Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-03-20
sTAUNTON, VA, TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1866.

up the street to the place, where the landlord
assured him that NO lady of Katie's style had
arrived; perhaps she had got off at Margate,
ten miles back ;-George seized on the hope
There was no train to Margate until the next
morning, but the wretched husband could not
wait all night-he would walk
He got directions about the roads; 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 mouthful. Excitement had taken
away his appetite. The fine day had developed
into a cloudy evening-the night would be
darker than usual
George hastened on, too much excited to feel
fatlgue-too much agonized about Katie to no
tice that he had split his elegant French CATERS
out at the Sides
After three or four hours hard walking, he
began to think that something must be wrong
He ought to be approaching the suburbs of
Margate. In fact, he ought to have reached
the village itself some time before. He grew a
little doubtful about his being on the right road
road at all, or, rather, it was all road for all
vestige of fences and wheel tracks had van
lshed-there was forest, forest everywhere.
The very character Of the ground beneath 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 back,
he fell in almost to bis armpits. He had
stumbled into a euagmire A swift horror
came over him People had died before now
in places like this-and it would be so dreadful
to die thus and Katie never know what had
become Of him. He struggled with the strength
of desperation to free himself, but he might as
well have taken it coolly 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 real
| lied that nothing could be done until it was up,
and was not disposed to hurry
AS 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 distinguished his voice from
that of frog close at hand who had been do
ing his best to rival our hero
At last, just as George was beginning to des-
pair, he heard voice in the distance calling out.
''Hilloo there Is it you, or a frog ?'
sits me-, cried George, ''and [ shall be
dead in ten minutes! Come quick! I'm into
the mud up to my eyes! =
Directly an ldwoman appeared, sun bon
net on her head and basket on her arm. She
was huckleberying
THE land saker' cried she. ''You re in for
it, hain't ye!''
Eyes, too deep for comfort!'
Starved We right I'm glad of it! Didn't
We see the notice the old man put up that no.
body mustnt come huckelberying in this ere
swamp"
"Huckleberrying cried George, angrily.
"You must think fellow was beside himself
to come into this jungle, if he knewitl Huck-
ieberrying, indeed I'm after my wife!''
Land sake! Your wife Well, of all things.
| declare, [ never!
''She got on the wrong train, and so did I !;
and | expect she's at Margate, and I started
from Groton last night, to walk there, and lost
my way. Help me out, do, that's dear wo-
mani
The old lady steadied herself by tree and,
being woman of muscle she soon drew George
out-mud from head to foot He shook him
SELF
There, if you'll show me the way, I'll go
right on"
''No you won't, neither You'll go right
over to our house and have cup of coffee and
some thing to eat and suit of the old man S
send Tom over to Margate with the hoss and
wagon to bring your wife
Your trump cried George, wringing
her hand ''God bless you! You shall be well
rewarded for your kindness. p"
Mrs. Stark house was only little way dis
tant, and to its shelter she took George Tom
was despatched to Margate to hunt up Mrs.
Jameson; and George, anayed in a suit Of Mr..
Stark clothes blue, swallow-taile coat, home
made, gray pantaloons, cow-hide boots, and
white hat with broad brim, for the Starks'
were friends-fet like new man.
They gave him good 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 rushed out
Of the house and stood looking 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 gleam of gol-
den hair and blue ribbons! 1t was Katie be-
yond doubt He cleared the fence at 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 at all
this was the express for Buffalo, But by
stander informed him lady, answering the
description he gave of Katie, had been seen the
day before at Danville, crying, and saying she
had Lost her husband?
George darted off, He caught with avidity
at the hope thus held out It must be Katie |!
/ Who else had lost their husband?
A train was just leaving for Danville. He
sprang on board and suffered an eternity during
the transit, for it was an accommodation train,
and everybody knows about those horrible de-
lays at every station.
But they reached Danville at last. George
inquired for the lady who had lost her husband.
Yes, he was all right she had gone to the
American house to wait for him. She expect
ed him by every train until he came, said the
ticket-master.
He hurried with all speed to the American.