The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-10-02
VOLUME Xxx b

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supplies, and struggling back 10 their
waiting horses With their burdens, they
remounted aud set out for home, when
the sun had already commenced It's de-
cline.
If the mornings Journey had been
Glow and painful, much moro so was the
return, for the poor tired animala had the
Increased weight of the full saGka 10
carry. Somesimes Old Bette strength
seemed utterly 10 desert her at the foot
of o hill, and che would stop in the full
belief that she could not bulge one inch
further. Then Mrs. y. would call out
Mrs. B., 1t Is nearly dusk. These
woods are full of YANKEES raiders, and
we faust cross that river before dark.n
Then Mrs. B. would pluck up courage.
wipe furtiye tear from her eye and
gently urge Bet little further On. But
this process, often repeated, consumed
much valuable time, and when they at
length reached the river bank night was
upon them. Arrived there, they found
to their dismay that the stream hBd risen
some inches eincs morning, II having
rained in the mountain the night before.
If the fordipg had been difficult when
their horses were comparatively fresh
and the river at It's usual height, II would
be cheer madness for Bet to attempt 1t In
her present exhausted condition. Hold.
ing council Of war. Mrs. S; said
Now, you know, Mrs. B., I've rot
70, go back to my, eick baby to nighs at
all risks. My horse 10 stronger than
necessary. You couldn't swim stroke
If your life depended upon it, and
mustn't try Is cross. But, ~. tell gov
EEs. ger can do. Gn to Mira. Harris's
just through tiie WOODS. thsr,sa o hear cut
through tho fields, and stay there all
night. I will call by aud tell the chill.
dren not to be uneasy about you."
But" cried Mrs. B., chow can I find
my way TO Mrs. Harriss. Ito too dark
to see the. road"
"There's no road to see. Just cross
the corner of this field aud skirt the edge
Of the woods for little way, and you
can eee the lights from the house just
below the hill"
A LONELY NIGHT IN THE WOODS.
| With these directions ehe was com.
| PEELED to content herself, aud waiting on
the bank she Bnw her companion plunge
into the, stream. Then she heard the
splash and Struggle through the rushing
waters, and, after what seemed on eter.
nifty, heard the faint sound Of the horae's
hoofs as he struck the further shore.
Then feeling of forlornness came over
| her such as she had never felt before, 90
| she turned to seek the house Of the
neighbor with whom she purposed spend.
Ing che night She followed the diree.
tions given "a we'll as che could, but,
II a. I, L.. -
ness awhile, and finding no signs Of hu.
have lost her way. Once she heard the
baying of dogs, and tried to guide her.
self by the sound, but IL grew fainter,
aud she knew ahe Was going away from
instead of approaching them. The read.
or must recolleet there were mo enclosed
fields then; the fences had been long
ago devoured by hundred campfirea.
The country was like open prairie, read.
ways were abandoned liz favor Of ,"short
cuts'' mud were oyergrovn with brambles
and grass, old landmarks had disappeared,
and one might wanda. without le. e
hindrances for miles through The desola.
! ted country ssth bus ll.lle 90 guide h!s
way. Hence Il was impossible for Mrs.
B. to guess where Hhe ,Waa or what course
TO pursue. BY the faint glimmer of the
stars che could see that sho was In on old
stamp Geld-an impossible sigar On ore
side sn5 3 ts;smss -saat. ap zss sssstssagg.
In her deanair ehe theggh. of shouting
aloud for help. Then she remembered
that the camp Of the enemy could mob
be very far distant, and her dread at be..
ing discovered by some Of the rowing
parties of soldiery was greater than her
fear Of spending The chill 2, lonely night
In this terrible solitude. she continued
to struggle blin1sy on, till at length old
Bet, who had been giving unmisfakable
sigus Of failing, stopped short with q
groan, trembling In every limb.
q Accepting the inevitable with the
calmness of despair MIRA. B. dismonnt.
ed, took ofsthe sack and saddle aud pre-.
pared TO- camp fer the night. She fret
took some meal from the bag and held it
to the horse's mouth. It was eagerly
devoured, and % much mere aB ahe felt
she could spare. Then the night being
cool one even for autumn, che wrapped
tbs ke.it2e aiansas adnE,E 6as, aE@;sg 7s.
clining on the saddle aIsh hes a hes:l reas s !.
with what patience she might for day.
mournfally through the dry russling
broom .eedge where che lay, snnd tho Eair
seemed full of moana and whispers.
sometimes there came from tho .Wooda
the hoot Of an owl, then. the cracking of
o dry branch, sharp aud sudden as the
report Of o pistol: would startle the over.
wrought nerves; Many Gmes she FAM
cied she could heas the mufied tread Of
horses or stealthy steps OF soldiers ap.
preaching and her blood euEdled In her
veins, and she waited with bated breath
and closed eyes, fearing the fate that
might befalI her. g The hal f.charred,
half-bleached stnmps around ASSUMED
uncanDy ahapas in tho dim, weird light.
Sometimes they seemed like erouching
beasts oI prey, ready, 20 spring upon her
sometimes they seemed mfeshaper human
1 Ggnres rising from the ground. Then
again ahe seemed In the snidat of an old
neglected burial ground and these were
! the grotesqtie stones that marked the
4 forgotten graves. ]. Then scanie to her
remembrance all the horrible tales she
! had heard when o child, stories Of ghosta
and denons, Of g0rcery. and crime, told
by the negro nurses nc they sat By che
blazing Kitchen fire In the old Z home
\ Ali the vague superstit buried Riih
her childhood returned TO haunt her nov
with redonbled horrors as ale covered
,alona ;ins the ooiD and siiepce there
4 Then, toe, there we're tho real !, tangible
4 frouhleSs the ever recurring though ol
4 tlie children Oh home i their Unprotected
caud ffns. thair urfaf mi SiSeysas - RI aht