Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-03-27

by hill and valley, forest and plain.
The road was one of those fine turl
pixies for which Kentucky is Just
celebrated, undulating with the ma
ural formation of the country; gene
/ ally wide, but sometimes much col
tracted by hillside and water-cours
| At length a gratifying break occurre
in the monotony which had thus IA
prevailed in cur party. Some Gil
cumstance, | forget now of what ma
ture. led to conversation on the ever
fruitful topic of religion. The farmer
evidently staunch churchman, ex
pressed his views at some length, am
alter a manner strictly orthodox
While listening to him my attention
was attracted by Reynolds manner.
Before half dozen words had bee
spoken, that rowing, restless movemen
OF the eye, to which | have alluded
partly disappeared, and his large eye
expanded as he almost fastened then
on the farmer. As the latter pro
gressed, Reynolds attention becam,
fixed. He was evidently intensely in
terested, and labored under represseC
excitement. The massive grandeur o.
frame seemed to expand under the eff
fort to restrain his feelings. He
seemed to desire to say something, anG
to be waiting eagerly for an opportu-
ty. None coming, his impatience
finally overcame him, and he spoke, in
a voice trembling with emotion:
"GentlemeD, it is my solemn duty to
correct the errors of your faith. Your
religion is on false foundation. The
new must supplant the old. [ tell you
L have studied religion for twenty
years; studied it day and night, with
out rest: Hear my Judgment: Your
church is an oppression to the land.
The poor have been robbed to enrich
her. She must be stripped of her
wealth for the benefit of the abject
and needy of the land. | am called to
preach the new Gospel. The church
must be leveled, and her ministers
driven from the land. All who do not
accept the new gospel must be destroy
ed"
These words were uttered with an
earnestnesstruly majestic. Thespeak-
er seemed to feel that he was indeed
sent to carry out the reform he refer
red to.
During the delivery ofthis TRADE the
yeiled lady had not escaped my notice.
Not for an instant had she turned
her head from the direction of the
speaker, whom she was evidently
watching intently and, as his en-
thusiasm increased, | fancied she
showed signs of alarm. Here re-
Cured the perplexing question as to
what mysterious relation existed be-
tween them. Revolving this question
in my mind, | was thoroughly on the
qui Uire, and anxiously awaiting some
when suddenly, and to my
disgust, we stopped for dinner.
Dinner was finished, and about two
o clock in the afternoon we resumed
our places. [ say we; [ am mis-
taken II there were three of US
only. Reynolds place was vacant. |
at once supposed that he was riding
on the box, and was confirmed in this
supposition by hearing his deep voice
in conversation with the driver.
There was now a marked change in
Miss Castles conduct. The cause |
attribuAd to the absence Of
and yet could not imagine
how his presence should act as d res
traint on her. She had removed her
veil, and disclosed one of the most at
tractive, winsome faces I had ever
looked upon. My youthful instinct
was correct. She was indeed young
and beautiful. Do L not express it
when / say she was most charming
young lady?
1t not long before one of those
pleasant conversation which commence
in nothing, and often end in nothing,
and yet begile the tediousness of travel,
had sprung up between us. She was
we'll informed, fluent, and entertain
ing, and | soon became much interest
ed.
Atthis stage of our journey we had
reached a hilly, almost mountainous
part of the country. The road had
become very narrow and contracted,
bounded on the one hand by line of
steep, rugged hills, on the other by a
deep ravine, with PERCEPTIONS sides.
Many feet below might be heard the
rush of water. | could not repress a
shudder as | looked down into the
abyss, and thought what an ugly place
this part of the road would be on a
lark, stormy night.
We were now moving at a rate of
speed which seemed rather unsafe,
the nature of the country
felt no great uneasiness, however, re-
ying as did upon the experience of
our driver. [ had occasionally caught
fragments of the conversation going on
between him aud the eccentric strang-
sr. Their voices became so loud that
We could distinctly hear Reynolds in
,isting, in an angry tone, on driving,
md then the firm refusal of the driv-
sr. This produced decided effect on
Miss Castle. Here, again, was direct
y tracea6le the influence which
Reynolds exerted on her. The domi-
lant feeling seemed to be sort of
Tread.
Determined to solve the mystery, l
slicited from Miss Castle, by d few
we'll timed questions, the following dis
closures, which you may easily imagine
we're not, under the circumstances,
either gratifying or soothing.
Reynolds, it appeared, was well
known to Miss Castle. In his youth
he had studied for the ministry.
Possessed of Wealth, his education had
been of superior character, and he
had early promise of useful, dis
career. Deep, continued
study, however, united with religious
unsettled his reason. He
had at first appeared harmless, but in
time the nature of his malady so
changed that he at intervals. became
violent and dangerous. He was final
" placed under the care of a keeper,
but not before he had twice attempted
the life of his trends during his peri
Ddical attacks of insanity. He was at
last placed in an asylum and was, no
doubt, supposed by his friends to be
in costody at the very time when 1t
was my fortune to have him for a trav-
cling companion. In word, the dis
looking gentleman out there
on the drivers box, apparently so anx
ious to take charge of our destinies,
was none other thanan escaped lunatic.
The dangerous nature Of the road,
and the now accelerated speed at which
we we're going, were grave causes for
alarm.
\ sense of impending peril possessed
me. The conversation between Rey-
nolds and the driver, which had for
time somewhat lulled, was resumed in
somewhat louder, angrier tones than
before.
I nnticed that void Iimmv'sn unice