Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1863-04-23
From the Southern Literary Messenger
& Horrible SCrape.

hard days ride through of the widest and
sparsely settled mountain districts Of Virginia. brought
quarter of mile wide and much swollen by rail- The
road went down the river if to ford, but well as
HabitaAn of any soft thece none had beh ED
much shanty during the last miles of my
The being pretty thick the side of the
water, had talnt hope that The ferryman house
might be hidden among them, and shouted top
ed only tie echoes OF my own hallong which back
from the craegy spurs mountain that lifted their heads
side, efn sound. that
fears aud added greatly to the of loneliness which
had teen oppressive enough before reached the river
Ny fituatOl simply appalling. The horse | rode
spent with excessive fatigue, that, had the
river been tordabe could not have trusted him in the
running current AS had eaten nothing since break
fast, and had tOtted nearly fifty miles in theeinerim it
nav be ed hat my own coIdition az to strength was
little better than that Of horse. Although sum-
time, il must be mbeTed that night u
tine mountains s If ANYTHING shade or shade and hall
colder than winter night the tidewater regions had
no oyeTcOat or CLOAK or wrapping of des
Cripton The d,7;rct through which l had ridden
known be infested with bears and wolves. l could
back au6e the distance tOO great could not
20 forward, the river and the idea of
sleeping Of sleep were pOssbIe) oil light the bank
ont Of the question.
Therefore shouted manfulIy my throat became so
SOre aud voice 50 hOa that could shout
that wasted precious half hour in shouting
IL did good. Nobody replied. And there was with
the tremendous gloomy mountains shutting in from all
the word, and 'he horr bic night fast coming What
will delan the reader with the painful debate which
took place IN my mind the above question. The result
was, tha got down eff my horse, hItched him to tree.
pull of very rag of my Clothes laid them down the
grass. and pu ny watch and pocket top Of
th that of shirt collar an pair
Of the total of costume consisted of bad
hat aid Far OF green spectac!es with double glasses,
Thih had been compelled to use to protect eyes from
the garing sun. BIT rejected from the road.
Thus aCCOutTed, plunged in. The shock produced by
entering the water much strength that swan
than halfway with perfect ease, no;wthstand
ing The sTHtness OF the stream But long before reach
ed The opposite baLk, Lewly acquired vgor left
sud thought every M ment that must give and be
drowned dared not attempt to touch The bottom lest IN
renGushing the horizontal position should be able
TO regain it, end 50 struck OUT with growing
aid more feeble until at last 10 my great 10y, grounded
IN water not more than loot deep. crawled
Tie bank, and laid fat down il the wei mud My per
sonal appearance not improve by this performance.
but compelled to do it ke1p from fanting for my
strength petey gone when touched the shore.
PROBABLY ten mDu'es passed before rose out of the
mud The sun was nearly down but rosy light fingered
above the dark mountain tops. Looking carefully about,
presently discovered little path that along the side of
the river 1t appeared to be coW'path. Adjusting
hat and green specsceS walked rapidly along tie path
feeling CERTAIN that would lead to house. The gravels
in the path feetthe bTiaTs AID limbs atched
tue front part of my person being covered with mud did
all, and wished b. artily that had daubed
brars and graFes reach the house, and
more the sund of human voice
All Of sudden stopped abruptly. Said to myself
When you get to the house the dogs may get after you
what you going to do %
that nigh happen to be lying the ground Ife to work.
and after Incredible exeTOn managed to twist two toler
seubled the pictures of Hercules in the story books be-
pg nude and having club rather clubs and what
hurried forward and soon came to high fercs that
crossed the path at right angles.
The up and shining brightly, but my eyes had
been strane looking for the house that could
very distinctly mounted the fence very softly, for
the rails very sharp and my feet very tender and
got astradde of the top rail, a
gC0 had been milking SctQin three feet OF the fence
II II had been any other than bODy and sineWy
tain woman, the spectacle she behed the would
have frightened her death; she would have fallen
N her tracks, without even utterng syllable. AS Was
she forth the piercing shrek that issued
from human lips threw the milk, pail and all, my face
and few like the wind the Notwithstanding fearfuy at
every STEP The COW set hideous lowing and gaoped
mady after her, followed by the calf ecstasy CT
fright, with its tail in convulsions.
NY intense anxiety about myself had not permitted me
think of the figure would the eyes
Of the first person who beheld me- do not blame the
woman for being scared An Unclad pastered with
mud sitting the top OF the fence In the moonlight ard
gsring down through pair of green specaces OBJ
ect too seldom behed by the most favored of either
shrieked. would have done much myself. But she
scared was scared had idsa that human
oeing was within mile OF me, and she had risen out OF
the ground or cropped plump from the SKIES she could
not have astonshed than when she stood and
uttered that terrific scream which like dagger to
my very heart. The running away scene between the
Houan, the and the CALI beheld bu. for instant
or such was fright and exhaustion would have
DeeH rSelous indeed if the milk pail thrown with all
oIce OI extreme terror. had not knocked down.
Ie 20 tDe ground aud as the rail which had been
sitting rail verv sharn and full of snnter, Il
Was but natural that my should be attended with nu
nglous SERIOUS lessons. In truth suffered rghtfung.
suppose mus. nave been inssnsibe for short time
after had struck the ground was s1on aroused TO
consciousness By the pains body the screams of the
woman, which still continued by the BARKING OF dOqs
scrambled back to the top fence orasned my two
sticks with ali the strength could muster and nreDared
Tor the conflict Soon there was q Whistug nv INV ears
and the crack of rie which made bounce from The
renee WIN astonishing agility But now the dogs
cursed fence quickly than descended The ma M