The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-10-21
NUMBER So


That evening Shakes was missed aoss
his usual haunts, and is soon becams
generally known thst he had lsae thS
Flat. Rhis was an unpaecedensed
episode in Norssy Fias'a history. Moth
ing he'd over occurred before 20 disturb
its vniiofm equaninisy, excepting The
shootirg Of Red Alick by Russian isiif
in . moment Of lfensied excitement, proa
ducsd In the heat of q discussion al 90
the merits Of che parties then esgaged d
in the Crimcan War. His dspastars
was the universal topic Of conyersatien
around every freside and In every bar
room in the camp The speculatiors d.
10 the cause were as varied as they zero
improbable. r q
The thermometer nc Brownie thai
evening, indicated l5o below zero; but
no fears we're harbored in the mind Of
any one as to the. safety Of the one sise
had SO ,tfcerenfoniousiy left sfis szEp
"homeward bound"
Weeks passed on, aud nothing md
been seen or heard Of Shakes since his
departure. Norway Sa had almost for
gottcd him. Brown, the landlord Of
the Occidental" was standing in tis
doorway, gazing abstractedis as the dis.
tant wiGdin . of the "doWn country"
trail. 1t was only the previous day THAI
q prospective party had passed along b
from the Flat, douab for the deaarfca
mining camp of Diggers Delight, sftua-
ted about ten. miles distant. His
thoughts naturally rccurred 60 their De.
partue and prospects. Suddenly, his
quick eye detected in the distaace
group of men slowly trudging toward
the Flat, and was somewhat astonishea
to recognize in them the pfcspecsors Of
Diggcrs' Delight returning, bearing with
them heavy burden. The fieWs sooH
spread that Shakes had been fou1i deaA
ut Diggcrs' Delight. 1t was evidcrt thai
| might had overtak sn him there, and thas
he had determined to spend it In one oF
tho deser,ed ahSntiss. TIE Gtc- ggaeg
! lad bsea filllls1 - =, essss.
ready for fhe match; but L rsn.siaa
| unkindled. Why, no one could aasss q
The verdict Of all VIII, heard the staFy-
was that he had fallen victim 60 sle
severity of the weather on the evenine.
of the day he left the flst, or, as tfee
expressed d, aRsia dead"
In an insids pocket Of a vess wora
underneaek his ragged overshirt, Q pack+
ct Of l.tteTs was found, all ofRhick were
written IN the same handwritiH1,s ana
addressed TO "Jamos Wilkenson, Esq,
Norway Flat" Sunday photographs
were also discovered in The same poekss
one Of an aged lady, another ofa 90.
man in the prime Of Ets, and sls ssss ~
three beautiful girls Of from cen srEs.
teen years Of age. All the letters bese
the same post-mark, e., Ne" Eaeh
envelope was endorsed in pencil mara,
Reed. (dAte,J ,. W." One of them
was indorssd, "Teoa. Nosr. n, 1883.
j. W." That was thc day thas Siakes
left Norway Flas. Its contents expiain-
ed the mystery of his life aud poverty,
and ran tsus:
-, MAINE, Aug. 80, 1883.
My dear James: Your last rs uitenes
of $3.50 has been duly received, and che
mortgage on the farm is now paid. 49, q
Have you not impoverished ycuFsaifto.
keep US in comparative luxaryf WR
have wanted nothing. y " Meahss n
-;n-- - -, .-...-.: -1uvsz.
says she cannot possibly live
through the coming winter. She ioags
to see you, James, before she dies. . . y
Emma, Annie, and Gerey sso eli seii.
- o, James, do eomsh hou1o &C oucs;
if not, shall sell the PLACID next spring,
and como to Norway Flat myselE.
Yonr afsectionate wife,
EEEEs wfHrRRsassssoossz. wfHrRRsassssoossz
The bright side Of Shakes ohbraesar.
which ho had 50. carefully eosesaiss'
from the sight of his fsllow-mss,, ==s
here revealed. Ard sss had ss@ Eo6S1s
to another home to receive bis reward
| Pht OocrIand MontjtIv. ,Sepfens8er.