Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-10-07
HOW HE ESCAPED.

HOW HE ESCAPED.
Martha Willis stood at the door of
her fathers log cabin on the banks of
the Angelina River in Texas. She was
gazing intently across the stream. The
river was narrow, and the crossing was
in the primitive style which prevails in
some portions of the State-a rope,
Stretched tightly from bank to bank,
and tied to convenient trees, by means
of which a small flat, or "bateau,"
usually manned by two persons, was
drawn back and forth.
This hot, drowsy, summer afternoon,
Martha-a girl of seventeen years
thought the longest she had ever spent.
The cattle stood painting in the stream
near the shore. Not breeze stirred
the jungle of trees and bushes ON the
other side of the river, aud the field
around the house was sun-baked
waste. Would her father never come?
He and the hired man had gone that
morning to town for supplies, leaving
her alone with Bobbe, her little six
year-old brother-who at that moment
was lying asleep on the floor in an inner
room-and Eph, little colored boy of
ten, who had slipped into the woods to
hunt squirrels.
Nov Martha was not Texas girl,
and was not accustomed to these wild
solitudes. Two years before, her
father had decided to mend, If possible,
his fortunes on Texas farm, but had
proposed to Martha to remain with his
relatives in Virginia until he had suit
able home for her.
Ypn ora nnt apnyI stOna1 tp t.orrnb
ing It," he said; land life where / shall
settle will be hard and lonely for years.
1t is new place. Our nearest neigh
Dor will be five miles away. do not
like to take you there at all, and if you
are wise you will stay with your aunt,
who wants you very much"
"Then Pm not bit wise," Martha
said, with her bright face full of deter
mination. "And 1 think my kind
father is not quite wise in proposing
such a thing to me. Why. who will
attend to you and Robbie-a mere baby
he is toop If you are sick. who will
nurse youp / dare say, Pm not the
most helpful girl in the world, but do
you really think should be happy in
Sinking all my duties and staying in
luxury, while you are undergoing all
kinds of privationp"
So Martha had her own way. and be-
ing bright, intelligent girl. had
adapted herself to her new life with
wonderful facility. Her neighbors were
kind, good people, but they had little
time TO visit, and then they were so far
off that frequent social calls were i'm
possible.
But Martha interested herself in do
mestic duties. She raised poultry and
made the best butter in the county.
She had good collection of books, and
received some periodicals. She tried
also to keep up her studies; for she
reasoned justly that, if improved cir.
cumstances allowed them again to mix
in cultivated society, it would not dc
for her to blush for her own ignorance.
But this afternoon time hung heavy
on her hands. Her father in going ovel
the Ever had left the flat fastened or
the other side, that it might be ready
for him on his return. Ya'nly she
strained her eyes through the thick un.
dergrowth of the opposite bank, hop
ing to see him coming down the mar
row path.
Its been rs long as ten days" she
said. throwing herself down in rock
ing-chair on the small porch. II be
lieye I'm getting tired of this lonely
life. Day in and day out it's the sam,
thing, and nothing happens one da,
different from any other day. AnC
when fathers away it's thousant
times worse. wouldn't care mucl
what happened, were it only somethin!
n,,tn nf ha p1I
like the old sluggish pond in the field
and feel the green scum growing owe
me-"
Her discontented eyes fixed them
selves on the swampy forest before th
cabin. and they did not move, ever
when she heard the gallop of hors
coming down the road.
"It's old Jake Potter coming to Dor
row saw, or something; or one G
those abominable Haldon hoys racin
after stray cow" she thought.
But no; the horseman was neithe
Jake Potter nor Haldon boy. AS
pulled up his horse before The cabin
Martha saw he was n gentlemanly
looking young man of about twent
years of age. with a pale face, and
strange. wild look. He touched his hs
to her in mechanical manner.
"Can / get over the river hereP" h
asked.
mo, sir. We don't keep the publ
ferry" she answered. "That's MOI
than five miles down the river.n
He jumped from his horse, and can
rapidly toward her "lf you'll on
get me over, he said, drawing son
money out of his pocket, "'ll give yc
twenty-five dollars. It's every cent
have. and it's a matter of life an
death for me to get over immediatel
For heavens sake, help me, won
youp'
The imploring tone, the look of agor
In the young mans eyes. startlt
Martha Was this a madman befo
her, and she alone and in his powe
No, he did not look insane; though
kept turning and casting wild gfanc
in the direction whence he had come.
al am sorry, sir," she said, "but b
fiat was taken to the other side by n
father, who has not vet returned. Loo
you can see it from here"
"Then shall have to swim the river
he said, turning from her.
"You must not!n she exclaim
earnestly. "The river is swollen
the last rains. and the tide is runnil
like a mQl-race! Not even strol
horse conld swim it, and yours loo
ing at the tired little pony" would n
get halfway over"
He paused irrcsolutely for one m
ment. and then ie'raeed' his Steps.
"Yon look good and skind.n he sal
nd ~ f.s. xn.,.lArff Har ~