Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-10-04
After Many Years.

fell in with a man who gave his name
as Young, and who obtained permits
sion to join the Baxters, as he claimed
to be travelling in the same direction
they were going. Young was about
thirty, very plausive, and quickly in
gratiated himself in the good graces of
Baxter and his wife. He confded to
his companions everything regarding
his financial resources and future plans,
and Baxter, in return, made similar
revelation. Among other things, he
informed the young man that he had
sold his farm for $4,000, and that he
carried the money in $40 gold pieces,
in belt strapped around his waist.
Some time afther this, the emigrants
camped one right at point between
Dykes Mill, La, and Magnolia, Ark.
The spot selected for camp was at
the head of a lonely glen, which was
shaded on either side by tall pines, and
thickly carpeted with luxurious grass.
A spring of clear, cold water gushed
from ledge Of rock half way down
the glen, and a number Of fallen pine
logs furnished ample material for fuel.
When simple repast was prepared
and eaten, Baxter lit his pipe, and
saying he would return soon strolled
down the glen. Young and Mrs.
Baxter remained seated by the blazing
fire talking about the incidents of the
days trayel. An hour passed. Bax-
ter did not return. His wife grew UNI
easy, and Young, to quiet her fears, as
he expressed it, started down the glen,
saying he would bring him back. The
woman waited impatiently. One, two,
three hours went by, yet neither app
peared. Mrs. Baxter was now thor
oughly frightened. She called loudly
for her husband, but received no res
spouse. Only the echo of her own
voice came back to her, borne on the
night wind, which swept through the
tops of the swaying trees. She ven
tured down the glen, trembling, call.
ing, listening; but she neither heard
nor saw anything. Both her husband
and his companion had disappeared as
completely as if the earth had sudden
ly opened and swallowed them up.
Almost distracted, she returned to the
camp, where she paced to and fro un-
til morning came; then mounting one
of the horses, she fastened to the near.
est house and soon had body of men
securing the country in search of the
missing men. The search was contin'
ued nearly week without so much as
finding trace of either Young OF
Baxter, when it was abandoned, The
men told Mrs. Baxter bluntly that the
affair was preconcerted between the
two men, and that her husband had
heartlessly deserted her. The wife SC
strangely bereft would not accept this
theory. She insisted that her husband
had been murdered by Isaac Young
and that time would show that she wat
not mistaken.
Acting on this supposition, she re-
turned to her former home, and, gath
ering all her available means, instituted
a thorough search. See advertised
employed detectives, and scattered
handbills with accurate descriptions o
her husband and Young; but all to NJ
purpose. Years went by and still sh,
remained in her mountain home, hop
ing and praying for tidings of her. miss
ing husband-or even a clue tina
would point to his fate. The suspens
in all these years has been trying
Since that memorable night she ha
become an old woman. BY the sal
of nearly all the effects which remain
ed to her after her husbands disap
pearance, she has been able to buy
little cabin and few acres of groun,
and have enough money to keep her
with close economy, from actual want
And alone in that little hut she waite
for tidings of the man to whom sh
had linked her fate.
In September, 1881, startling new
reached that solitary woman in he
mountain retreat. 1t came in tn