West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-08-28


kind of hill. until il met the limo of
sky, beyond which could see nothing.
"A stepped hurriedly EDWARDS, the
moon, which, till then had been shin
ing full i'm my face, darkened. and
when rose 20 the brow of the hill
n strange consciousness OF having trod-
den that path before came over me;
and rs found myself on the summit.
and looked at the view which suddenly
broke before me, an ICY chill ran
through my frame. and l nearly fell
fainting TO the ground, for therc-seen
In the wan light OF low-lying moon,
across which stretched ragged skirt
of black, angry cloud spread the
wild heath of my dream, still,
silent ana somber And, as L
stood there trembling and shud-
dcrng, two long hazy beams of light
ono above and one below-shot out
from either side of the darkened moon,
Just rs IL had appeared before. 1t was
some seconds ere / could nerve myself
TO look TO the right, but when did so,
there, dark and dim, | saw the outline
OF the deserted shed Once more the
rcs'stless impulse seized me. once more
l was drawn gradually but surely to-
wards the shed, / heard the low moan,
the wailing cry, and saw, just as | had
seen 1t I'm my dream, the dark form
crouchcd up in the shadow of the walt
But this time there was no awakening,
this time II was no impalpable form that
l touched, but the fragile figure of q
woman, her hair se-lying around her,
her eyes glazed as if i'm death-looking
up into mine with dull appealing look
Trembling and aiirighted as l was, |
rccollccted that | had a small bottle of
brandy and water in my pocket placed
there in case / should require il on the
journey With great difficulty | sue
cccdcd in forcing few drops past her
lips, which seemed to revive faint llut-
terlng in the well-ngh lifeless bosom.
i saw that she was perishing with cold,
so l raised the poor creature in my
arms, took off my shawl and wrapped
ii round her, and tried by brisk chaGng
and rubbing to restore animation.
Then, with all the strength of my lungs,
l shouted for help but except the angry
bark of some distant watch dog there
was no answer. Life was so nearly gone
that l dared not leave her, even for
the half-hOur which it would take to
hurry home and obtain aid; and so the
long night through | sat there on the
damp clammy ground. bareheadel and
shivering, with the head of the helpless
woman on my lap, striving TO keep the
faint iiickering spark of life from being
eXtinguished. AT last towards day-
break, L heard a waggoner going by,
and, hopclessly hoarse with cold and
calling as | was, succeeded in attract
ing his attention, and inducing
him TO drive us both to the
house. A doctor was hastily sent for.
who said the poor woman was almost
dead from hunger and exhaustion, but
that by care and attention her life would
be spared. That night went to bed
with my head burning like furnace,
and every limb aching with pain; and
when morning came it found nue.
stricken down with 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 had been
twice given up by the doctors /
was dclirous the greater part of the
time, and have no recollection of any
thing, except that when was getting
better. l had dim consciousness of a
familiar presence in the room, and once
fancied some one kissed me on the
forehead. The first person / rccog-
nIzed when my senses cleared, were
my mother and the woman whom |
had found on that eventful night
lying in the shadow of the shed on the
bare heath. | grew stronger and strong
er, was pronounced out of danger. and
at last was allowed to sit up in bed and
talk. One day the doctor asked me if
had heard the history of the woman
whose life, he said, had saved, and
when | told him: no" he answered:
ask her to tell it to you. 1t is a most
tragic affair. She, too, has lost her
husband, and l think you will be inter
ested.' That very day / told her the
doctor said was strong enough to hear
her story, and begged her to tell it. to
which she consented readily. give
her tale almost RS it came from her
own lips, emitting my questions and
Interruptions.
my husband" she said "died six
months after our marriage, and as
was left almost penniless, my brother in
Australia wrote to me to come and keen
house for him. In the steamer / went
out by there was young German gen
tleman called Wagner, who was very
kind to me. We we're within five days'
journey OF our destination when / woke
up one night TO find myself alone in the
cabin, and the ship on fire. / spranp
to the door, but fell back almost sufFo.
Gated by the deadly smoke, and Just as
felt my consciousness going, Mr. Wa0.
ner rushed in, seized me in his arms.
and i knew no more, until, when
consciousness returned, / found my.
self in small boat with NV
delyerer, the first mate, and two
sailOrs-alone on the wide sea. A keo
Of water and package Of biscuits were
all we had in the way OF provisions
enough 70 last Us about three DAYS The
llrst mate, however, declared that IA
might be weeks before We were picked
up, and that ne must portion them oul
so as 20 last ten DAYS, at least Seven
long days and nights went by no sign
OF 5uccoT and all our allowance gonei
Each day Mr.. Wagner had taken his
share Of biscuit, but the tablespoonful
Of water meted out TO him he ALWAYS
I gave 10 me. did not pretend To- re-
fuse, brute that ] was. in fact 7 hardly
I thanked him for &C., so utterly mad wa
] with the fearful cravings Of hunger
and thirst / had noticed. however.
. chat strong as be appeared tho awful
pr.vatiOn ~ which we were subjected
seemed TO tell ON him more than ON anv
I of Che others Doc was weaker. paicr aud
more exhausted. soon found the
/ reason For now. when there seemed
nothing before us but blank starvation.
q