The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1871-10-21
NUMBER 36

That evening Shakes wss missed ffcss
his Usual haunts, and it soon boeaEss
gesefaiIy known that he had iefs sAts
Flat. Rhis was an unprecedented
episode in Norway Flat's history. Moth
Ing had ever occurred before 20 distuyb
iis aniicfm eqaaninassy, excepting the
sheosirg os Red Alick by Russian Bili
In . tncmens Gf ffeEzied sxeitsmsnt, proa
dneea in the beat Ct 81 6 aa::ssss.=s=sica AZ 60
the merits Of the parties tlea sysgageds 4
in the Crimcan War. His dsparsEss
was the universal topic. Of conversation
around every Greside and in every haf
room in the camp. The speculafions q
to the eause were as varied as they ssss
improbable. q;
The thermometer at Brownie fhat
evening, Indicated I50 below zero; bus
no fears were harbored in the mind of
any one as to the s=ss..J s=ss..J ef :.LLs eas no ~;
had SO ttfcerenfoniousts left tie szEsg
"homeward bound 20 9 81
Weeks passed on, aud nothiag ks6
been seen or heard cf Shakes since bis
departure. Norway aa had almoss fafs
gotted him. Brown. the landlord oS
the Occidental" was standing in his
doorway, gazing abstracsedly as che dis.
tant wiudiugs Of the "down country"
trail 1t was only the previous dag thas
prospective party had ras=sSs szs.ssssssES szs..ssssssE .
from the Flat, dounb for the desaEfsA
mining camp of Diggers Delight, sitna-
ted about ten. miles distant. HE
thoughts naturally REQUIRED to their DE-
partu,e and prospects. Suddenly, fis
quick eye detected IN the distanee
group of mcn slowly trndging toward
the Flas, and was somewhat astonislfsa
to recognise in them the pfospecfore Of
Diggcrs' Delight returning, bearing Aitk
them heavy burden The news soos
spread thas Shakes had been fousa deaA
&c Diggcrs' Delight. 1t was evideut thae
night had overtakon him there, and sAs'e
he had determined to spend IL ia ono cf
tho descEsed shsntics. The ASlsbikaN
lad 6ee Ellsa ~ q
ready for tie match; but L rsnlains
unkindlsd. Why, no one eo1iii asz1ts.
The verdict of all wh3 heard she ufors
was that he had fallen victim % sie
severity of the weather on the escninn
Of the day he left the flat, OF, an flksg
expressed D, 1Eriz daad.|
In an iHsids pocket OF . vest uosa
underneath his ragged oyershirs, Q packs
ct of h.eteEs was fuaand, all UfMl,ich sese
written In the same handwririug, antk
addressed co "James Wilkensop. Esa..
Norway Fiat" Sundry photographic
were also discovered in The sane pocksE
-one of an aged lady, another sfa 80.
man in the prime Of Fife, and tls ssseop
three beautiful girls Of from sea toaEf.
teen years Of age. All the lettess hcea
the same post-mark, e., Me." Each
envelope was endorsed 10 pencil mara,
Reed. Edate,) ,. W." One of them
was indosssa, ''Rsca. Norr. n, 1855.
j. W." That was the day thas ShMRes
left Norway FlaA Its contents expiain<
ed the mystery of his life and pcyerss,
and ran tlrus:
-, MAINE, Aug. 30, 1859.
My dear James: Your Lass re- nitanes
Of $3.50 has been duly received, and tke
mortgage on the farm Is now paid. *s .
Have you not impoverished yougssifto
keep US in comparative luxAxyf We
have wanted nothing. y ** Moehss q
ailing and rapidly deciiniag. Dsas.or
says she cannot possibly Hsn
through the coming winter. She ioaxs
to see you, James, before She dies. zee
Emma, Annie, and Gerry are sl wSli.
+** o, James, do come homo 90 once;
if not, shall sell the PLACID neRs spring,
and como to Norway Flat myself.
Your afiectiobate wife,
ELEES WEA.asssss.ss.
The bright side Of Shakes eiisrassss,
which ho had So carefully ecsieeafsd'
from the sight of his fsllcw-nnsn, @as
here revealed. ABd he had aess zosse
to another home to receive his rssssa.--~
Phe 0cerland AoHta!y, Septeat6sr.
----Az--uuz>. -. -zuua,,.ss.szzsaA--.