The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-04-08
g.. WHeas a.,. n NJ. Al.

start on my way home. The road was mere
i ly- a cart path through theswoeds; and as
several Others crossed or, joined in various
places, ! felt quite timid, being uncertain
many times which was the one was to fol-
4 Iflow.a They were each as like the other IS
j one pea to his fellow: woods dense and im-
! penetrable, inclosed themi;5 and in addition to
these difficulties, saw that the setting of the
sun would soon leave me without the means
\ OF distinguishing any road all. recOllected
however, that George had told me to keep
! the right hand road all the way, aud as had
! done SO, must be right--though instinct
told both !. Dobbip', and myself quite posi-
/ lively that we were certainly wrorg am
sorry to have to display such degree OF ig-
norance, but am forced toconfess that had
forgotten that of course if l took the right
had road when going to Smokietop, on re-
turning should follow the LEFT. After rid
4 ing Tor what seemed an interfninahle length
! of time, / began to look for the light from
our house-but no light did l see; and heavy
clouds, flying in black masses overhead
threatened rain every moment With unac-
knowledged, terror, making my heart beat
lfaster and faster, and the hands which held
the reins ofivery uncertain use, tried to
cheer up my old horse, and inspire myself
with little confidence by talking aloud-
Little good did it do, however; ; my voice
sounded weak and Aquivering, and could
scarcely have been heard by listener.n For
nearly an hour longer we travelled wearily
! along, and at the. end of that time / ceased
trying 10 conceal from myself the disagree
7able knowledge that 1 was wrong, and had
lost my way! MY heart sunk as. the truth
| forced itself onmy mind. did not know
what 10 do. / could not -retrace 4 he FoadoI
had taken in such thick darkness as now sur
rounded me, and % go forward seemed equal
iyzuseless but jdst at this moment, to my
surprise apd8 delight, i saw a short distance
before me that the woods had been cleared
| away little, and began to fee. faint hope
that house might be near, in which could
find shelter. drove on till ! reached the
opening sthens alightiHg, tied Dobbin' to
tree, and commenced picking my way with
| great care over. stones and branches, and
through briarS and tangled grass AT last my
Ioutstretehed hands touched something which
l could not see, and found my wishes real
lied. | was standing by rough log-rabin
and who could tell what comfort and hospi-
tality might await me within ? | felt along
the sides of the house, till + discovered the
door, then knock ed most emphaticalIy, but
received no answer. 1 turned the latch,
opened the door, and looked in. Darkness
(
sound could be heard to show that it was in.
habited. j felt very much disheartened and
! Immediately gave upall idea of taking ref.
uge there. | am naturally timid, though gem
orally very 10th to acknowledge it.. have a
natural aversion to darkness, and horror of
passing the night in any house alone; re-
turned to the wagon with the intention of
driving around until daylight, with the satis-
faction of having companion at least in the
| poor horse, who, think, disliked the place
and circumstances quite as much as did,
i was just stepping in when 7 felt large
| drop of rain on, my hand and soon after,
/ other drops commenced falling all around on
the dried leaves. ] could have cried with
/ fright and vexation; but collecting all my
courage and common sense, Itried to look at
things IN the right way, and soon. decided it
wonld be perfectly useless for me to go fur
ther That | reached this house so unex-
pecfedly, Immediately before it commenced
raining, lwas'surely providential occurrence,
and one. which i could not do, better than
avail myself Of ! would at least be saved a
good drenching; and passing the night in a
solitary house was not so much worse, after
all, than passing It in a dreary, wet ride.
through unknown regions of forest Fortify-
| ing myself in this way, again alighted; and
1 leading old "Dobbin,' to the back of the
| house, where Thought he would be protect
/ ed from some of the wind and rain and COW
| ering him with a blanket, 1 entered the for
saken dwelling. - - - =. -
! Would that had done ANYTHING hut that
| Fortunatelv had matches With me-
which had boupbt that dav and tearing
! off some paper from a 5bnn]Ie t made an ex.
tempore candle, which j lighted. and which,
though it famed dreadfully and burned down
cursorv exa f,r,in,f;on IL fne ob,da srSt AZ
rected. .mvselfl toTtbe bosrSI shelf that seryed
for, n,antal-n;eca ana
! discovered q candle Iimn,aJ;a.el, iiabsed
If and nroceadad 70 ;ns,3oot tba ro, ,,,oro
Ieisurery At 5res.nt 7 cerfai,,Iy Wa tbs On,
lv tIer s,v, ar
that some one bad -baor t6.r raoa-;nt, r.
was q small b,,1se-sr,,aller 'eyen thar
/ for it contained bnt one room and NO snn
stairs.' Some one of refined tastes had evi-
| IDENTIFY lived fherei for tbera uara iattemmrfe ~
more than mora .con, fort IN sso,, 81 al, ~.
ranoemonts IT, h,d +s,'oor,,. .se a.
room was c,,rtoined .nd ran,inJad NJ of
! those ono sees Of bos,,;,als 7 Iool,ad !, =
ami ,,ndert;s h,,t S,,,,j retb;n ra,,aL daag
table stood an .;,,a,f tbe -o, "a
# ,yas s;re,I.rl,,
wiring desk 6eantifuIIv nisbad with o;lrer
monnfings and t,vo or tbroe hooles I'll
Main hnf b.ndson,a b;ndiros Io,, Z. ~
now ), aid r - yso1f mif ooy,ld n,i,, -
| a knife sbonld- -bss,,,,;+e fsrta,,la
War; Oh ,yisl,oS os .as;II, rrotit;oI =. III.
bpt l;ttle would he loft to ,,isb has'
/. .ket 6lled wifi kindIing-woc. -e,y.,. stond;no
in the chi,,nev-cornar Go,as ~ 'ti +be 'ioar
sbnt II tiybt and yv.,s sbont 70 faste,, + M
tba ,,na7 b;n,ro l,re ~ 5o',,,, he
L