The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-02-20

only wish knew
Whether be still is b ind, or If
His eyes are omen too.
MY MIDNIGHT PERIL.
The night OF the 18th of October
shall I ever forget it's pitchy darkness g,
the roar of the autumnal wind through
the lonely forest, ard the incessant
doWnpour of the rain ?
" This comes of short cuts, " | NUT
tered petulantly TO myself, as l plodded
along, keeping close to the trunks of the
trees to avoid the ravine, through which
I could hear the roar of the turbulent
stream forty or fifty feet below. Ny
blood ran cold as I thought what might
be the posi- ble consequences OF a miss -eF
or a move in the wrong direction. Why
had I not been c0ntented to keep IN the
right road 3?
Hold on was that light, or are my
eyes playing me false
I stopped, holding on to the low resin
Gus boughs of a hemlOck that grew on
the edge of the bank, for II actually
seemed that the wind would seizs me
bodily and hurl me down the precipitous
descent.
1t was ight-thank ProYideDce-it
was q light, and no iguis tatTus to lure
me on to destruction and death.
II tllOO-o-Ol
Ny voice rang through the woods like
a clarion. I plunged on through tangled
vines, dense briars and rocky banks, ua-
til, gradually nearing, could peTcsive
a figure wrapped in an Oil-clOth cape, or
cloak, carrying a lautern. As the dim
light Tell upon his face / almost recOiled
Would not solitude III the woods be
preferable to the companionsbip of this
withrred, wrinkled old man But it
was toe late to recede now.
whats wanting?" he snaried, with
a peculiar motion Of the lips that seemed
to leave his yellow teeth all bare.
81 am lost in the woods; can you di-
rect me to R station "
Eyes. R station is twelve miles
from here"
Twelve miles "
stood aghast,
"Yes''
Can you tell me OF any shelte.
could obtain for the night?"
"No."
"Where are you going?"
"To Drew's, down by the maple
swamp"
'Is it tavern2"
"No."
"W ouId they take me for the night
could pay them well"
His eyes cleaned the yellow stumps
stood revealed once more.
81 guess 50 lolks do stop there"
'Is it not far from here?"
Not very about half a mile"
"Then maze hsste and let Us reach it.
1 am drenched to the skin"
We plodded on, my companion
more than keeping pace with me. Pies
emily we left the edge of the rGvine,
entered what seemed to be a trackless
wood, and keeping straight on until the
lights gIeamed fi.fully through the vet
foliage.
1t vas ruinous old place, with the
wiz bdows alI drawn to one side, as if the
foundation had settled, snd the pillars
OF large porch near rotted away.
A weman answered my fellOw>tTavel-
er's knock. My companion whiepered q
word or two to her, and she turned to
me with smooth, VOluble words OF wei
come.
She regretted the poverty OF the &C
commOdations but l was welcome to
theR, such as they wers.
Where is Isa8c?' demanded my
guide.
He has not cone in yet
sat down on q wooden bench beside
the FIRE, and eat few mouthfuis oi
bread.
q shonld ike to retire as soon as pos
sible, for my weariness is excessive u
" Certainly" The woman started u
with slscTity.
"Where are you going TO put him ?
asked my guide.
" Up chamber"
/ "Put him in Isaac's room"
| "No."
OTIS the most comfortable"
- tell you no
But here I interrupted the whispered
/ colloquy.
"l an not partiCulsT-I don't car
where you lodge me, only make haste.
So was conducted up a steeO ladde
that stood in the corner OF the room, int
an apartment, ceiled with slOping bSam
and ventilated by one small ClO,e windO"
where a cot bedstesd, crowded clos
against the board partition, snd pin
table, with two or thrse chairs, iorDe'
the sole attempt at furniture.
The woman set the iLht-an old OF
Iamp-On the table.
Anything more l can get you, sif ?
Nothing, thank you"
q hope you'll sleep we'll, sir. Whe
shall l call you ."
At four O'Clock in the morning,
you please. I must walk over to r
station in time tOr the seven o'clock e.
press.
Pll be sure 10 call you, sir
She withdrew, leaving me alone in tn
gloomy little apartment I sat dow
and looked around me with no yer
, agreeable sensation.
I" will set down and write TO Alice,
J 1 thought, that Will soothe my nerve
: and quiet me, Pc haps-"
j / descended the ladder, the FIRE sti
: glowed redly or the hearth beneath
, nv companion and the woman sat besii
? it alking in q low tone, and a third pc
son sat at the table eating, short, stOu
p villainnus-loOking man. IN a red fam
shirt and muddy trOu-ers.
ASKED tor writing materials and !
o tu ned to my room 10 write TO my Wi
d MY darling Alice"
e Ipaused aud laid down my pen as
, concluded the words, halt smiling
k think what she would say could 8
know OF my strange quarters