Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1868-12-04
PERRYsBURG, WOOD CO.. OHIO, FRIDAY DECEMBER A. 1863

ment that Mr.. Harris was ready drove all
thought of 1t to the winds
| We improvised tables by propping up
the backs of car seats, and sat down with
hearts full ofgratltude TO the finest supper
that had blessed our vision for seven tor.
turing days. How changed we were from
what we had been few short hours be,
fore Hopeless, sad-eyed misery, hunger,
feverish anxiety, desperation then--thank-
fulness, serenity, JOY too deep for utterance
now. That know was the oheeriest hour
of my eventtul life. The winds howled,
and blew the snow wildly about our prison
house, but they were powerless to distress
us any more. liked Harris. He might
have been better done, perhaps, but am
free TO say that no man ever agreed with
me better than Harris, or afforded me so
large a degree of satisfaction. Messick
was very well, though rather high. favored;
but for genuine nutritiousness and delica.
cy of fibre, give me Harris. Messick had
his good points-I will not attempt 10
deny 1t, nor do wish to do it--but he
was no more fitted for breakfast than a
mummy would be, sir-not bit. Lean ?
why, blees me and tough You could
not imagine it-you could never imagine
anything like it.
ADO you mean to tell me that"
| Donot interrupt me, please. After break.
fast we elected man by the name of Walk.
er, of Detroit, for supper. He was very
| good. wrote his wife so afterward He
was worthy of all praise. / shall always
remember Walker. He was little rare,
but very good. And then, in the morning,
| we had Morgan, of Alabama, for break.
fast. He was one of the finest men ever
sat down to-handsome, educated, refined,
spoke several languages fluently; he was
| perfect gentleman, and singularly juicy.
For supper we had that Oregon patriarch,
and he tOds fraud, there is no question
about it t-old, scraggy, tough - nobody
can picture the reality l finally said,
"Gentlemen, you can do as you please,
| but will wait for another election" And
Grimes, of Illinois, said Gentlemen, I
will wait also. When you elect man
who has something to recommend him,
shall be glad to join you again" 1t soon
| became evident that there was general dis
satisfaction with Davis, of Oregon, and So
to preserve the good will that had pre-
vailed 80 pleasantly since we had Harris,
an election was called, and the result of
1t was that Baker, of Georgia, was chosen.
| He was splendid Well, we'll. After that
we had DGolittle, and Hawkins, and
McElroy There was some complaint about
| McElroy, because he was uncommonly
short and thin), and Penrod and two
Smiths, and Bailey Bailey had wooden
| leg, which was clear loss, but he was
otherwise good), and au Indian boy, and
an organ-grinder, aud gentleman by the
name of BuckmiDster-a poor stick of q
vagabond, that wasn't any good for COM
pany and no account for breakfast. We
were glad we got him elected before relief
| came.
And so the blessed relief did come at
last"
"Yes; it came one bright summer
morning, just after election. John Muir
ply was the choice, and there never was
better, am willing to testify; but John
Murphy came home with us in the train
that came to succor us, and lived to marry
the Widow Harris
"Relict Of"
"Relict of our first choice. He mar
ried her, and is happy and respected and
prosperous yet All, it was like a novel,
sir--it was like romance. This is my
stopping place, sir must bid you good
bye. ANY time you can make it conven-
ient to tarry day or two with me, l
shall be glad to have you, i like you, sir;
have conceived an affection for you.
could ike you as we'll as 1 liked Harris
himself, sir Good day, sir, and pleas
ant journey"
he was gone. never felt SO stunned,
so distressed, so bewildered in my life
But in my soul was glad he was gone.
With all his gentleness of manner and his
soft voice, Ishuddered whenever he turn
ed his hungry eyes upon me and when
heard that ! had achieved his perilous af-
fection, and that stood almost with the
late Harris in his esteem, my heart fairly
stood still.
| was bewildered beyond description, l
did not doubt his word could not uues
tion single item in statement so stamp
with the earnestness of truth as his but
its dreadful details overpowered me, and
threw my thoughts into hopeless confu-
sion.
! saw the conductor looking at me- l
said, "who is that MANI"
He was member of Congress once,
and good one. But he got caught in
snow-drift in the cars, and like to have
been starved to DEATH He got 30 frost
bitten and frozen up generally, and used
up for want of something to eat, that he
was sick and out of his head for two or
| three months afterwards. He is all right
| now, only he is monomaniac, and when
he gets on that old subject he never stops
| till he has eaten up that whole carload of
people he talks about. He would have
finished the crowd by this time, only ne
had to stop here. He has got their names
as pat ss A, B, G. When he gets them all
eaten up but himself he always says :
Then the hour for the usual election for
breakfast having arrived, and there being
no opposition, | was duly elected, after
which, there being no objections offered,
l resigned. Thus am here"
felt inexpressibly relieved to know
that l had only been listening to the
harmless vagaries of mailman, instead
of the genuine experience of blood
thirsty cannibal. ....