The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-08-15
IS THIS TRUE
The Story q Pennsylvania Doctor
Tells About a Midnight Ride.
II T..

About II clock etiucSdaE nlEbt
a rather tall, broad-Shoulder man with
black mustaChe and wearing a silk hat
and dress suit. called AT tn, office 90
De- >. ii. Meade, ON State street, kdan-
burg. the We'll known oil centre 81 the
Clarion region. and requested hlm To
20 and attend a lady, At the same that
there was a little mystery connected
with the case. The man was u stranger
TO the doctor. After a little prepare
ton the two started, and near the
Kribbs block the stranger suggested
that they take a short cut 10 save
time. and they started down Virgin
alley. In this alley another man ana
a carriage We're encountered, and
stranger No. l halted the doctor, say
ing, Il cannot go further with you
but my friend here Will take you the
rest OF the wa IN a carriage. Am
| To go out of town inquired the
doctor surprisedly. only a short dis
lance. Its all right: but for the sake
of caution vou must be b~hnd-folded.
With the least bit of reluctance he
stepped into the carriage and allowed
his eyes to be bandagcd. The driver,
who by the way, wore a mask which
concealed his features, mounted the
seat beside him and they started. They
drove. as near as the b~llnd-folded man
could nudge, about an hour, n dur
ing that time he and the driver con
yerSed on many subjects. The carriage
now crossed a bridge, then soon cross
ed another bridge, II afterwards
forded a creek or small stream. Short
ly after crossing the stream the car
riage was halted and the bandsge was
removed from the doctor eyes. tie
was told to alight and follow, and the
man led him through a dense wood
and along a narrow footpath for about
tifCy yards, when they came suddenly
alongside a tent. Another man, also
masked, met the pair at the door and
invited the doctor In. The driver re
NAMED outside. The tent was of the
circular kind, with a centre pole, and
inside was elegant upholstered turnI-
ture. Brussels carpet. snowy white
bed and silver ice pitcher and goblet.
This was all that was seen by the doc
tor. On the bed lay a woman, also
masked. She and stranger No. 3 APP
peared to be the sole occupants. The
doctor advanced 20 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 a late increase IN
the numerical strength of the party.
When the doctor had felt her pulse the
lady said, "Why. Dir. Meade, ! have
met YOU BEFORE and on his inquiring
where said: AT a certain wedding
in 1868" At this moment the sentl-
mel stuck his head in at the door and
reminded Meade that he promised not
to ask the lady any ~qestlons, and he
desisted from any further InterrOga-
ton. After properly treating the lady,
who appeared to be about nineteen or
twenty years of age, the same man
who accompanied the doctor out start
with him on the return trip. Down
the narrow dismal path they wended
their way, and when he carriage was
reached the doctor again submitted his
ewes to be bandaged. After driving
about half a mile the driver remarked
that he had some friends somewhere
| around here" and If they were awake
they (meaning tho doctor and HIMSELF
would have a lunch. He sounded a
shrill whistle, but it was not answered.
A little further on he sounded it again,
and an answer came from a point
close bv. The carriage vas driven up
to another tent and the doctors eyes
again uncovered. The tent was pre-
| cisely like the other, but the furniture
and utensils more of the or
der. The occupants We're three men,
all well dressed and all masked, the
black covering extending downward
only to the tips Of the noses. On a
tabl. was whisker, wine, cold chicken,
| cold ham, bread and a box of cigars.
| LuncheonOver, the driver reminded the
| doctor that it was time to start, III or
| der to get back befOredaybreak. Again
the bandage performed its duty, and
| the horses sped over the ground at a
lively gait. An hour later the DOCTOR
ewes were uncovered and he stood IL
Virgin alley. The driver thrust an
| envelope in his hand, babe a hasty
| good morning and drove off, Going 10
his office the doctor opened the enyel-
ope and found a $50 note. By this
time it was few minutes past / O'Clock,
and the story ends. The doctor. who
Is pretty reliable, vOuches for every
word Of the whole story, AID is him
| self as much my5titied about the mat
ter as anv one else. lie cannot call TO
mind the lady or her name, though he
remembers distinctly attending the
wedding t which she referred. There
will be many theories "a 10 the cause
Of the secrecy by these people. hllc
in tent No. > the doctor asked them If
they found game plenty, but they an
swer8d that they were not hunting &,
merely r~ecuperatlng.
~ ~ , y r 4I--4 - la4A