Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-08-29
From ths Piitsbufg Dispatch Aug. 3.
4he Midnight Ride.


About twelve o'clock Wednesday
night a rather tall, broad-shouldefrd
man, with black fn5ustaclie af:d wear
ing silk hat and dress suit. called at
the Office of DR.. S. II. Meade, on State
street, Edenbhrg, the well-knoWn oil
centre OF the Clarion region. and re-
quested him TO 90 and attend lady, at
the same time stating that there was .
little mystery connected with the case.
The man was q stranger 90 the doctor.
After little preparation the two started,
aud when near the KFihbs block the
stranger suggested that they take a
'shoFt cut" to save time, and they
started down Virgin alley. Ia this al
lev another man and q carriage were
encountered, and stranger No. halted
the doctor, saying, al cannot go furth-
er with you, but my friend here will
take you the rest OF the way in car
rage" cam to 60 out flown" :" in-
quired the doctor supposedly. "Only
short distance. It's all right, but for
the sake Of caution you must be blind
folded" With the least bit Of reluc-
tanee he stepped into the carriage and
allowed his eyes to be bandaged. The
driver, who, by the way, wore mask
which concealed his features, mounted
the seat beside him and they started.
They drove, as near as the blindlOld-
ed man could judge, about an hour, and
during the time he and the driver con-
versed on many subjects. The car
-riage now crossed bridge, then soon
crossed another bridge and afterwards
forded creek or small stream. Short
ly after crossing the stream the carriage
was halted and the bandage removed
from the doctors eyes. He was told TO
-aIight and follow, and the man led him
through dense wood and along q mar
row fOot-path for about fifty yards,
when they came suddenly alongside a
tent. Another man, also masked, met
the pair at the door and invited the doc
Tor IN. The driver renamed outside.
The tent was Of the circular kind, with
a centre pole, and inside was elegant
upholstered furniture, Brussels carpet.
snowy white bed and silver iee-pitcher
and goblet. This was all that was seen
by the doctor. On the bed lay a wo-
man, also masked. She and stranger
No. appeared 70 be the sole occu-
pants.
The doctor advanced TO the bedside,
and, taking The lady's hand, said he was
sorry for her. She replied that she was
out Of pain and trouble. and in fact there
had been late increase in the numeri-
cal strength of the party. When the
doctor had felt her pulse The lady said,
"Why, DR.. Meade, / have met you be-
FORE" and on his inquiring where, she
said: "At a certain wedding in 1868.
At this moment the sentinel stuck his
head in at the door and reminded Meade
that he promised not to ask the lady any
questions, and be desisted from any
| further interrogation. After properly
treating the lady. who appeared TO be
| about nineteen or twenty years Of age,
the same man who accompanied the
doctor out started with him on the re-
turn trip.
Down the narrow, dismal path they
wended their way, and when the car
riage was reached the doctor again sub
| mitted his eyes 10 be bandaged. After
driving about half mile the driver re-
| marked that he had some friends "somc
where around here" and If they were
awake they (meaning the doctor and
himself would have a lunch. lie
sounded shrilI whistle, but il was not
answered. A little further on be SCUM
ded it again, and an answer came from
a point close by. The carriage was
driven up to another tent and the doc
tors eyes were again uncovered. The
tent was precisely like the other, but
the furniture and utensils on the inside
were more Of the common order. The
occupants were three men, all we'll
dressed, and all masked, the black cor.
ering extending downward only 10 The
tips of the noses. On a table were
whiskey, wine, cold chicken, cold ham,
bread and box Of cigars. Luncheon
over. the driver reminded the doctor
that It was time 10 start, in order 10 get
back before daybreak.
Again The bandage performed its
duty, and the horses sped over the
ground at lively gait. An hour later
the doctors eyes were uncovered, and
he stood IN Virgin alley. The driver
thrust an envelope in his hand, bade a
hasty good-morning and drove or Co
ing 10 bis Office, the doctor opened the
envelope and found a twenty dollar
note. By this time IL was few minutes
past 4 o'clock, and the story ends. The
doctor. whois perfectly reliable, vOuches
for every word Of the whole story, and
Is himself as much mystified about the
matter as any one else. lie cannot call
TO mind The lady OF her name, though
be remembers distinctly attending the
wedding to which she referred. There
will be many theories as TO the cause Of
the secrecy preserved by these people.
While in tent No. 2 the doctor asked
them if they found game plenty, bet
they answered they were not hunting,
merely FecuPerating.