Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-10-19
A Crime and it's Sequel.

lDdl l. Nd6 CIIOSCil uioltlSC oOlOI'
= ney of remote backWoods dis.
0 trict. There was but slender
Q stock k-of legal timber to select
from, and small difference in thC
. quality. We were all in thai
= = calIow, downy state in which il
D was Impossible to tell which
0 of us might turn out game, and
, which might prove to be OF the
} common, barry ard breed. We
, might ali be chrysalitic Clays
or Webstcrs, for aught We
knew, OF the public either, OF
! might be destined to plod
through inglorious lives in the
, humble walks OF aaaSi p'aatS.
! As one appears as we'll at
another in the dark, SO it was
with US in our obscurity. Ii
was not, therefore, because they
deemed me gifted with any pc
). GUITAR fitness for the post, thai
the people chose me for theil
prosecuting officer. The post
had to be filed, and the lot fell
to me, which, l now bethink
me, was all that needed to be
said by way Of introduction TO
my story.
Ny district was large, en-
bracing several counties, in each
of which | was obliged to at
tend court, and, for that pur-
pose. to take long and frequent
journeys.
On one of them, toward the
approach of night, | found my
self in the neighbOrhOod OF an
old fiend's house, to which hos
pitality / knew l should be vel
come. 1t was OH the opposite
side of a large river, but | should
doubtless find some settler with
a canoe or other craft, who
would ferry me over.
Stopping at a cabin at which
/ had taken quarters before, af-
ter arranging with the proprie-
tor to have my horse taken care
of till morning, l inquired as TO
the best means of getting over
to my friends where proposed
passing the night.
Take that path" said the
settler; "it'll take you out to
Jim brakes shanty on the riv-
er. He's got a dugout, an kin
take you 'crost, an show you
the rest O the way"
l thanked the old man, and
followed the direction given till
the path branched into three.
Taking the one which seemed
to lead in the right course, /
pushed on, for the shadows
were beginning to thicken, and
it was wild spot to be belated
i'll.
It wasn't a mile, the settler
told me, to the river and Jim
brakes shanty. l had certain
ly walked twice that without
seeing a sign of either. 1t had
grown quite dark, and the con-
victiOn was, coming over me
that | had lost my way, and
might be forced to pass the
night in the woods, instead Of
enjoying the comfort OF my
friends fireside.
/ slackened my pace, hesitat-
ing whether to go on, or risk
finding my way back over a
path already become invisible.
when a cracking of bushes "a
head. followed by a low sound
of voices, attracted my atten-
tion.
"HelIo!-who goes thereT'
called out one of them.
"a stranger who has lost his
| way" l answered.
More murmuring of voices
followed, and then the dim forms
of two men approached.
"Whar be you goin' TOP
one of them accosted me.
i. 1 briefly explained the situa-
: ton.
$ "Wall, you see, you're con-
sid'rable out O. bearin's," the
e man replied. "Jlm brakes is
: more'n three miles from here
d an you'll never find your way
d in the dark Howsever, we've
j got a skift over yonder, an
wouldn't mind takin' you eros
: an settin' you in the right way
!, ourselves, eff you paid us a tri
E, Ifie."
'I'Il reward you literally ant
! thank you BESIDES" | returned
A short walk brought Us t.
: the river, where we found
E. small skiff moored to the bank
I Jump in," said one of th'
: meu, who, as / o6eyed, spran:
II in after me and shipped tn
: oars, while the other united tn
,.ona aud f0llowRd