Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-02-14

necessity. They passed by enormous
fir trees, from which depended dark
and ponderous branches. Here were
seen frozen figures in every species
OF attitude, as if death had on sud
den arrested the current of life, and
transformed them into images oil
stone. Some still held in their con-
vulsive grasp the Ratchet, with which
they had made fruitless attempts to
fell the gigantic timber. Others,
equally unavailably, had laid fire
around their trunks, trying to ignite
them; they were observed kneeling
down the face projecting close to the
gnarled and knotted roots, and the
yet half kindled pitch-pine in hand
Arrayed in the winding sheet of the
icy mist surrounding them, these
objects resembled the figures of a
camera optica seen through a mag
nifying glass, uncouth and lodging
like huge petrified spectres in the
sepulchral stiffness of natures death
chamber.
/
cape from the sickening sight. But
the road in its entire length was re-
plete with these objects of horror,
and the foot at every step came in
contact with some terrifying obstruc-
ton. At last, after an hours march
the forest was passed, and as the mist
settled down to the surface, house
was seen which, perhaps would offer
them shelter and warmth. With re-
doubled speed the wanderers fastened
towards it. But as they drew near
and saw the gaping windows de-
spoiled Of their frames, and the traces
Of fire on the ground, they were soon
convinced it was no longer an abid-
ing place for human beings. How
ever Frederick stepped up and
opened, the door of the building,
which looked like barn or stable.
He started back with a shudder, for
he saw nothing within but dead bod
dies-a CHASTITY throng, with eyes
staring open.
The road became more and more
thronged by stragglers focking from
the adjoining woods, or the deserted
villages in the vicinity. Our friends
soon found themselves again in the
midst OF dense crowd of those ghost
like and hollow-eyed wretches, who
urged by the severity of the weather,
had put on everything as a covering
they fell in with.
This was their last trial of the kind.
The hour Of deliverance had struck
at last A cry Of joyful surprise sud-
denly broke from the foremost files
of the troops, which momentarily
rose louder and louder. Everybody
asked and questioned about the
cause. and the masses fastened for
ward with increased eagerness. Our
friends also reached the angle of the
road from whence the cry had first
been heard; and there lay before
them Wilma, the long wished for
haven Of rest, the first inhabited
braced each other, burning tears
flowed from their eyes, for the sane
tuary was at last before them. after so
many sufferings and sacrafices. But
the goal, though so near, was difficult
to attain. The road was already
crowded far and wide with a mob of
unhappy fugitives, reused from their
stolid apathy by the sight of the
longed-for asylum. In blind precipi-
tation they rushed on towards the
town. Already heaping and crowd
ing became observable, notwithstand-
ing that the open fields afforded room
in plenty for disseminating the mas
ses. Rasinski looked around to dis
cover some by-path, by which they
might turn aside into unperceived,
for he feared to draw too large q
number after him, if, with his little
party he was suddenly TO strike Off
into che fields. They had already
come up to a few houses that lay
scattered outside the town, and were
close by the surburbs. Here his plan
might be carried in to execution.
Tire living stream began already to
and they were pushed tor
ward with rude violence, rather than
OF their own accord. 1t was high |
time to turn aside.
"Nowl" cried Rasinski, turning to
one side from the road. Frederick,
Henry, Lodoiska and Jeanette fol- |
lowed. Moved by some dim conjec-
ture, numbers pressed after. The |
path passed across steep |
and slippery slope. Rasinski shot |
across safely to the hollow beyond, |
but Lodoiska and Jeanette slipped. |
Frederick and Henry supported them,
but they were too weak and unsteady |
to keep firmly on their feet, and so
they fell down together. The crowd
passed by them on either side. 1t /
did not trample them down but cut
them off from their guide. With
difficulty they succeeded in gathering |
themselves up, Lodoiska was found
to have sprained her foot. Henry
disappeared, while a huge mob al
ready covered the field.
To contend against this current
was out OF the question to escape
from it by advancing more rapidly
seemed equally hopeless. There re-
NAMED therefore nothing for the
friends to do but suffer themselves to
be swept along by the turbulent bill
sws. The path turned and meand-
cred angular zigzag enclosure OF
several detached farms. Suddenly il
branched off in variety Of directions
every lane being already crowded
with people. Which one had Rasin-
ski followed? 1t was beyond conjec-
ture to know; and even had it been
possible to ascertain, it would
have awaited nothing; for neither was
It here left optional which path to
take, but every one was obliged tc go
IN the direction In which the ever in
throng bore him on. Fred
erick acting upon the same principle
which stood him in such good stead
1t the Bergina. made it his chief OBJ
Jet to elbow his way out OF the
crowd. so as to recover the chance of
his own way. The rest fol-
lowed. Breathless and exhausted.
they finally gained the open field.
The cold which had 80 long aud ruth