Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-11-05

v
grew weaker every moment, and vague and
sickIy alarm seized me. Suppose l should
swoon upon that moor-my head was gddy
and my limbs unsteady already what dread
full death under the fast-falling snow awaited
me?
I" At this horrible thought, a cold sweat
suffused my whole body, and my parched
tongue Glove to my palate to my last hour |
shall not forget the horror of that picture OF
death which rose before my minds eye that
night. The pain of my arm grew more exces-
sive every moment; it hung by my side like
a leaden weight. But, strange to say, even
with the grim terror Of death before me, a
Wild desire began to creep over me to lie
down upon the snow and rest. Had | done
50, no doubt, the last sleep would have fol-
lowed. But luckily just then a faint glimmer
OF light caught my eye, and with the eager
ness of awakened hope l hurried toward it.
In few minutes I found myself at the open
door Of a wretched cabin, on the hearth of
which a wood fire was burning.
'Halloon was the greeting | received
from rough voice-'who the - are YOU,
and what dye want here such a night as
this ?"
"The wood which burned on the hearth
was fresh and damp, and filed the cabin with
smoke as well as with a pungent odor. 1t
took some little time to discover, in the far
corner from whicl, the voice proceeded, the
figure of man large, gaunt and broad shout
dered, raggedly clad, with dark, scowling
face, and buIlet-head, covered with coarse,
black, matted hair.
81 hurriedly explained to this person my
mis-adventure. He rose and pushed towards
me the stool on which he had been seated.
Sit you down, man. he said somewhat
less roughly; you look weak, and broken
arm is no trife. Though what we can do for
you, hang me if | know. But what errand
took you out upon the moor such night as
this?'
e was going from Longley on important
business, to Farmer Carston'S.'
:" From Longlcv to old Carston's = he ex-
claimed 'Whew Why, man, you chose a
very roundabout way to get to your journeys
end
Roundabout? What do you mean?' l
asked
''' mean that Carston's is nearly in the
opposite direction, WAS his answer. And
you have been steadily walking away from it
for the last half hour at least"
And how far am | from it now p
"' Some four good miles at least
to be done -? | asked the man to guide ME to
Carston's, and offered to pay him well.
"' Not for all the money they say old Cars
ton has in the bank he answered, would
attempt to go over the moor tonight. Why
man, the snow is falling SO thick you couldn't
see yard before you. 1t would be as much
as our lives are worth. Men have their doom
upon that moor outside, before now on such
night rs this
'All this time the pain of my arm was
growing more intolerable, and help of any
kind was impossible there. What was I TO
do Stay in this wretched place till morning
and endure my agony till daylight should
bring chance Of aid? There was no alterna-
tive.
"' All you can do said the man. is to keep
where you are tonight; and be thankful that
you have the shelter of even these miserable
walls on such night os this 1t will be well,
even if this internal snow storm does not
bury the cabin itself before morning. If you
want anything to eat, you can have crust of
all we have-and in that room
inside you may lie down on the straw till
morning comes. But you do look horribly
beaten up; here Sally, up with you, lass and
get us the black one
Z" turned to the other corner, beside the
fire, to which these words were addressed
and now beheld, for the first time, young
woman sitting beside a child that lay asleep
upon the ground. | turned, and found her
eyes fixed upon me with a strange, eager
glare. She was miserably clad, and looked
sickly and thin, yet her face showed the trace
of much personal beauty. She was delicate
fair; every feature was beautifully moulded :;
and her long disheveled hair, of golden
tinge, actually g!istened in the blaze of fire.
But what struck me most about her was the
hungry, wolish glare of her eyes, so unnatu-
rally large-tastcned as it was upon me, that
wild, eager look made my heart sick with
vague feeling of dread and dislike
Tho woman did not speak but she went
to large chest at the other end Of the room
(almost the only article of furniture in the
place, eNcepta rickcty deal table and "A couple
Of stools) and took frem it "A large black bot
tie and a broken cup.
Come said the man, taking the cup and
the bottle, and pouring some of the contents
OF the one into the other, you did not expect
perhaps, to see anything like this in a shop
herds hut on the moor. No matter; it came
to us some way, Try 1.-THE brandy is good
and you could not take better physic to night
Most gratefully did | seize the cup and
drink of the contents and never was cordial
more welcome. The blood came coursing
warmly through my shivering frame again,
and for Il while | even forgot the excessive
pain of my broken arm. Declining the bread
which the man offered, | drew nearer to the
fire. | took the pistol from my breast pocket
and laid it on the ground beside me; and as
[ stopped to do this, the bag of gold struck
against the stool with a musical clink of the
coins within.
- The next moment, when raised nv head,
| found the terrible eyes of the woman fas-
tened upon me with a glare more hungry and
woltsh than before. was startled and (al-
most mechanically thrust the bag into NV
breast She turned away, muttering some
thing about my bed, and went into the other
ro"'n CT the cabin. In the meantime the man
sat down at the other side of the fire, where
the child sleeping, and (he had taken
some OF the brandy, and was less rough and
more communicative now began to talk about
the snow-storm, the probable loss of sheep it
would cause, and the similar visitation of for
mer years.
"ln about q quarter of an hour, the woman
came to the door of the other room and called
him to her. He went; and for several min
utes after, | heard them conversing in low,
eager tones. Their words | could not catch :;
but the woman seemed to be yehementlv
urging something upon her companion, while
bis answers were brief and hesitating-
Gradually the voices grew confused-a drow-
sy feeling crept over me-and | remembered
no more. Whether one minute or All hour
had passed knew not, when a heavy hand
was laid on my shoulder, and a hoarSe voice
sounded in my ear:
90 Come, friend, you're tired, see; YOU
had better throw yourself on the bed inside,
and sleep till morning.
II started up, and was soon recalled to
perfect consciousness by the sharp pain of my
broken arm. The man was standing beside
me.