The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-06-18


kiss" and he pulled her towards him and
kissed her pale cheek.
"Oh, if Harry was only here, sobbed
Bessie.
'Eh! got Teller, well I'll fix him. ]
bout here thatl fix him safe and sound
for a longer voyage then he's ever taken
yet," and he took from his pocket pistol
and waved it above his head defantly.
stop bawling Bess; I'll give you a
lock of his pretty black curls Ha, Ha
tender hearted as chicken, amt ye,
hearts like feller's fists, can be harden
ed, and guess l II practice on yours, say
darling, how do you like the looks of your
husband that is to be-" and he straight
ened himself up and ended by squirting
mouthful of tobacco juice across the
room. accidently hitting Bessie's dress.
Bessie had, thus far, had no time to
speak for herself, but as he stopped
speaking. she shook her curls back de-
family and assuming an attitude of sell
defence; said in a clear, calm voice.
Mag and Bill, l neither love nor feal
either of you; you have stolen me from
my friends, and what you intend to dc
with me, | know not; but this much ]
do know, [ shall never be that man S
wife, never ;! And Bill, ifyou try to make
me marry you, you will find wife does
not always make mar happy, you, too,
shall be made to suffer. l warn you not
to sleep as long as you have, Bess, under
the same roof. or you may never awake
from that sleep. You can accept or re-
ject the warning, as you choose.
''Ha! Ha! Hal" roared Bill, "Miss
Temper, how are you; let's shake hands,!
but no, guess | won't, you may kill me,
Ha! Ha! kill Rill-pretty to put on my
gravestone, Bill killed by his wife La !!
how the old bachelors would scatter to
get out of the wider's way. Ha! Ha.
Come, come! Bill, we must be on
the move" said Mag, very soon they
started, but not until they had put a
thick vail over the face of their captive.
Bessie made no resistance, but patiently
submitted to everything, but she thought
to herself "They1 regret it yet" They
travelled day and night, and at last took
the cars and went she knew not whittier.
On, on they went, until at last they stop
ped at low hut, and Bill informed his
captive that they would stay here until
the time came for them to be married.
Bessie had been captive three years.
She had tried many ways of escape, but
either Mag or Bill stood ready to stop
her, yet very little had been said to her
of her marriage which she supposed must
soon take place.
Dr. Benton is very ill-the Old Family
Physician says there IS no hope-he longs
to see Harry Sumners-and telegram
brings him to his side. Harry had not
been told of Bessies sudden departure.
CDR. said Harry, II am sorry to see
you so i'll, but why is Bessie not with
you"
"Oh, Harry have you not been told of
that? she has been gone, let me see; how
long have you been gomez
Ten years" said Harry.
'Wel!, Bessie has been gone three
years, and not one word from her as yet.
Alas, my poor, dear Bessie !''-and he
covered his face with his hands and sigh
ed heavily. Il shall never see her, Har-
ry, but you will, if you try to find her.
This, my boy, shall be your aim in life.
She loves you, and think you love her,
what it will, and tell her DIR. Benton
blessed her, and hers was the last word
he uttered; tell her, her absence has
killed me, but [ do not think for one
moment it is her fault. Oh no, its some
one that has stolen her away, and you
are to find her. shah leave you money
to pay your expenses to find her and you
must search as after fortune that can
never be equalled If you obtain it a life
OF perfect bliss Is your reward. l have
but a few moments to live; here is a
letter to her, l wrote it when in health,
it will sound more natural to her; q that
l could see her once more, | thought she
would be the one to soothe my dying
pillow, but it may be for the best"
Harry had stood like statute gazing on
the dying man; yes, he saw his duty, it
was plain, he would take the offered
money and search for his lost darling, and
he would not rest until he had found her.
DR.. B. lay still few moments and sud-
denly as if awakeing from some pleasant
dream, he turned to Harry and in a
whisper said, Il have at last thought
who has stolen her !; its Mag-Mag Mar
tin. l heard Bessie saying something
about her once, she is the woman that
had charge of Bess when took her, if
this woman has stolen her, have her pun
ished to the extent of the law" and he
sank back quite exhausted.
Harry" said he at last, ''don't get
discouraged, you will yet see my poor
little Bessie. If am not permitted to
do SO, tell her how her good old father
loved her, and here his voice failed him.
After prayer by the good Rev. Hamil-
ton, DR.. Benton joined his long lamented
companion in that land where parting is
unknown.
Harry waited until after the funeral
and then started on his journey. Day
after day passed and still no tidings from
his Bessie. He had travelled over a year
and had come home to spend few weeks
of the summer. He had often visited
the old oak and watched the progress of
Bessie Ivy and his oak. They were
growing nicely and with what pleasure he
would have gazed on them if Bessie could
have stood by his side. He had been
standing gazing on them for some time
one evening just at twilight, and talking
to himself, wondering where Bessie was
and if she was thinking of him. There
was slight rustic in the bushes and in
another moment Bessie was in his arms.
30 Harry, Harry, is it you? if you
had not been here they would have
caught me Take me away; don't let
them see you, they will XII you. and
then | will have to marry him; o Harry
do take me to DR.. Benton /"
He took her gently in his arms, and
when she next opened her eyes she was
in her own room and Harry by her side.
She then related to him all her troubles
since their separation, and he told her of
the death of the good Dr. Benton. The
tears they both shed were of joy and
sorrow-sorrow for the loss of their friend
and father DR. Benton, but joy, great
joy at their meeting. Bessie had often
tried to leave the miserable place to
which she was taken, but could not. At
last Bill thinking it time to marry Bess,
dragged her to the little church. and when
the important question was asked. Bess