Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-04-26

startled. .'.
4" 1t is nobody but me, Elijah Dawes
Don't feel skiterish OF me did you ge
the word sent ye? Eve come to sc,
| if ! can't help, ye off Hcr,o let IN,
saddle one of the critters which ont
on 'em will We havc?" 3d.. .. ..
Elijah, | couldn't keep it from Mrs
Walden, and she says she is going
too. We shall have to take botl
horses. How far do you think we can
go tonight, with the children?"
Wal, never It's jest like woman
and most like Miss walden Of all Wal
| don't know but she's right, though
Id laid out to look arter her when you
was gone. Wal, there's no time tc
lose. spose I'd better put the side
saddle on to Dolly then. If anybody
comes round, you leave me to answer
questions and dodge out of sight. Blu,
most of the quizzical kind of folks are
off to the ball and other doings. Why
| wouldn't try to ride more than fifteen
miles with the children. Stop some
where when you get over the line, and
rest day or two before you make up
your mind to anything. Drop me a
letter if you want anything on me-"
/ shall want you to come and take
back the horses they must go to the
creditors. Well, we will see if pros,
pcrity ever comes to me again, | will
remember you, the only friend have
in this town"
While the horses were being sad,
died, Mrs. Walden was arousing and
dressing the children.
Dear mamma, where can we be
going? ?" said Mariana. 1--WE need
not wake so early as this to go to
grandma's. Why, it isn't sunrise,
Robby :"
Never mind, dear papa and arc
going journey, and we have conclu'
ded to let you go too, but you mustn't
talk nor ask single question, for that
hinders me from dressing you. | should
be very sorry indeed to have to leave
you or Robby behind because you were
troublesome"
Robby was too sleepy to talk much,
and sitting in his mothers lap while
she sat on the saddle, fell very soon
asleep again. Mariana rode with
her father, and the two horses with
their burdens were quite out of the
village and suburbs before the moon
rose.
Then it came up from behind hill,
beautiful, mysterious so near to our
world compared with other heavenly
bodies, yet so far away
That moon has looked on a great
deal worse sorrow than onrs, William
Here we are all of us together, and we
are not running away as guilty crimi.
nails il is very different, though to be
sure we have not done right"
Aud how much better | feel for
having YOU with me, bat what to d,
with you all is the question:" said hen
husband.
William" said his wife, softly, af
ter little pause, "suppose now we
begin everything anew. Let us ask
the Father above to take our case in.
to His hands Let Him map out our
way for us, and let us make our lives
please Him. Our Bible has been neg
lected by us, but as took it up to put
IT in the portmanteau tonight, | read,
Seek first the kingdom of God and
His righteousness and all these things
shall be added unto you"
There was another little pause. The
road was leading them through wood,
the moonlight came strained through
the greenness, and from the heart OF
the woodland the voice of some strange
night.bird reached them.
"You are right Della" Esquire Wal.
den replied in subdued tone, "yor
are my good angel, and | should be an
unwise man not to listen. make the
resolution with you If We ever have
a hearth ard table of our own again,
we will give thanks every day for
them, and ask the blessing of God up
on them"
Then the two horses trotted on, side
by side, and the riders were silent un
til several miles were passed, and even
then the words spoken were scarcely
more than an inquiry and the necessa
ry response. Mrs. Walden would ac.
knowledge no WEAKNESS, and SO all
night the travellers rode with the sleep
ing children in their arms, and before
sunrise they had passd beyond fear Of
pursuit.
For my story, reader, belongs tc
olden days in New England. The tel
egraph wire, the rail-car, and even the
present postal arrangement, were en-
tirely unknown, and the two former
if any prophetic or visionary brain hac
hintcd at them. would have been con
sidered almost more preposterous than
the tales of roc and Jim, valley of di
almonds, and old man of the sea, told
in the
-" goodly time
OF good Haroun Alraschid."
So nights ride had put the Wal
dens beyond the fear of pursuit. Still
it might excite wonder and question
if they were to call. thus early, at 9
public house for breakfast. Mrs. Wal
den had provided bountifully, however
for the necessities of one day at least
for her pantry was never empty o
good things, and now when tie SUI
came up they bvouacked in the edge
of wood beside the road, where {
clear brook ran. The horses drank
from the stream and then were fec
from a bag of oats which had beer
hung tn the saddle through tn,
thoughlfulness of Elijah Dawes, ano
the breakfast of bread and butter, col,
meat and cakes, was spread on "a los
overlaid with large napkin.
How funny this is, mamma /" sal,
Mariana, "but | like it deal bette
than the dining.room."
"Oh see see sissy 7" exclaime'