The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1884-08-21

the bearer of the messages.
1t was on a morning in early October
that, her school closed, Molly started
alone on her ride home. The sixteen
dollars she had earned "a dollar a week
and board were Molly's wagos) we G
carefully packed in the saddle bag.
Captain Israel had arranged to 90 10
Boston about that time, and as his
route lay through Douglas arrangements
had been made for Molly 10 90 home
under his protection. But Mrs. Israel
had recurrence of certain spells to
which she was subject, and the Cap
tain's departure became indefinitely
postponed.
Molly, however, determined to GO on
the day set. She rode Baal, a coal
black horse, one that she had ridden
and petted all summer, and which her
father had consented to buy for her use,
and had bargained for onCaptain Israers
visit. Molly had no fears at all about
riding the twenty miles alone though
eight of them led through q thick
woods.
For the first Ave miles her wav lay
between sunny reaches of farms, with
here and there a farm house. Great
heaps of yellow pumpkins lay in the
| corn-ields, and piles of greetings and
gOlden-sweets under the trees IN the
orchards. The sunny, hazy air was de-
liciOus with fragrant, fruity smells, ard
Molly was conscious of a quiet haPpi-
/ ness as she rode along, her summers
work successfully ended Many regrets
had been expressed that she would not
stay till after the husking frOlic at Seth
Blackmer's; the husking feast was
already in preparation, and as she drew
rein at the great gate, in obedience TO
a signal, Love Blackmer came running
down to the road to bring a pound
cake and a mince turnover for Molly's
reireshment by the waV. Her father
came along behind her.
You better stay, Molly" said Seth.
"Ef you's my gal, 1 wouldn't risk yer
through that woods alone, n l don't be-
lieve but Squire Crowded be my way O
thinkin'. >
But Molly only laughed. ''What is
there to be afraid OFF" she said. " Ii
there are any wolves or wildcats in
ManOmet woods they don't roam by
daylight; and as for Indians. there
isn't wild Indian within hundreds of
miles
"f there amt any wild Iniuns
there's drunk ones enough said Seth.
anyhow it's borne in on me that faint
right f yer to go alone"
The golden rod and the deep purple
blue asters bloomed by the ways de in
great lush crowds and the corners of
the stI angling fences; and there afar off
in the east cleaned the blue line of the
ocean. The air was of that electric
quality that eXhilarates like an intoXi-
eating draught, and it was in brisk
and cheerful mood that Molly rode away
and plunged into the forest. Then, al
most at once the bright sunshine gave
place to shade, pleasant but dense. Here
was truly n primeval forest, Ferns grew
close and high. Grape and bitt ,r-sweet
vines linked trees and shrubs into al
most impenetrable thickets
Molly had ridden but mile when she
was surprised to find herself conscious
Of feeling of uneasiness, a feeling we
should call, in our modern phrase,
nervousness. The least sound, the
flight of partridge, the fall Of nut
dropped by a squirrel, startled her.
Shs caught herself peerng into the
thickels by the roadside, and looking
ahead with q fCeling.of apprehension at
every turn and wind of the road, which
made a gradual ascent for about three
miles to the crest of the ridge, known
as Saddleback, which separated Mano-
met from the ado ming town of Seaside.
Baal cantercd slowly along, Molly not
caring TO urge him up the ascent. 81
am almost tempted to go back, Baal,"
she said. Thereat Baal, bent back one
ear and listened. They two had had
many condolences during their sum-
mer's intimacy, and understood each
| o her. But 1 should be ashamed to
do it. What would my grandmother
say if l was such n coward? 1t was
my grandmother, you know, Baal, who
was cooking her dinner one day bend
ing over the fire place when she heard
] an ''Ughl ughr' and turning saw an
Indian in his war-paint standing in the
| doorway with his tomahawk raised,
aud she never hesitated moment-if
I she had she would have been scalped,
Baal-but went towards him, laughing.
with both hands held out in welcome
and gave him meat; but that very night,
sure all was not right, fled TO the
blOck-hOuse with her baby-that was
my father whom you have never seen,
Bnal-and that very week the Indians
ravaged the whole country and killed
forty people. My grandmother grand
daughter ought 10 have more pluck than
10 be scared by a squirrel, or rustling
leaf, Baal."
However, Molly was Enthusiastically
nervous; and one result of her nervous
ness was that she held the reins tight
~ anu HhL AIlNlN III inc SdOiNlGs II
was often her habit while riding TO let
the reins lie loosely on her horses
neck while her thoughts were busy
elsewhere; but well was it for her to-
day that something--an occult influence
in sky or air, perhaps-had made her
uneasy.
The road, after reaching the crest of
Saddle-back, suddenly dropped, begin
ming the descent by passing through an
opening in the granite ridge, but little
more than sufficiently wide for wagon
to go through. just as Mollywas riding
through this miniature mountain
notch, out from the dense thicket at the
foot of the rocky wall a man spraug
and, endeavoring to grasp her bride,
Baal SHE'D then and shot on like q
flash. and the same instant brave Molly
| Crowde was herself again, her nervous
ness gone, her grandmother's qualities
rising in her blood.
4" All, Baal, that was the right thing
to dO,' she said, with a long-drawn
breath. "And now, my brave fellow,
you have got some steady work to do, -
for she had seen, as she dashed past,
horse tied to a tree and she knew.
whether drunken Indian or murderous
white man, that in n moment he would
be on her track, and tho open country
and safety a long five miles away
Nobody witnessed that ride for life
but the squirrels and rabbits and, per
chance, wild deer
No poet has ever sung it, no story
teller chronicled it. But | should like
to have seen 1.-THE flying coal-black
young horse. with blazing intent eyes,
matched by those of the girl he bore,
her erect figure, her looscned hair