Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-02-19
A TERRIBLE NIGHT.
BY BERNEr HKsFKR.

Drive on, 1 heard my father say,
in quick, sharp voice. The sound
awakened me from the state of half
unconscousness into which 1 had
sunk. .--1
The driver, obeying the injunc-
ton, applied the whip once more to
the poor jaded horses, and we went
on at little faster rate over the
rough road.
Susan! l touched my sisters shoul-
der as 1 spoke, for she had not mov-
ed nor spoken for the last ten min
utes, l supposed her to be asleep.
What do you want, Ann?
Do you know where we are?
Yes, amongst the hills, trying to
get over them, or around them, 1
hardly know which.
1t was the first time / had compre-
hended our situation; overtaken by
night and storm in such a locality.
Hark! what is that? said Susan, as
a wild, mournful cry reached our
ears in the pauses that the wind
made.
We both listened, as the cry was
repeated again and again.
1t must be some human being in
distress! said Susan. Let us speak to
father.
A sudden burst of wind and rain
completely drowned our voices for
that moment; when it subsided Su-
san managed to make herself heard
by my father, who sat upon the
front seat with the driver.
Pooh, pooh, child! how your i'm
agination runs wild! 1t was an owl
you heard just now.
In a moment more we heard again
my fathers voice through the mar
row opening which had been left be-
tween our well-protected part of the
carriage and the exposed portion in
front.
Isay, girls, this is apretty wind
up to such a glorious weddingi We
shan't reach home to night at this
rate. / do wonder where that OBJ
.stinate fellow, Camden, and his par
ty are at this time?
In fact l had been wondering the
same thing myself, and SO 1 imagin-
ed had Susan.
But dav before we had journey
ed with merry party over the same
hills to attend a wedding of a dear
friend of ours; it was a fashion
amongst US to attend weddings in
this way. This night we were on
our homeward way, but by a mere
caprice had become separated from
the rest of our companions. My fa-
ther had insisted upon taking US in
one direction; Atherton Camden,
my brother and the remainder of the
young people had chosen the other
road. So it happened we were sep
arated.
A splendid night for the appear
ance of your bandltti-eh, Susan?
And my father turned round once
more to address in a jesting tone.
The fact was that everybody lik-
ed to banter Susan upon her pro
pensities for discovering robbers,
banditti and other heroes of novels
in quite commonplace people, and
making out of everyday adventures
those marvellous to be told.
AS my father spoke the last words,
the carriage suddenly stopped-so
suddenly that we were jerked back
on our seats.
Some one has hold of the horses,
whispered Susan.
What's the matter now? 1 heard
my father say to the driver.
Matter enough! we've lost the
way.
'Twould take more than either of
US to tell where we are.
Let the horses take their own
way; they'll find the road homeward,
said my father.
Not bit of it; they're ready to
drop down now. l thought I knew
the road, for I've travelled herea-
bouts these ten years; but I'd wager
that no one could find the way on
such a confounded dark night as
this!
But what's to be done? said my
father.
have itl said the driver. I'll go
and hunt up a house, if there's one
to be found, and you can stay here.
NV father having agreed to the
plan, away went our driver through
the binding rain, whilst we remain
ed behind. The only thing to be
done was to wait patiently for help.
After due discussion of our situa-
ton, which had assumed rather a
serious aspect, we settled into ST.
lence, each of US inwardly hoping,
yet hardly daring to speak the
thought aloud, that had become a
matter of great anxiety-that this
mission upon which the driver had
gone might prove unsuccessful.
We were startled by loud shont
and the appearance of light in the
distance. In few moments we
heard the welcome news that a house
had been discovered, and that the
family were making preparations
for our reception.
Half an hour afterward we found
ourselves sitting before a blazing