The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-08-20

In one Of the mountain counties o.
Georgia there lives two families, each be
fore the war noted for its wealth and re
finement. Since the warthe families (whon
we shall call respectively II and u
though they had like nearly everybody
else, lost everything by the conflict, still
retained the high position in society which
they had for come long time filled. Ont
of them, the La lost several of its mem
bers, as well ss It's fortune, by the war
and at the coDmencement Of our story
consisted of Nh. L, . gentleman 81 year
of age, his vi1& nearly the same age, and
an unmarried daughter of about 25
Within about qparter of q mile Of theil
house lived one of fhe Rs, o young mar
who had recently married q very beautiful
young Indy Of the county, and having
leit the patefnal mansion, was farming by
himself on . small tract of ground. The
two families lived some distance from the
country town, in spersely Inhabited sec
nearest neiehbof Of the other, were, Of
ccufses On terms Of great intimacy. Be
tween tie yotng wife and the daughter Of
M IL fast friendship was soon formed
&feW days since Mr.. r. informed his
.Ni1e Ut he I'D received 9 letter, which
zW6d1C U0mPcf Immediate attendance in
Atlanta, where he would have to remain
for several days, and as it would be incon-
venient for him to take her with him to
that city, advised that she should ask her
young neighbor to stay with her during
his absence. The next morning he set out
in his buggy for Atlanta, and his wife
during the morning went over to LIS
house for the purpose of inviting her
young friend to stay with her. The young
lady; after consultation with her mother,
readily assented to the proposition, and
promised to come over during the after
noon.
About 9 o'clock Mrs. r. began to feel a
little uneasy, as Miss L. had not yet come,
when a servant came up to the house and
brought note from her expected friend,
stating that she would be unable to spend
the night with her, as she had promised,
for her father, from some cause or other,
had positively refused to give his consent
to the arrangement. After delivering the
note, the servant took his departure, and
the brave woman prepared to spend the
night by herself Feeling that she had q
protector in large and fierce yard-dog
beloging to her husband, she took him
into her bedroom, and after securing the
house, lay down and resigned herself to
sleep.
About 12 o'clock; she was awakened
from her s1uhibefs by iioise id the house;
and the angry growing of the dog, and dis
covered that the hall door had been forced,
and that some one was standing at her
room door seeking an entrance. Speaking
as loudly as her fright would let her, Mrs.
R asked "Whos there?" A mans
voice, which she did not recognize, replied
by telling her to "open the door," Again
she asked the same question, and again re-
geived the same reply, the stranger adding
that if she feftsed he #otild "bfeak the
door down." During this dialogue the dog;
still growing, crouched upon the floor as
if ready to spring. Thinking to intimi-
date the man who sought her ruin, Mrs.
R cried to him that if he forced the
door she would shoot him.
Laughing scornfully, the ruffian threw
his weight against the light door, burst it
open and entered the roOm-when, quick
as thought the savage dog sprang forward
and fastened on his neck. The man, aston
ished at this sudden attack, attempted to
kill the dog with knife which he held in
his hand; but unsiiccessfully, and the pow
erful animal dragged him to the ground,
still retaining his hold upon his throat.
Stunned at first by this unlocked for de-
iverancc, the woman, in few seconds, re-
gained her presence of mind somewhat,
ran screaming from the house, never stop
ping until she arrived at the place of the
LIS, where her cries soon aroused the fam
lily. Her tale was rapidly told, and the
servants were preparing to 60 to the scene
of danger, when suddenly Mr.. L. was
missed, and his wife, almost on the instant,
as if struck by sudden presentiment,
screamed, "Merciful God, it must be my
husbandT With cry of horror the party
set forth, and ran as fast to the house Of
Mrs. B. ss the latter had run away from ii
a few minutes befofe. Arrived there they
found the man still on the floor, and the
dog still grasping his throat. Beating him
away from his prey they found the sus'
piciOns of Mrs. L. but too correct; it was
her husband-but the teeth of the dog had
done their work, and he was dead-Augus
ta. Ga, Chronicle, July 25.