The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-03-09
Mysteriously Missing.

A II THE foot of the Boston mountain
IA In. Searcy county, Ark, dwells
man named Mason. He Is over eighty
years old, and his tall figure, white hair
and patrlarchal, air give him an inde-
scrlbable appearance. His house is a
rough but comfortable log cabin, and
the few acres around It afford ample sub
sistence. An excellent marksman, he
has never abandoned the use of his
trusty rifle, while the numerous deer and
bear skins within and without the cabin
bear ample testimony of skill and sue
cess.
With the exception Of his wife he
lives entirely alone. But his life has
not always been thus desolate. Only
few years ago three children frightened
his humble home, two boys, John and
David, and one daughter, Lizzie, who
was the pride of the old mans heart and
the light of his rude cabin. The sons
were lighthearted boys, given to drink
somewhat, but liked by everybody while
Lizzie was rare, wildwood blossom
Her soft blue eyes and flaxen hair play
ed sad havoc with the hearts of the
younger portion Of the opposite sex in
all that section and many sought her
hand in marriage, the fortunate suitor
being young man named Charles Me-
Kinley, rather dissIpated, not worth
dollar, yet handsome,a very forest Apol-
lo-in short, just the kind of man to
win young girls heart.
The Mason family were anything but
pleaeed with her choice, and spared no
effort to break off the attachment the
lovers had for each ether. Lizzie, how
ever, could not be moved. Entreaties
and threats were alike unavailing. The
former gave her courage to plead for
Charley the latter made her cling the
closer to him. The young man was
also firm. will never give up Lizzie,
he said, with a big round oath, when
questioned on that point. Finding all
other efforts useless the Masons resorted
to more violent measures. John Mason
met Charles Mckinley one day in the
forest and desperate fight ensued, in
which both were badly cut and bruised,
but in which John was decidedly worst
ed. This stirred up additional bitterness
and for time threatened to draw the
majority of the surrounding families
into the quarrel and disturb the peace of
the neighborhood. Lizzie sought to
pour oil on the troubled water, and her
gentle werds melted the hardened ma
lures that evil passions had flled with
wrath. There was reconciliation be-
tween her lover and brother, and there
was general rejoicing in consequence,
when an event occurred which changed
amity into distrust and suspicion.
The event was no less than the sudden
and mysterious disappearance of Charles
Mckinley. He was last seen alive alone
in the forest beyond the mountains, and
was on the trail of herd Of deer. The
most rigid search failed to discover him
or any trace of his whereabouts. He
had dropped out of sight and life as if
the earth had opened and swallowed him
up. All sorts of stories we've rife. One
said he was murdered, another that he
had run away, still another that he was
purposely hiding himself and would sud-
denly return. But as time went on and
he neither came nor was heard of the
suspicion that he had met with foul play
gained ground rapidly, growing into
certainty in the minds of very many
persons.
OF course John Mason was accused of
the murder, and though he strenuously
denied the charge, the evidence against
him was strong enough to warrant his
apprehension. Once in the raeshes of
law it seemed as if q hundred circum-
stances came up, all crying trumpet
tongued, "Guilty ~ Divers persons
had heard him threaten to kill Charles
Mckinley; that young man had him
self said that he did not consider his
life safe as long as John Mason remain
ed in the country. Even Johns father
admitted reluctantly that his son had
declared hisintention of riddling Charles
Mckinley with buckshot, while David
corroborated the parents statement.
Thus the coils of circumstan tiRl evi
dence closed tighter and tighter about
the young man, and beyond his bare
assertion there was nothing to be said in
refutation. The blow had fallen on the
young girl with crushing effect. The
sudden disappearance of her lover, the
arrest of her brother ON the charge of
numbering him, almost drove her i'm
sane. She however, shared the popular