Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-09-21
pose of fulfilling his promise of marriage

| pose VI iuihiiihB his PROMISE Vi inhrrlaB
to her.
He directed her to collect together {
small bundle Of her most valuable effects
with such articles of clothing as sh,
would need at once, and join him a
about 10 o'clock that nigat, at well
known spring some distance farther ul
the brook, and at least quarter of {
mile from the house. He would avail
her coming there with horse, when they
would proceed at once to place where
he had made arrangements for the per
formance of the marriage ceremony.
1t did not require very much urging tc
induce the girl to promise obedience tC
these directions She was in an unfortu
nate condition, which, in manner, put
it out of her power to refuse compliance
with these demands.
Night came ON at length, and the ar
rangement was carried into effect.
Susannah was compelled to make con-
fidante of kind-hearted old black wo-
man who lived in the family, as sort Of
charity dependent or ancient retainer.
She was induced to assist the young wo-
man in collecting her clothing and few
articles of fnery, and in making her
escape unperceived from the house.
The motherly old black woman shook
her head ominously, with tears coursing
down her wrinkled face, and predicted
an unhappy termination of the affair
but little effect had this on the mind of
Susannah, who was determined to go, as
she had promised, and did so. She had
full confidence in Moores professions,
and she said, at parting with the old
black woman, that she would send back
in few days for the things she was
obliged to leave behind then, and added:
'Tll serd you nice present then, ,aunty.
Day after day went by, until two weeks
had passed, but no word came back from
Susannah, and nothing could be heard
of either her or Moore, from the people
of other parts. Then those who were
familiar with these circumstances be-
came strongly suspicious of foul play
toward the young woman.
Some search was at once made, and
much inquiry instituted, but all to no
purpose. Nothing absolutely nothing,
was known of the affair, except what the
confding girl had told to the old black
woman. And with this the matter was
dropped, only to be talked about and
speculated upon by the gossiping neigh
bors in the mountains.
On the 9th of last month July, par
ty of men, five in number, were up
among the mountains, ON the head
waters of Little river on the Tennessee
slope of the Smoky Mountains, cutting
and rafting saw-logs. On the evening
of that day. after these men had eaten
their supper, and while they were resting
and enjoying their pipes around the
bright campfire, Sam Walker, an old
hunter from the Coves below, came un-
announced among them.
He was evidently much excited, and
showed it in spite of every effort to con-
ceal his agitation, and seemed right well
pleased to be once more in the midst of
companions of his own species, and per-
sonal friends.
Sam had strange and startling story
to tell He had been all day wandering
over and among the mountains, in search
of game, he said, and just at sunset, as
he was descending long barren ridge,
to find comfortable camping place in |
the valley, he discovered a little hollow
in the gravelly earth, in which something |
had evidently been deposited and secre-
ted in manner, by the hasty filling in
of loose stones and brush over it,
Thinking only of contraband goods, or
illicit whisky, the latter especially, which
is often hidden out in some such isolated
locality until it can be disposed of TO
advantage, Sam had turned aside and
set to work to open way in to the sup
posed treasure, when, to his inconceiv-
able surprise and horror he .beheld the
upturned face of dead woman, her
long, loose hair twisted and knotted
around her neck.
As speedily as possible the Mortified
hunter filled up again the opening he had
made, by replacing the rocks he had re-
moved, and hurried away from the sick
ening scene. A little further down the
4 I. e., |
formed of coarse checked homemade :
stuff, hanging on the limb of a low bush,
a few feet from the ground, ......
He left the garment hanging un-
touched, and FASTENED on down to the
valley, where, to his joy, he caught I
sight of the loggers campfire, toward
which he kept on until he had reached
it, and happily found company and
friends {
All manner of conjectures and specu- ,
lations were rife among the members of
the company, and oil we're impatient for |
the coming of the morrow to further in
vestigate the mystery thus brought to I
light. Early on the following morning, I
therefore, two of the loggers accom- I
panied Sam Walker TO the place indi- {
Gated, where they found everything just (
as the hunter had represented it. c
They took the distractions away from '
above the CHASTITY face of the dead, and
made a close and careful examination of |
he rigid features. They found that It q
was the face of young woman-a face |
3f delicate, almost girlish features. that
ately in life had been plump and fresh {
and rosy, and even nov, in the fixed cast a
IF death, still bore the stamp Of youth
'ul innocence. '
The body had evidently not been many )
lays IN that place of deposit, nor had
he unfortunate woman been long dead, :
ior otherwise, at that season of the year, j
md with an imperfect covering, which q
.gorded very little protection from the {
weather, the remains must certainly have
been found in a iaF advanced state of G
There was nothing in the appearance |
of the body, so far as exposed to view in a
he examination, nor in the clothing, to u
.hrow any light on the strange mystery l
hus brought to the attention Of these /
men. Rnt there was one fact which for 3
,;i,lx, ,rnnressed each Of them alike and