The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-11-03

'ull 10 my face, darkehed and when rose
% the brow OF the bill q strange con
OF having trodden that
path before came over me, and as | found
myself on the summit and looked at the
view which suddenly broke before the, an
cy chill ran through my frame and !
nearly fell fainting to the ground for
10 the wan light of low
wing moon across which stretched rag
yed skirt OF black, angry cloud-spreadl
The wild heath OF my dream, still, silent
and somber.
And as stood ther-, trembling and.
shuddering,two long hazy beams of light
-one above and one below-shot out
rom either si,ie of the daTkened moou,l
Just as it had appeared before. 1t was.
some seconds ere I could nerve myself
to look to the right. but when did go
there. dark and dim, 7 saw the outline Of
the deserted shed. Once more the rest.
less Impulse seized me, once more l was
drawn gradually but surely toward the
shed. ! heard the low moan, the wsiing
cry, and saw, just as bad seen it In my
dream, the dark form crouched up in the
shadow of the wall!
But this time there was no awakening,
this time 1t was no impalpable form that
I touched, but the fragile figure Of wo-
man, her hair loose lying around her, her
eyes glazed ss II 10 death-looking up
into mine with dumb, appealing look
Trembling and affrlehted as was, / re-
collected that I had small bottle OF
brandy and water iE nv pocket, placed
there in case should req ,ire 1t on nv
journey. With great difficulty I succeed
ed in forcing few drops past her lips,
which seemed to revive faint dattering
in the ll-nigh lifeless bosom.
/ saw that she was perisbing With cold
so raised the poor creature 10 my arms,
took of my shawl aud wrapped il round
her. and tried by brisk chafing and rub
bing to restore animation; then, with oil
the strength Of my lungs, shouted for
help. but except the angry bark Of some
distant Watchdog there was no answer.
Life was 80 nearly gone that dared moi
leave her. even for the half-hour which
it would lake to hurry home and obtain
aid; and so the long night through sal
there on the damp, ,clammy ground, bare
headed and shivering with the head oi
the woman on my lap, striving to keep
the faint, Pickering spark Of life from
being extineuished.
At last, toward davbreak, I heard a
WAGNER going BY and, hopelessly hoarse
with cold and calling as | was, succeeded
in attracting bis attention and inducing
him Ia drive Us both to The house A
doctor was hastily sent for who said the
poor woman was almost dead from hum
ger and .xl austion, but that by care and
attention her life would he spared.
That night went to bed with my head
burning like furnace ard every limb
aching with pain. and when morning
came it found me stricken down with a
raging fever, brought on by the exposure
to the damps and dews OF midnight on
the lonely heath. How long lay like
that l know not 1t must have been
many weeks, for they told me after bad
been twice "given up" by the doctors. ]
was dellrious the greater part Of the
time, and have no recollection OF any.
thing except that when was getting bet.
ter | had q dim consc' ousDess OF fa.
miliar presence in the room, and once
fancied some one kissed me on The fore.
head.
The first persons l recognized, when
my senses cleared, W re my mother and
the woman whom I bad found on tba,
eventful night lying in the shadow Of the
shed on the bare heath. l grew stronger
and stronger. was pronounced out of dan
ger, and at last was allowed to sit up 10
bed and talk.
One day the doctor asked me il had
heard the history Of the woman whose
life, he said, had saved; and when
told him mo-" he answered, "Ask heI
to fell it to you. 1t is most tragic
affair. She. too, has lost her husband,
and l think you will be interested"
That very day l told her the doctor
said / was strong enough to hear hel
story and begged her to tell it, to which
she consented readily. l give her tale
almost as It came from her own lips
omitting my qaestionings and inter.
ruptions.
my husband" she said. "died Elk
months after our marriage, and was
left almost penniless; my brother lr
Australia wrote TO me 10 come and keep
house for him In the steamer I went
out by there was young German gen.
tleman, called Wagner, who was very
kind to me. We we're within Eve days
journey OF our destination when woke
up one night to fad myself alone in the
cabin and the ship on FIRE. / spraug to
the door but fell back almost suffocated
ny the deadly smoke, and just as l fel,
my consciousness going Mr.. Wagner
rushed in, seized me in his arms, and
knew no more until, when consciousness
returned, found myself in a small boat
with nv deliverer, the 6rst mate and two
sailOrs-alone on the vide sea.
"A keg Of water and package Of bis.
cults we're all we bad 10 the way OF pro.
visions-enough to last us about three
days. The first mate, however, declared
that it might be weeks before We we're
picked up and that he must portion them
out 80 as to last ten days st least.
"Seven long days and nights went by,
no sign of succor and all onr allowan
gone! Each day Mr.. Wagner had taken
his share Of biscuit, but the tablespoon
ful of water melted out to him he always
gave to me. did not pretend 10 refuse,
brute that / was in fact, hardly thank
ed him for it, so utterly mad was with
the fearful cravings OF hunger and thirst.
had noticed. ho wever that, strong as he
appeared, the awful privation to which
we we're subjected seemed TO tell on him
more than on anv OF the others; be was
weaker, paIer aud more exhausted.
81 soon found the reas in. For now,
when there seemed nothing before US bu,
blank starvation, and when the strong
men began to whine and pule like infants
he turned to me with an attempt st Q
smile, bidding me to keep brave heart,