The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1875-09-29
ham for his forty-fourth wife"
ut,J I'm otbnr IoI1, ~ I aDrni,

"And the other lady?' IenGuIrcd,
carcessly.
ooh, she is tho senior stcpmothcr Of
the young lady, and the director gen,
cral of old Achcrman's harcm Of scv.
cntccn wives. lie is q rich old mob,
and bcstows upon old Brig with his
daughter, marriage portion of five
thousand dollars. lie is fishing you
SEQ, for an appointment to the Coun'
Gil Of Tcn,' next year,
We saw that our informant was
radical in his ideas, and we took him
to q nci ighboring saloon and treated
him. lie told US great many novel
things about the sanity city before
we separated, and walked with us to
the street where Achcrman's residence
was situated.
Bctimcs the next morning, Mark
Trafton cleaned up his saddle and bri-
die, and after currying down the
splendid black stallion he had ridden
all the way from Council Bluffs, till
not a specl of dirt could be found
upon his highly polished coat, he
mounted him and rode fourth into
the city. lie was absent till noarly
noon, and after dinner he sailed out
again. This he repeated tho next
day, and for the four days following :
but from our conversation in tho even
ing l found out what he was up
TO.
He had already met Miss Archman
three or four times clandcstinely, and
she had expressed her rcpugnance of
Brigham in no very guarded or res
pcctful language. She pronounced
him an old beast without hesitation,
and declared she would die SCORER
than she would be his forty fourth
wife, and Trafton eagerly encouraged
her in his resolution.
The last time they had met he pro-
posed an elopemcnt, and she had CIV
en- her consent. She was ready to
accompany her handsome lover to
California, or any where else, to avoid
the cruel fate that awaited her at
home. They had laid all their plans
for departure that night, intending
to make their way beyond Bear Riv-
cr to the foot Of the mountains, where
they proposed 10 1cmaiu concealed
till our party came up.
Their plan was TO meet somewhere
between ten and midnight, just be-
vond the northern limits Of the city
proper 'whcrc they were to take the
travelled road leading to Boar River,
and ride all night.
"Now, what [ want Sil," said Mark
in an oIatcd tone sis to borrow your
marc for Belle. Thought you might
ride rs far as the mountains in the
mulc-tcam with Jaggers, and then
when you overtakc you might ex-
changcplaccs."
| gave my consent, and in order to
covcrup suspicion even from our own
party, rode into tho city with Mark
in the afternoon and left my mare at
Il Iivcry-stable, to be called for BY
Yralton at nine o'clock that evening"
We then visited a saddlcr's and pur-
chased u sidc-saddle and small pan
icr suitable to be attached to his own
saddle. In this he intended to stow
away provisions enough to last three
or four days and such selections from
the young Iady's ample wardrobe rs
would be absolutely necessary in the
undertaking Of so long 4 journey. |
was to call for the sdH-saddlo and
panicr in tho evening and transfer
them to the place Of meeting, which
we had driven tv before btabIlng
my horse.
On our return TO camp VIC gave out
tho story to our companions that l
had sold my horse for i round sum to
a Mormon. This was satisfactory to
orr fellows, who had no particularly
good reason for disbelivcing the sto-
" when they saw that we had not
'rought the animal back with us.
A little after dark l started into
the city IN advance Of Tratton, and
securing the side-saddlc and panicr.
| made my way to the point prevl-
ously dcsi gnated. | bad not long to
wait before Mark appeared, mounted
on his own morse, with mine in lead.
1t was little past nine o'clock at
this time. and y beautiful starlight
night. We exchanged tho saddles
and attached the paner l had
brought to Marks. The provisions
which ho had brought in q bag thus
far were carfuly transferred to the
panicr, so as to mako room for the
reception Of such articles as the
young lady might think proper to
take along with her.
It was understood that she was to
slip out Of tho house the moment the
family had retired and everything
was quiet about the premises, and
meet Mark, who was to await her
near at hand, while remained as
sentinel over the horses, which were
concealed from observation Dy Il cluo
of bushes not far from tho road
side.
How long II should bo required to
wait was uncertain, for no ono could
tell how long the family would re-
main up. Time always seem long to
those who are awaiting an expected
event.
The two hours and 4 half that |
remained behind the club Of bushes.
holding the two horses by the bride,
before the arrival Of the tuSltlvrs,
seemed to nc, in my impatient mood,
to be fully double that length OF time:
But they came at last, and the small
bundle Of things which the beautiful
cir: had smugsIcd from the house,
,rorn stowrI snurlv away in tho OD-