Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-06-12

leging that he had absconded with
fabulous sum of money and gone to
France; others, that he had been
toully dealt with, and some, more
charltably inclined, that he had gone
to st. Louis on urgent business, got
on spree, and would soon return
all right. Time sped on and no It'd
ings came Of his whereabouts many
at last of his principal creditors be-
coming thoroughly alarmed at his
prolonged absence, set about to se-
cure their claims. Writs were issued
and everything visible or invisible in
the shape of property was seized up
on and sold. Most Of tie pig lead on
hand was secured by S. N. Lang
worthy, who had it placed on a fiat
boat, towed around into Grant river
where it remained safely concealed
until frozen in the next winter in the
ice.
To the west of the present road,
leading from Potosi to Galena, not
far from Archer's Ferry, there is a
deep, dark ravine extending up a
mile or so in view of the bluffs that
front apon the river. 1t is still as it
was then, a dismal, unfrequented
place. Gods sunlight never reaches
it; no cheering ray ever penetrates
within its gloomy precincts; the
voice of the large gray wolf respond
ing to the hooting owl, were the only
sounds that broke the stiffness of the
night-fallen trees obstruct the way
and the water, filtering through the
green moss that hides the barrenness
$ of the granite boulders, gives forth a
dismal voice ofsorrow and fills the
place with damps and chilling yapors
Led by that mysterious influence OF
unseen power that brings to light the
hidden crimes Of human life, and OF.
ten unveils the secrets of the muir.
derer's heart, hunter, bewildered
on his way, found himself within this
wild and chcerless place. AS he hur.
ries along, half alarmed and wholly
bewildered, he sees or imagines he
sees, the body of man, suspended
from the elbow of deformed tree
Now fully convinced it is reality
and 10 phantom of the brain created
by the wierd and lonely place, he re-
covers his courage and approaches
nearer to the swinging body. 1t is a
fearful, ghastly sight. Dissolution
has already marred "the human face
divine" and no amount of scrutiny
can now trace in those dark and hid
eous features, the features of him
whose bright intelligence and noble
soul, so late inspired with manly
grace and beauty. Yet, he cannot
bemistaken--the form, the well known
garments, so neatly folded and laid
aside, are still unchanged.
As he stands there, awe-stricken
and alone, in the presence of that I'M
slightly image of mortality fast resolv-
ing itself into the invisible elements
from which it came that decaying
emblem of withered hopes and blight
ed prospects; that mockery of man
$50 fearfully and wonderfully made;'
that inanimate, repulsive object OF
dread and terror from which the liv-
ing shrink and with whom the dead
hold no communion, he remembers
the "missing man" and beholds be
fore him the surest evidence of his
fate. 1t was indeed, poor De Tanta-
bar. he had seen no escape from the
whitening scorn that follows in the
wake OF fallen greatness and prefer
red death to "the proud mans scorn
and the poor mans contumely." And
here, in this dark glen, out from the
sight and sympathy of man, alone
with his Maker and the stern rocks
and silent woods, he launched into
Eternity. Who can tell the thoughts
that agonized that soul in this fina
hour And who shall say the prayer
uttered in this awful moment plead
ing the forgiveness of this last act Of
mortal sin, was not heard at the
throne of Mercy and the maniac
mind returned to reason and to rest
in the courts OF Heaven? Let hin
alone answer who doubts the good
ness of God and that His mercy en-
dureth forever. VETERAN.
Potosi, June, 1879.