The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-02-15


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/ Ard then master, ! saw for the 6rst Din,
that their faces were covered over with blacl
Grape couldn't a-ecreamed il they d let ne
my breath was cote ia. my senses were 20
ing along with it from the fear that was on
ne
Don't struggle, come along quietly and
you shall not be hurt says the man q
had spoke before.
Struggle ! couldn't n-struggled to a.
saved my soul couldn't speak! | couldn'i
breathe liked to have a-dropped right Cd
Molly's back. One of EN- says, says he:
Give her some brandy And t'other takes
out a 6ask and puts it to my lips and says,
says he:
Here drink this
We'll, master, a. he had me still BY the
scruff O. my neck couldn't do no other way
but open my mouth and drink it And as
soon as ! took swallow my breath came
back and my speech.
And oh, gentlemen, says I, efit's your
money or your life You mean, haint it
about mel Deed clare to the Lord mighty
/ HNiut ~ WA0PPcu up IN 0u jim OossVss
| glove in a hole in the plastering in the chin
ney corner at home, and eff you'll spare
my life, you can 20 there and get it,
! says |.
You old blockhead,' says they, we want
neither one nor tother Come along quietly
and you shall receive no harm But at the
first cry or attempt to escape this shall stop
you And with that the william held the
ID IF MS ~ v,sr 80, ~,
| smelt birthstone, while t'other one bound
a silk Handkerchief round my eyes, and then
took poor Molly's bride and led her along.
couldn't see, in course, and | dissint
breathe for fear o the pistol But sed my
prayers to myself all the time.
Well, master, they led the mule on down
the path, until we come to place wide
enough to turn, when they turned US round
and led US back outen the wood, and then
round and round, and up and down, and
cross ways and length ways,as eff they didn't
want me to find where they were taking
me-.
We'll. sir, when they'd walk about in this
fused way, leadin' of the mule about mile,
knew we was in the woods again-the very
same woods and the very same PATH
knowed by the feel Of the place and the
sound of the bushes, as we hit up against
them on each side, and also by the rumbling
eff the Spout as it tumbled along toward the
Punch Bowl We went down. and down.
and down, and lower, and lower. and lower.
until We got right down in the bottom of that
hollow
Then we stopped. A gate was opened
put up my hand to raise the handkerchief,
and see where | was; but, just at that min
ute, felt the mizzle o the pistol like ring
of ice right agin my right temple, and the
william growled into my ear:
But didn't dropped my hand down
as ii had been shot, and afore had seen
anything either. So we went through the
gate, and up gravelly walk knew by the
cracking of the gravel under MolIy's feet
and stopped at q horse block, where one Of
them villains fitted me off | put up nv
hand again.
Do, if you dare says tother one, with
the miz1le of the pistol at my head.
dropped my hand like lead So they
led me on a little way. and then up some
steps. l counted them to myself as | went
along They were SIX. You see, master,
took all this pains to know the house again.
Then they opened a door that opened in the
middle. They then went along passage
and up more stairs-thers was ten and a
turn, and then ten more Then along another
passage, and then up another flight of stairs.
just like the first Then along another pas
sage, and up third fight of stairs. They
were alike.
'WelI,sir here was at the top Of the house.
One o them williams opened door on the
left side, and t'other said
There, go in and do your duty 7 and push.
ed me through the door and shut and locked
1t on me. Good gracious, sir, how scared
was | slipped off the silk handkerchief, and
feared as was, didn't forget to put it in
my bosom.
Then | looked about me. Right before
me on the hearth was little wenv taper
burning, that showed | was in a great big
garnet with sloping walls AT the end two
corner windows, and a black walnut bureau
standing between them. At t'other end a
great tester bedstead with dark curtains.
There was a dark carpet on the floor And
with all there were SO many dark objects
and SO many shadows, and the little taper
burning SO dimly that | could hardly tell
t'other from which, or keep from breaking
my nose against things as | CROPPED about
And what was in this room for to do?
! couldn't even firm an idea. But present
ly my blood ran cold to hear a groan from be
hind the curtains-then another-and anoth-
cry as of child in mortal agony,
saying:
For the love of Heaven, save mel
ran to the bed and dropped the curtains
and like to have tainted at what saw
AID what did you see ? asked the mag
istrate
Masters behind those dark curtains, saw
a young creature tossing about on the bed,
finging her fair and beautiful arms about,
and tearing wildly at the fine lace that
trimmed her night Dress But, Master,
that was not what almost made me faint-it
was that her right hand was sewed up in
black Grape, and her face and head COM
pletely covered with black Grape drawn down
and fastened securely around her throat
leaving only small slit at the lips and
nose to breathe through
w hat take care woman remember that
you are upon your oath 7 said the magis-
trate.
know it, master. And as hope to he
forgiven am telling you the TRUTH
Go on, then
Weilslr she was young creature, scarcely
past childhood, if one might judge by her
small size, and soft, rosy skin. asked her
% let me take that black Grape from her face
md head, but she threw up her hands and
Oh, no. no, no, for my life mol
Wel.smaster, hardly know how to tell
you what followed said the old woman.
lesitating in embarrassment
20 right straight on like car of Jug |
yernaut, woman! Remember the whole |
ruth
Well master, in the next two hours there
we're twins born in that room-a boy and a |
,irl; the boy was dead, the girl living. And |
VI the time heard the measured tramping
u one OF them williams up and down |
he passage outside OF the room Presently
he steps stopped. and there was a rap at the |
loor. ! went and listened, but did not open
t.
is it over 2 the voice asked
Before | could answer, a cry from the bed
aused me to look round. There was the
'oor masked mother stretching ont her