The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-10-17


that, with a great cry for help to
Heaven, 1 fell at the mans feet, and en-
treated him not to kill me.
"Kill you I thought it was your
uncle who was to kill me Bless your
little heart, I am going to take care of
you. You look pale. Now did't you
come off in too great hurry to have
time for breakfast. Have bit of lunch
con, ;" STOPPING to take black bag from
under the seat. 81 always go about
provided with something good. I'm a
soft-heaIted boy, 1 am, and never see a
fine young woman suffer, if I can help
it. Peck bit now-do; you have a
hungry look"
WHAT should I-must I do? I sat
up, and said as steadily as I could,
choking back the tears, for would not
cry before him
81 am not hungry; will not eat
Do not speak to me any more. You
must mott am lady"
GA lady I know that. Do you
think I'd be SO good to you if you were
not? Iknow a lady when I see her,
and hungry lady too, [ 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 ap-
pear improbable, but, O? It is dread
fully true turnip, turnip; a great
unboiled turnip- turnip still covered
with the soil of the field from which
the wretch had taken it ! He began to
scrape and pare it while I looked on.
Was he mad? l would try to please
him, and do as he wished, and then
perhaps he would not hurt me. I
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.
I crushed them back, and sat watching
my companion till, having peeled the
turnip to his satisfaction, he cut off a
thick slice and handed it to me. Raw
tUrnipl And touched by those fingers.
"Come, take it, my beauty, peach
ripe and dOwny as your own cheek.
give no heed to that. If so be as find
a pretty girl to eat 'em, I don't grudge
the money. Come, peck away; or do
you want me to feed you? No, you
sha'nt have it without thank you At
ter all my trouble, that amt manners"
with a significant look at the knife.
"Thank you % I said, eagerly. I
took the slice of t1rnip, and began to
eat it-yes, I ate it all, every mouthful
making me feel more i'll. Another
slice was offered, I took it and began to
eat, but my throat seemed to be clos
ing, could not swallow.
"Come, finish it. Good, isn't it
The ladies are always fond of bit of
fruit. Don't be bashful, I've something
here to wash it down. Nothing like a
drop of brandy to make it agree with
you," and he touched the neck of
black bottle which stuck out of his
pocket.
What would become of me? l had
once seen dreadful woman for few
at home, a new cook she was,
who was, o so frightful. Nurse told
me she had taken brandy and was
drunk. I had thought her mad. If he
had made rae drink it, and if, when
aunt Margery found me, but no,
this would not do he might kill me
first. l went on eating the turnip, and
all the while [ prayed earnestly for res
cue. Was my prayer answered? The
train began to slacken its speed, it
stopped but there was no station in
sight. I think it was q siding or
of that kind.
At the side of the carriage where I
was sitting there was steep bank which
shut out all hope; at the other side
were several lines of rail beyond was
the open country. In an instant my
torturer was ar my window. With an
oath he commanded me to "be still,
and stay where / was" / heard some
one pass, and, in reply to a question,
suppose, say that we had been shunte
to allow q special train to go by,
would pass in three minutes. I called,
but very family, [ am afraid, for no one
answered, and the "cad turned on me
so fercly that I dare not try again.
The special train swept by, but I
hardly saw it my eyes, my whole soul,
were fastened on the figure of a man
who Just then came down the green bank
which was at some distance. pressed
my face to the glass. Which way would
he take? He stood up for moment,
and then slowly, lazily ysauntered towards
me, The glass was up, my only hope
was that he would pass close and see
me, for I was past calling or moving
now. noted every trifling detail of his
figure and dress he was a tall, broad
gentleman, dressed in light
gray young, and with a long, golden
beard even the carnation in his button
hole [ observed, and the strength and
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
a wild aud scared one, l am sure !; but
in another minute pair of great merry
blue eyes carelessy glanced up in pass
ing, and were startled into earnestnest
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, thetrain moved
on: he was beside me. [ was safe
/ don't know what happened then.
Ny deliverer says that cried, and held
one of his hands tight in both of mine
but that I don't believe. In the first
place, we had never been introduced,
and, in the second, two Cf his fingers are
about as much as my two hands can con-
tain at once. I know, when l grew
calmer that found him taking care of
me, and that I didn't dislike it as much
as one might have expected. I don't
remember how I told him all sup
pose the turRip and knife, which still
lay on the seat, helped me little but
[ do know that he told me "not to be
for he would not throw the
from the window, as he de,
and that he looked so fearce
and so strong that I 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 crea-
ture by the collar, and force him down
on his knees, in spite of his piteous pro-
testations that " he never meant to hurt
the lady, it was only lark he would
not have done it for ten-pun note, not
if he had known"
Hold your tongue. Swallow this,
and think yourself lucky to escape six
months on the treadmiIl. For thelady's
sake, I 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 eat this to
the last morsel, mud and all should
say it is not the only dirt you will have
to swallow in your life Down with
it :"
And when the last atom had disap-