Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1875-01-16
A NIGHT OF HORROR.

"My prematarcly wrinkled face, and my
gray lair. huyc often been the source OF
wonder and question And while have
always had the inclination to impart u
knowledge of facts to the curious, never,
until tonight, have had sufficient strength
and courage to tell the story that, even at
this distant time. thrills and fills me with
vague horr,r aud a,arm.
'About ten ycals since, | had occasion to
90 to Ansr!mo, y lt;lc town out Wet.
sit is, even to this day, 4 di~agrceahIe and
dang rous journey to perform, and then 1t
was particularly so. Bat, when wife
recognizes the predominant duty Of her life
to b. strict and uuqac>ri,oin- obedience to
her husband, neither rough fare nor learful
roa,S can deter her il the prosecution of the
set pnrpo>e Of ker s)a.
MY husband had ingr tel hi~ ready funds
in piece Of pro?ar'y in An>cImn, and,
although he Na~ Not l,y any means a man OF
wealth. he was abb" to surround me. %rncr-
ou~ly with all the comforts, if not the luz
urir~ OF life.
My marriage with him had met with Tic
extreme opposition of my entire family but
genuine affection had rrrlnm mated over
any proposed worldly con>ir!rratioHS
My husband bting, however, unpopular
amid the domestic circle. because Of his
financial Inability to conform t. their uni
Ncr-ai ideas Of what WAS requisite in iile
Of civilization and refinement, determined
he would 60 ''uut Wr~t," and, if he found
any induceincnt to settle. he would invest
his means, and app.i>c lEe mdue time where
and how to join him.
I'VE had one child, the idol of our hearts,
and, rs remember the parting, now, it
seemed much more dilicult to my husband to
say good bye to Eddie than to me
"W Ell, he went away, and | tried to be
cheerful and hnppy, AMI succeeded.
every day Eddie displayed Il new accom-
pli-hmcnt or an unexpected power, or an
unmagincd grace. and eagerly anticipated
tie time when lis father could Seo him
again.
The winter, the spring. the summer
passed away in successive seasons before
one word from Clarke summoned me from
our native village.
81 do net think that my relatives realized
how dear my child and were to them until
we left them.
"They We're extremely avcrsc to my pro-
70 tt = ,,
''For Il long time there was in their oppo-
sition, bitterness against my husband, but
this feeling WAS finally overwhelmed by in
dignation against me for my persistent de-
termination to adhere faithfully to Clark's
expressed desire that should lose 10 time in
joining him.
There were many hundred miles to
travel by rail, bat finally was directed to
stop at particular station and there hire a
conveyance and proceed to a road side inn,
where | was to await the arrival Of my
husband who would join me as cxpcditiously
a. possible.
1.-The rail travelling was pleasant and easy,
and, more than ali, rcpltc with interest for
me, for, until he Summoned Inc west, had
nc'er been more tl.an fifty miles from
home.
81 took note of every thing, and had Il
heartful Of pleasantly and gossip to tell him
when We were costly seated by our own
frcside
Arriving at the station, found a convey
ancc, which, at an cxorbitant price, was
hired to me for the journey to the roadside
/ tavern.
'Tnis latter part Of my travel was disa-
grecablc.
"A great, bmly. countryman with the
crossest and ~ukicst face | have ever seen.
/ drove TIE vehicle, which was II rafting ma
chine Of broken springs and worn-out
leather seats, ard ragged stuHy smelling
curtains.
Nevertheless it wa> all 50 much better
than expected that wa III quite state
Of delight.
"Ihc dliNcr WIS NY dread a0ng the 'one.y
road, and claSpei Eddie cIu-ell in my arms
andpat lay trust III God, nith nappy smile,
reminding myself that ! woulI see Clar;
that night: and the visions we're fair
that my fancy crtjurci mp, While the dis
Iancc was slowly Travelled.
1t was nearly dusk when we reached
The Fork, tile nam: Of the tavern to-
wards which we lad taen journeying-a