Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-04-03

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to the full conclusion that she was
really and actually gone | sank into
a chair, faint and horror stricken. the
drops of sweat standing out all over
my body Where had she gomez 1t
was simply appalling. But soon the
! consequences of this disappearance as
it must affect myself came up fore
most in my practical mind. If called
upon to show the body what could
say If her father should come back
and demand to see his daughter what
excuse could | give, what answer
could l make2 Would anyone believe
the truth? Could / say the girl died,
and in dying was translated and dis
appeared from the earth2 My situa-
ton was literally horrible. All of a
sudden l remembered what the man
had said If she dies, there's nothing
in the cabin. | built it and own it.
| Let it go. | never shall come back to
! it. Instantly my resolution was tax
! en-. | went outside and glanced across
/ the prairie. For two miles in any di-
rectlon there was not another habita-
ton Down the long road was ALSO
lutte silence | looked at my watch.
1t was a quarter past L. The girl had
died at o'clock precisely.
| again went inside | examined
| that little cabin in every nook and
! corner. / climbed the rude steps into
the loft; opened an old trunk, which
contained the simple wardrobe Of the
young girl; ] looked into the little
closet, with its poor array of utensils A;
| satisfied myself that the value of ev-
cry article IN the place would not
amount to 500, and then, actually
| folding up the bedding, piece by
| piece. until | left the cot bare, / piled
! them in the center of the room, COW
| errd them with a heap of shavings
and kindlings, and taking broom /
swept all the fire there was in tn. fire
place out on to the pile, shut and
! locked the door, and rode away. By
the time / had driven mile down the
road | looked back and saw the glare
of the burning cabin red against the
sky. The light snow all over the
prairie would prevent any possible
! damage. My heart gave a bound. l
shook myself, and returned from the
| Unknown into the Known! | was q
seriously practical physician again
Il slept soundly after once got INTO
my bed. The only daily paper pub
lished in the place lay on my break
! fast table when | went down stairs in
the morning. On the fourth page an
Extra caught my eye, andsI read the
| following:
! Struck by tRe Midnight Express Instantly Killed
The Body OF an Unknown Man Found Lying
on the Track
The driver of the owl Express, which passed
Farmerton at o'clock suddenly slowed up and
stopped last night to find that an unknown man
| had been struck and thrown twenty feet The
body is at the station house waiting for identlhca-
! ton
"Why did l leave my breakfast and
walk rapidly to the station house2
What was this unknown man to me3
Such accidents were always happen
ing. But the words 4 O'clock had
struck my Imagination with strange
thrill. Her words, Father go home
with me, rang in my ears. Before l
went into the room | was convinced
in my own mind Of what | should see.
! | lifted the sheet from the face with a
feeling of unmistakable awe. Yes.
1t was the 'backwoodsman from
Maine. His features were placid, a
singular smile seemed TO light it up
with a look of the most infinite salts
faction.
II instantly recognized my respon-
sbiity. Had / not $1o0 Of this mans
money? could not bury his 'leetle
gal, but | could bury HIM. Turning
away | said, Gentlemen, this man is
one whom | have occasionally en-
ployed. / know his history. SHe has
no relatives. He has done me con-
siderable service, and | will therefore
| take charge Of his remains. w hat
was his nameT asked some one. John
Weaver, l said giving the first name
that flashed through my brain. Some
| chaps have been here tins morning
/ looking at him, remarked a corner
lounger who seemed to be in the midst
| of every excitement going. They
came on the early train this morning.
| They looked him over putty sharp
and one said That's him, yes, that's
him and the other one said, We'll,
he's got away for good this time, and
they kinder laughed and went off.
They went east by the next accommo-
dation. Very WELL | said, tits ev-
ident they had nothing to do with
him, so 1 will assume all expense.
81 was well known and nobody
thought of disputing me- So the next
| day | saw that the man was properly
buried, and | think | never heard a
more fervent or more tender prayer
than was offered by our young clergy
man at the funeral Meantime | had
simply not looked at the paper ne had
given me. Someway did not like to
do so. II seemed like prying into
his affairs; affairs closed over and
sealed by death. But after he had
been buried and night had given me
an hour to myself / concluded to open
the paper and find out who those peo-
pie were who had made so mysterious
a chapter in my life. Unlocked the
writing desk, l unfolded the paper
and gazed at it until it dropped from
q.,44apol i,,tn thp fire