Daily union appeal. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-186?, 1862-08-19

succeed In finding the little feot-path that led |.
TO the spring, but reached it from another d. |
rsction- Thsre it bubbled up, cool and spark |
ling. among long fringes of fern, and q rude |
cup Of eoconut shell was fastened BY chain |
to the stem of q slender young birch that bent |
gracefully above. How eagerly my little boy
drank, and after we had both stated our thirst, |
I bathed his hot brow aud damp curlss with
the linpid tide, until he laughed brightly in
my face. s@ =
When we set out TO return to the road, /
took, as imagined, the right path, but instead
of leading me out Of the woods, It seemed to
mislead me in the interminable depths of
trees and messy stones l was so sure, howey-
or, of being right, that it was not for some
time that the truth flashed upon me we were
astray in the woods In vain ! strained my
eyes through the cool green labrynths-all
points of the compass seemed alike. Charlie
was tired and began to sob on my shoulder,
and In truth felt very much inclined to do
the same thing, as sat hoPelessiy down on a
iichen-eovered boulder.
All of sudden there Yves q beading back Of
branches and rustling of leaves, and like an
apparition, a tall pale woman stood before me,
with a little basket in her hand and q faded
black shawl wrapped, Spanish fashion, around
her head. ! was ovetjoyed TO see 9 human
being, and eagerly stated my dilemma to the
new conner. e g-H
"Lost-lostl" she repeated vaguely, ayes,
l can show you the way. Comeia
She pulled me up by the srm and hurried
through the woods at pace that rendered it
almost impossible for me to keep up with her,
burdened as was by my tired child.
"Tou are so slowl +" she said pettishly. 40,
sect is because you carry that great babe.
But you can leave him under the busiest
stared at her, appalled-she burst into an
unmeaning laugh.
aDon't you understand" said che, you are
Hagar and am Sarah, and that is the little
| Ishmaell Sarah hated him, you know We
will make sacrifice of him--that will be best,
won't it, Hagar7p
/ uttered faint scream and recoiled from
her, as if to fly, bat she seized me with grasp
like that of iron, her eyes fairly blazing.
"Ahl" she said, "you want to get away
| Wait-and I'll settle that business -
She caught Charlie away, in spite Of my
| struggles, for my strength was nothing to hers,
and the first knew, my hands and feet were
| bound with faded ribbons and shawls she
| plucked from her own dress, and lay painting
on the grass, uttering wild shrieks, while she
| deliberately took up Charlie, who gazed at her
with terrified wide open eyes.
"Here's good fat stone" she said, sand
dry sticks for fire. and l have sharp knife
that stole one day when Mady was not look
| ing-we will have nice sacrifice r.
"Stop, stopi for Heavens cake, stopi' I
| shrieked. "You would not murder my
childP'
"Eot murder-it isn't murder-only sac
rifeei But we ought to have q lamb Per-
haps there is one in the woods. Wait Boy,
till come back
Charlie, released from her grasp, ran scream
| ino IN I az
and the woman looking back with demoniac
smile 10 see that We were both safe, plunged
into the woods and disappeared from view.
For moment the danger was over, but who
could tell when the fury might returnt /
struggled into q sitting position, though my
bonds were SO tight that every movement was
agony, and tore at the ribbons that confined
my hands with my teeth, Charlie sobbing the
| while. Thank Heaven, they were old and
| moments labor To unloose my feet and catch
ing up Charlie, fed, with agoniEed terror Of
swiftness that needed no briars or thorns, and
only knew the wild longing to be gone-to be
safe. / knew not in which direction was
flying, but all at once there was q cracking Of
bows as of human footsteps-I grew chill
with horror-was she upon me had she over
taken me7 I'D
"HAllop exclaimed deep voice. "Why,
madam, Is this your
Il was Richard, cur gardener, with two other
men. @
'fSaye me, save meP shrieked, spent with
terror and f4tigue; "iont let her come near
me-"
"Then she is here" said another man. 1--WE
were looking for Miss Morford, the mad lady
naam she escaped, no one knows how, thl.
morning, and she's capable of any amount Of
mischief, once she is loose. Has she frightened
your
But was in no condition to answer. The
instant Richard took the screaming child
from my arms, the wall of woods seemed II
swim around me, and I sank senseless upor
the ground. asage #sr9 nT
The swoon must have lasted many hours
for when awoke the starlight was bright OF
my white curtained bed at home, and Charli,
was asleep beside me- in his tiny night-dress
as serenely rs if the shadow of great danger
had not overpast him. My husband sat besid,
me, holding one hand in MS. a
ais she safe 2" was my first wild question, q.
recollection dawned on me.
''Safe, love in the old gray tower, whenc'
there u no danger Of her again escaping
They found her in the woods, apparently be
wildere1 at the absence of her intended VIC
Tins. But oh, my dearest p he murmured
folding me in his arms, "what a terrible peri
you have escaped. We learned it all through
her disjoinsed rawlings. Thank God, that yoI
are restored to meP' as Hsea
1t was weeks before I recovered from thl
dreadful effects on my nervous system of ths
afternoons danger; but ] never again wisheC
for an adventure.
Mathematical Hospital Patient.
On our trip up, we had on board tall