutes after they bad returned from
fruitless search. They had deeiphered
the ill-written message, and started i'm
mediatcl to the rescue. Falling in with
a couple of the ncig ghbors, they had asked
them to accompany them; and what had
seemed such an age Of waiting and
suspense to me. could not have been more
than three e-quarters of an hour.
They bad found me just after I had
faiutcd, and had no difficulty in overpow-
ering and binding the wrctches who as
sailed me. Finding escape impossible,
and hoping by that means to obtain their
release, they bad confessed to the abduc-
tiou OF Lucy, and told them where to find
her. When they opened the chest, she
was yiDy tied, upon her back. her tunic
was torn of and used as gag, her hands
fastened by the ribbons of her hat, aud
her ancles bound
They had stolen her because they tho't
she would make a valuable adiitron TO
their number, and attract money by her
beauty and daucing. They had uotioned
her from the piazza, and under pretence
Of showing her some pretty manages. de-
coved her into the woods. They had in
tended to travel that light. to escape de-
lection, aud not compel her to exhibit
herself till they were safe from pursuit;
but their plans were thwarted, and they
were punished by imprisonment
Many years have passed since then
Father aud mother are sleeping side by
side in the church ard. Willie has just
graduated honorably at college, and Ca
leb and | shall occupy the old home stead
A little Lucy. with blue eyes and brown
curl.. now sits upon our Lucy's knee, and
calls ber mother. gsg-r e'eF-l-E-