Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-06-14
MINNIE IMAYNE.
Og:.rHE ANGEL OF THE WOOD.

height of Summer. The sun had
been a half hour gone, but his
beams still fingered in the clear hori-
znn, aud still the tleecy cloud was
tinged with fading touch of red.
The blue vault had not yet deepen
ed into gray, nor the landscape be-
come obscure in the growing twi-
light. And yet there was mellow
ing tint upon the scene, that grave
OF softness, what it stole of splen-
dor.
The flowers that had dropped,
and the leaf that had withered in
the MONDAY heat, were already re-
covering by the evenings freshness,
while the thrush prolonged her song,
and the retbreast fingered on the
bough, as if unwilling to part from
such day. Peace and repose were
the character of the scene, and fan
cy might almost picture that the
task was done, and all things ready
for an eternal rest.
Such was the beautiful aspect Of
declining day,
1 had jusI arrived at the point
where two roads emerged from the
main stem, having nearly completed
my evenings ramble, and was Just
turning into the right hand prong
of the road which led to my home
when my reyerie was disturbed by a
strange sound as of human voice,
apparently in great distress. halt
ed and looked around me, hoping to
catch glimpse of this object. where
by, if a human being were indistress,
/ could Immediately render assist
ance.
The shadows Of night-fall were
fast enclosing the last moments of
expiring day, and soon the dark cur
tain of night would shut out proba-
bly,, all possibility of rescue until the
coming morn.
Thus I soliloqu;sed for few Sec
onds, while my eyes penetrated into
the surroundings. To the right of
my road fifty feet, lay a thick copse.
/ approached it slowly and cautious
ly, and when 1 reached the edge /
hailed. Hallco who are you /
paused for reply when the same
sounds that | had first heard, fell
again upon my ears, but much more
audibly. I then knew that l was
nearing the source from whence pro-
ceeded the mysterious noise. hail
ed again, and voice within a few
feet Of me. answered, Hold on
Come this way'F' L turned to. my
left, and saw behindsa fallen. tree "
lug PROSTATE on the ground, female
figure. I hastened to the spot and
inquired the cause Of. her apparent
distress. and why she was thus
alone and unprotected in the wood.
She replied that her mission was one
of mercy, and that she was under
the protection of heaven, and that
no doubt but that / had been sent
by that way to assist her in her ef-
fort to save life and property.
She insisted tnat 1 shoald sit
down on the fallen tree, and that
she would make known to me in de-
tail, the cause of her very strange
visit to the wood.
After being seat ed for a few mo-
ments she began to unfold her terri
bic story.
II am not only q stranger TO you,
but am a stranger in the Eeighbor-
hood. [ arrived at my uncle's ten
days ago, from my city home, aud
to-day while out gathering wild
flowers in the wood near my uncle's
house, / espied three rough looking
men coming toward me, their path
lay between me and the house. So
10 escape observation, / nestled my
self closely in the underground, un-
til they could pass me, but when
they arrived nearly opposite to where
/ had secreted myself, they halted,
sat down, and began a conversation
with each other. Every word of
their conversation I could distinctly
understand, being in close proximi-
ty to where they were seated.
soon learned from their con-
versation. that they were a portion
of band Of burglars. who had in
tested the country for many weeks,
and they were plotting to take the
life of one Mr.. Jarvis, the only son
of an aged and decrepid parent,
whose farm is adjoining my uncle's
and then they could easily rob the
old folks of large sum of money
that they knew came into their pcs
session a few days ago. They said
tie son had gone from home, and
would probably return as was his
custom about night, and that they
would lay in wait at the outer gate
nv tha edCa of tho wood and would