American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-22
VOL. NNIII.

| when she found me lying dead; uncle.
! opening of the telegram which would
bring the news-the darkened home, tn,
broken hearts which would surely carry
| till they died the remembrance of tho
dreadful fate of their wilful, but, oh theil
| loving darling-ali this occurred so viv
idly TO me that, with great cry for helr
to heaven, fell at the mans feet and en-
treated him not 10 kill me.
Kill ycu. 1 thought 1t was your un
Gle VINO was to kill mel Bless your little
neart, | am going to take care of you
You look pale. Now didn't you come of
In too great hurry to have time foi
breakfast? Have bit of luncheon
STOPPING to take black bag from under
the seat II always go about provided
with something good. I'm a soft-hearted
| boy, am, and never see fine young wo
man suffer, if l can help it. Peck a Bit
now-do; you have a hungry look"
| What could must do? 1 sat up
and said, as steadily as l could, choki .
back the tears-for would not cry before
him:
Il am not hungry: will not eat Do
| not speak to me any more. You must not
Il am a lady"
"a lady, l know that Do you think
I'd be so good to you if you were not' 1
u L
CRY lady, tool knew you was. Come,
peck bit Don't be bashful"
| By this time he had unlocked the bag,
and taken from it-yes, it may appear
improbable, but, oh! it is dreadfully true
"a turnip-a great, unbOiled turnip-a
turnip still covered with the soil of the
| field from which the wretch had taken it'll
He began to scrape and pare it, while 1
looked on.
Was he mads would try to please
him, and do as he wished, and then per-
haps he would not hurt me. l should
soon be with my aunt now, and at that
thought felt the tears coming again, but
opened my eyes widely, and bit my lips
hard-the tears must not fall. crushed
them back, and sat watching my COM
panion till, having peeled the turnip to
his satisfaction, he cut off thick slice
and handed it to me. Raw turnip! And
touched by those fingers!
"Come, take it, my beauty-ap peach ripe
and downy as your own cheek. Peaches
is dear, too, this season; but I give no
heed to that. If SO be as find pretty
girl to eat 'em, l don't grudge the money.
Come, peck away; or do you want me to
feed yOus No you shan't have it without
Thank YOU After all my trouble, that
amt manners" with significant look at
the knife
"Thank you," said, eagerly. 1 took
the slice of turnip and began to eat it
yes, ate it all, every mouthful making
me feel more ill. Another slice was Of
fered. l took it and began to eat, but my
throat seemed to be closing-I could not
swallow.
"Come, finish it. Good, isn't itP The
ladies are always fond of bit of fruit.
Don't be bashful-I've something here
for you to wash it down. Nothing like a
III .f Oh 4,
yOu," and he touched the neck of a black
bottle which stuck out of his pocket.
What would become of me. l had once
seen dreadful woman for a few moments
at hOme-a new cook she was-whO was,
oh! so frightful. Nurse told me she had
taken brandy and was drunk. l had
thought her mad. If he had made me
drink it, and if, when Aunt Margery
found me, but no. this would not do;
the turnip, and all the while l prayed
earnestly for rescue. Was my prayer
answered? The train began to slacken
its speed-it stopped; but there was no
station in sight. | think it was siding
or something of that kind.
AT the side of the carriage where l was
sitting there was steep bank which shut
out all hope; at the other side were seve
raj lines of rails; beyond was the open
country. In an instant my torturer was
at my window. With an oath he COM
manded me to 'be still and stay where 1
was" l heard some one pass, and, in
reply to a question, l suppose, say that
we had been shunted to allow special
train to 60 by-it would pass in three
minutes. l called, but very family, am
afraid. forn no one answered, and the lead"
turned on me SO fiercely that l dare not
try again.
The special train swept by, but hard
ly saw it; my eyes, my whole soul, were
fastened on the figure of man who just
then came down the green bank which
was at some distance. l pressed my face
to the glass. Which way would he take?
He stood up for a moment, and then slow
ly, laZily sauntered toward me. The glass
was up-my only hope was that he would
pass close and see me, for / was past call
ing or moving now. l noted every trifling
detail of his figure and dress; he was "a
tall, brOad-shouldered gentleman, dressed
in light gray; young, and with long,
golden beard; even the carnation in his
buttonhole l observed, and the strength
and careless ease of his figure as he
lounged along. He stopped TO whistle to
his dogs, and then again strOlled on, idly
twirling his cane.
do not know-what kind of face was
pressed to the glass on my side-it was
another minute pair of great merry blue
eyes carelessly glanced up in passing, and
were startled into earnestness by the eyes
they encountered; the whistle sounded but,
even as it did, a strong hand was on the
dOor-handle, the door was wrenched open,
the train moved On-he was beside me.
was safe!
l don't know what happened then. My
deliverer says that l cried, and held one
of his hands tight in both of mine; but
that don't believe. In the first place we
had never been introduced, and, in the
second, two of his fingers are about as
much as my two hands can contain at
once. l know when grew calmer that
found him taking care of me- and that
didn't dislike it as much as one might
have expected. l don't remember how
told him all; L suppose the turnip and
knife, which still lay on the seat, helped
me little; but do know that ne told me
mot to be frightened, for he would not
throw the scOundrel from the window, as
he deserved"-and that he looked so fierce
and so strong that l could quite imagine
it was habit of his to throw scoundrels
from windows, and that he rather liked it. |
What he did was to take the creature by
the collar, and force him down on his |
knees, In spite of his piteous protestations
That he never mcnt to hurt the lady-it |
was only a lark-he would not have done
it for ten pun note, if he had known"
"Hold your tongue. Swallow this, and
think yourself lucky to escape six months |
on the tread-mill For the lady's sake |
will not prosecute you, and I'll not break
every bone in your body, as | should like
to do, as it might annoy her to see it done
But you'll at this, to the last morsel-
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