Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-02-18
that he had got barely enough to keep his


| went to the engineer, whom | knew, and
asked if he would spare us a log or two; but
even whilst asking | saw how hopeless the
request was-he had no more rood
Nine o'clock at ight-still showing fire
and no fuel Fast buried in a snowdrift, on
single line of rails-miles away from any
house.
I must spend the night with dead man
and his two murderers
But the poor girl How can she bear the
cole?
All the men set to work vigorously to clear
the line, whilst there was yet fire enough and
steam enough to carry US through Wewere
not many miles from our destination. Dig
yes-but who can dig without a spade?
Small progress was made; it soon became
apparent to all, that we were fast until two
o'clock, when the night mail followed US
Five mortal hours in that piercing cold
The conductor, half frozen as he was, walk
ed quarter Of Il mile down the line, and ex-
temporized danger signal, as best he could !;
| and the other passengers getting into the
cars, and wrapping ourselves up, grimly to
bear the five hours of misery. As l enter,
see only the shorter Of the two men: on ask
ing him for his friend, he says:
Ooh he's crouching down by the frebox
of the engine to get warm"
mentally add-"And will 90 to sleep, and
when the fire goes out will soon be frozen to
death !"
now saw the young lady watching her
companion closely, seeing him become sleepy
from copious draughts of rum and water.
\ loud snoring soon proclaimed him fast
asleep.
The poor girl then With halffrozen fingers
phi n
bling voice:
"Can you help me You are English, are
you not? l think l can trust you!"
Sit perfectly still for an instant" I an
swered.
\ happy thought had struck me.
l had for some time past suffered much
from face and tooth ache, and was in the
habit of carrying a stoppered bottle of chic
reform.
l took out my bottle, and, signing to the
young lady to be silent, poured the whole
upon my handkerchief, and held over the face
of the sleeping murderer In five minutes [
knew he was safely disposed of for some
hours to come. | called loudly in his ear, and
shook him roughly, but he did not stir.
| shall never forget the earnest Joy with
which the poor girl clasped my hand and
thanked me. [ don't know whose heart beat
faster then-her's or mine; know that [ for
got all about the dreadful cold, and only felt
an instant longing to take her III my arms and
kiss her.
Taking the sleeping mans great buffalo
robe and wrapping it round her | babe her sit
down, and asked her the cause of her fathers
murder, and why she seemed-to be a prisoner.
As | spoke, | could not help an involuntary
shudder at the appearance Of the corpse. In
administering the chloroform to the man, |
had accidentally displaced the rag, which the
murderers had carefully arranged so as to
hide the face of the supposed paralytic. The
eyes were closed and blue, the nose pinched,
the mouth partly open, with curled and strain
ed lips, the teeth set, and grinning horribly
in the half-light reflected from the snow in
which we were imbeddcd.
1t had now ceased showing.
In answer to my question, she said:
g am alone in the world; [ can trust you
i will tell you all The-the Jody"-here
she turned paler than even she was before
g the body is not that of my father-oh no
| could not have borne it! 1t is my uncle.
| am Il Nirginian; my father and mother both
died when 1 was very young, leaving me, a
rich orphan, to the care of my uncle. All
know was that | was well educated and had
whatever money wanted; but when | left
school, my uncle was strangely altered my
presence seemed to irritate him. He tried to
make me marry that wretch who has gone out
he was my uncle's Overseer, and a more
cruel or wicked man never lived"
Here l suddenly thought, "What if he
should not fall asleep by the engine, but
should return ~ [ went out and found him
i'll what knew would be his death sleep
crouchcd completely under the fire box of
the engine.
The engineer had left his cold and now use
less machine, and sought shelter in the cars.
returned, and my lovely charge continued:
. / was often talked to by some of our old
slaves, and in particular by my dear old
nurse, about this man. She said he had come
a few years ago, and in some way had obtain
ed an undue influence over her massa-or-
dcring everything, and treating the slaves.
who had never experienced anything but
kindness from my father and uncle, with the
greatest severity. The villain prosecuted me
with his odious attentions; and one day.
can't tell you-but | rushed to my uncle, who,
when he heard, called him into the house
and III a furious manner said:
"' Although you have by your devilish cum
ming obtained my promise of my niece as your
wife, | will not tamely submit to see her in
suited Take that, you villain firing a
pistol full in his face.
Fortunately, passion defeated itself and
my uncle was not a murderer
"The overseer smiled an evil smile, and
said:
"' Never mind it was only little mis-
take We will settle the affair another day y
"NOtlong after this, the fellow who is asleep
there and who is the overseer's brother. came
and joined him. He is doctor Ny uncle
became daily more and more miserable: nv
old nurse saying it was remorse proving upon
his mind, because he had appropriated nv
property.
@ A few weeks ago, my uncIe's health be-
gan to fail seriously; the Doctor as he was
called, constantly expressed his opinion that
paralysis might be expected.
Z" Last Monday was awakened by nv old
nurse in dreadful fright, to tell me that my
uncle was dying l rose, and found the doe
tor " and the Overseer with him.
"The Doctor said that, as he had predc-
ted, my uncle had had paralytic attack, en-
tirely lost the use of his limbs and Speech
and that he probably would not be able to
move for some time to come. He felt the re-
sponsbility too great for his brother and him
self, and consequently, should remove him to
S, where he would be placed under the care
of the celebrated DR.. W
:" This was said Intentionally in the hearing
Of several servants, and passed for truth al
though l, in common with all, protested
against removing my uncle in such a state.
Knowing the evil character of both men,
l resolved that would not part from my I'M
Gle, but would accompany him to s..
Il fanciedI saw a sinister smile on the face
of the overseer as I said this; but he only
remarked:
ooh, certainly no objection can be made
to that"
yesterday we started"
MY suspicious were aroused by the Doe
tor and overseer refusing to let me approach