Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-10-19

hOpc. lucIc WAS uO Train I'D MdTgdC(
: until the next morning, but the wretch
ed husband could not wait all night
he would walk.
He got directions about the road
was told that it was straight one
for the most of the way through the
woods-rather lonesome but pleasant.
He set forth at once, not stopping to
swallow a mouthful. Excitement had
taken away his appetite. The fine
day had developed Into q cloudy eve
ning-the night would be darker than
usual.
George hastened on, too much excl.
ted to feel fatigue-too much agonized
about Katie to notice that he had split
his elegant French CATERS out at the
sides.
After three or four hours hard walk
ing, he began to think that something
must be wrong He ought to be ap-
pro; CHING the suburbs OF Margate. In
fact, he ought to have reached the vii
lage itself sometime before He grew
a little doubtful about his being on the
right road, and began to look about
him. There was 10 road at all. or.
rather, it was all road for all vestige
of fences and wheel tracks had vanish
ed-there was forest, forest every
| where. asa
The very character of the grond be-
meath his feet changed at every step
he took. 1t grew softer and softer,
until he sunk ankle deep in mud and
suddenly, before he could turn about,
he fell in almost to his armpits. He
stumbled into quagmire A swift
horror came over him. People had
| died in places like this before now
and it would be so dreadful to die thus,
and Katie never knew what had be-
come of him. He struggled with the
strength of desperation to free himself,
but he might as well have taken il
cody. He was held fast.
Thus slowly the hours wore away.
The night was ages long. The sun
had never before taken so much time
to rise in; but probably it realized that
nothing could be done until it was up,
and was not disposed to hurry.
Az soon as it was fairly light.
George began to scream at the top of
his voice in the hope that some one
who might be going somewhere might
hear him. He amused himself in this
way for an hour /; and at the end of
that time you could not have distin-
guished his voice from that of frog
close at hand, who had been doing his
best to rival our hero.
At last, just as George was begin
ming to despair, he heard a voice in
the distance calling out
"Hilloo, there (! Is it you, or a
frog?" ... i
I" It's me- cried George, "and ]
shall be dead in ten minutes |! Come
quick Pm into tie mud up to my
eyes I" @
Directly an old woman appeared, a
sun-bonnet on her head and basket
on her arm. She was huckleberrying.
The land sake - cried She
You're in for it, hain't ye?'
Yes, too deep for comfort |"
Sarved we right I'm glad of it
Didn't ye see the notice the old man
put mp that nobody mustn't come
huckleberrying in this ere swamp"
Huckleberrying " exclaimed poor
George, angrily. "You mustn't think
a fellow was beside himself to come
into this jungle, if he knew it /! Huck-
leberrying, indeed I'm after my
| wife I"
Land sake Your wife Well, of
all things declare, / never II
She got Oh wrong train, and SO
did ] aud l expect she's at Margate,
and | started from Groton last night
to walk there, and lost my way.
Help me out, do, that's dear wo-
man |"
The old lady stsadied herself by a
tree, and, being a woman of muscle,
and soon drew George out-mud from
head to foot. He shook himself.
There, if you'll show me the way,
Iii go right OH"
/" No, you won't, neither You'll go
right over to our house and have
cup of coffee and something to eat,
and q suit of the old mans clothes to
put on while | dry yourn. And l'll
send Tom over to Margate with the
hoss and wagon to bring your wife,
you're a trump !" cried George,
wringing her hand God bless you
You shall be well rewarded for your
kindness"
Mrs. Stark's house was only little
way distant, and to it's shelter she
took George. Tom was despatched to
Margate to hunt up Mrs. Jameson
and George, arrayed in suit Of Mr..
Stark's clothes-blue, swallow-tailed
coat, homemade, gray pantaloons,
cowhide boots, and white hat with
a broad brim, for the Starks were
Friends-felt like new man.
They gave him a new breakfast,
which did not come amiss and while
Tom was absent the old lady made
him lie down on the lounge and take a
nap.
Tom returned about noon. He had
secured the whole village, but found
nothing. Only one passenger had left
the train at Margate on the previous
day, and that one was an old man
with patent plasters for sale.
| Poor George was frenzied He
1 rushed ont of the house and stood look
ing first up and then down the road,
uncertain which way to wend his
course. Suddenly the train for Groton
swept past, and white handkerchief
was swinging from an open window,
and above the handkerchief George
caught the CLEAN of golden hair and
blue ribbons ! 1t was Katie beyond
a doubt. He cleared the fence at q
bound. and rushed after the flying
train. He ran till he was ready to
drop, when he came upon some men
with hand.car, who were repairing
the road. He gave them ten dollars
to take him to Groton. He was sure
he should find Katie there
But no the train had not stopped