Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-08-17

Raleigh, II. c.,


moaned like some invisible monster in ago.
ny, as it swept on now madly through the
black wilderness, then in struggling gusts |
dying away in the distance like the spirit /
whispering of the wailing lost.
The next morning at early light we were |
startled at the appearance OF one of our |
neighbo1s. Herushed into our cabin ret |
and cod. His stout brown clothes were
torn and begrimmed with dark stains of mud. |
He had evidently been struggling through
brambles and forests Cor hours. There was
wildness in his eyes. He stood in our cabin
and trembled It was Bob Linn. I knew
something dreadful had happened and [ stood
before him and could not speak. He Shrek
ed rather than spoke >
Iilka is lost!: ,
Liliia lost how the. words froze into my
heart 7 How it spread from cabin to cabin If.
the settlement for Lillia was the loved of ALL
Mr. Linn was a drinking man, and Lillia
and had spoke of it and wept together as
we sat under the cedar tree on the seat that
Bob had bhilt for as
The DAY before, he had been at the new
tayera>that new conner had built near tha
tive hills" and when he came to his home
atnight he was drunk and had turned Liilia
away from the fireside. He was deranged,
with rum, and thrust bis daughter, and my
Lila, out in, the. cold nighE and driving sleet
with curse and fastened the door upon her
and sat with his gun, saying he would shoot
Bob if he attempted te go to her rescue. -.
Since then Iillia has not been heard of said
Bob, as he stood trembling before me. Bob
had been searching field and forest for hours.
having escaped while his father slept.
| Lillia lost Irushed from the cabin and
Bob after me; and the neighbors for miles
around gathered in groups and searched for
the lost. All day through. snow and ice, and
wind and rain, we beat the forest. The
shadows Of the dark day begaa to gather
and our search had been fruitfcss
/ stood alone in the gloomy forest and the
loaded trees creaEetland groaped under the;r
glistening burthen, aad the wind shook the
! fragile ieicles from the boughs down at nv
feat nStl and hialea 4l,,ses.s,
/ my brain till | grew dizzy, and | leaned
against an old beech trea and rested and
! listened. Away towards the shaded nook on
the creek, where Lillia and had spent many
a sunny afternoon, heard low plaintive
cry. How my heart throbbed as | leaped
forward and answered it After a long inter
val heard it again, and ran towards the
nook: knew it was there and that it was
LiIlia. Again and again heard the same cry
of distress and hurried On. More and more
) distinct as drew nearer our faVoritc retreat.
answered the cry and it responded, | thought
: with hope | may as well tell you of the
place was going. 1t was favorite place
with Llia. 1t was walled in on three sides
!: by high brown rocks, over which wild grape
l vines had clambered and huag them with
i tendrils and moss A silvery creek gurgled
t along the open side where the &" trout and
Il IL IL, I,
white pebbles in the summer season. \
n wide and shelving rock leaned off from The
n southern wall of'this retreats and benea II
e this was a wide poplar 'pnncheon,' on which
II Lillia and had sat together and talked 0
love and happiness, and had carved letters
e in the soft W cod some of them wrong end up
e thc honey sackle hung out from the crevice
p of the old rocks, and for days together il
e the summer season we Lad there watches
e the humming- bird kissing the flowers for
: moment and then fly away.
e I knew Lilia was there, and | shouted a
: I ran towards the spot and the plaintiv
cries of distress urged me. on. How my hear
E. throbbed as if it would burst from my boso1
Is as the tops of the rocks came in sight throug
OF the dusky shadows Of the coming night
le I shouted her name as ] wound my wa
Id along the little path on the creek bank throug
:, the cracking vines and hazel bushes. II
tn Antter of an old s'jay's" wings among Il
IN beech boughs overhead, flying from it
i'd night perch at my approach, was my answe
All was quiet and lonely, yet | felt tn
Nv Lillia was there 1t seemed that shoul
r. never get through the tangled and ice load'
shrubbory. Madly trampled them und
i. foot, texing clothes and flesh in my cage
: ness to get through.
ter spEang into the centre of the retreat, b
n wildered and half blind. There sat Lillia
,ut the o.a poplar puncheon," where we h
Ia sat an hundred times together. Her lol
lad hair had fallen over her shoulders and hsa
We there in frozen shredss Her hands we
cd clasped and her head laid over against t
axe cold rocks, and a moEeless smile rested u
the on her blanched face as she looked up TO
nsC drifting clouds, shouted again, and l