Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-02


TO calculate how much lon .er ! could
bold on in that constrained and painful
position. My hands, too, were getting
numb with the cold.
How | watched the slowly-moving
wheels and the interminable train of cars
which seemed hundred miles long!
shower of hot ashes and sparks blew into
my lace from the engine, almost binding
me. just when 1t seemed as il l must
give way and drop through sheer eXhaus-
ton, as II could not mold on a minute
longer, the last wheel rolled slowly by,
the last platform step passed over my
head, and with THANK God" which
came from the depths of my heart and
| lOng-drawn sigh of relief, / drew myself
SLOWLY and painfully up, and feeling as II
mad been stretched on the rack, utterly
worn out in mind and body, laid down on
the track to rest few minutes. Had
train came up then | should certainly
have made no effort TO get cut OF the
way, but would have abided my late with
Indifference. Somebody's hat blew out
OF the car window and came rolling where
lay. picked it up, soft black felt,
and have kept it as a mementO of that
night, though ! am sure | need none.
L lay thus, with my eyes closed, for
few minutes, when [ felt something cold
and damp thrust Into my face. | started
up into a sitting posture, and, peering
through the darkness, made out the form
of Rover, who, beng an old companion
and friend OF mine, and having discovered
after awhile, by some means. That l was
no longer IN the cart, had taken upon hiin-
self to come and See what had become Of
me. | don't know when / have been as
glad TO see human being as was TO see
thatdog, insignificant cur as he was. /
patted him and spoke to him, and he an
%ered by whining afectiOnateiy and
IA s,Ix a ire 10
His presence revived me, aud, rising TO
my feel, once more went on my way.
cheered by hearing the constant PAT err Of
the little feet behind me. A hajE mile
more Jroughaime 20 the end Of the trestte
and right glad was | 10 set foot once more
on terra frma.
Annie 81 Yp1d the, trestle were Browns
Cross Roads, four roads whicn met TO-
Sether al this point, and one Ot these wa
the snort cut which would take me past
Burnt Church and save me some eX ra
steps. had been this way before with
old August, SO il was not ent rely un-
known 10 me. Fortunately for me, haY-
ing tlF0wn away my oyercoat, the rain
had stopped. or J should have been suffer-
ing from the cold. 1t was not quite
so darE, either, az it had been
for the moon was trying to break
out again from behihd the rift OF clouds,
and at Intervals Struggled through aud
shone with faint glimmer over the land
scape, 50 taat walking even through those
thick woods was not as bad as 1t had
been.
felt more light-hearted than had for
two or three hours past, and Rover him.
self appeared to be in a cheerful frame Ut
mind, no d1ubt recalling the happy mid
night hours IN which he had freed 'pOs-
sums IN these parts. Some such memo
ries must have been in his miad, Tor he
no longer cOntented himself with trOtting
at my heels, but made short incurs ons
into The woods, stirring up the little birds
that were sleeping peacefully in the broom
grass and bushes.
And now little clearing at one side of
the read ahead showed me that we were
Approaching Burnt Church. 4 half mile
farther would tade NE back to the rail-
road track, and then could easily accom-
plish the rest OF the journey.
Sheldon, or BurnC Church, in Prince
Williams parish, is one of the vestiges of
old Colonial times in South Carolina. I5
is one of the Oldest, il not the oldest.
church in the state; is built in Gothic
style OF brick and was burnt twice, first
in the Revolutionary war by the British,
ami then again in the war between the
> ates. lie used TO be the parish church
for all the country round. | pictured to
myself tue old planters on Sundays riding
nne horses, their wives and DAUGHTERS
clad in silks and velvets. all the eOuaJry
meeting, out in the bright SUNSHINE, be-
lore and after seTV &c. The whole weeks
gossip, the latest news from ''G0wn," the
crops, the health of each family, eVerg-
thing was discussed in the churchyard.
AS many as a hundred vehicles had Oeen
known TO assemble there. Around the
church as close as they could get to it, as
/ q
and mOss-grOwn grave stones Of the aris-
tOcracy. while further OF towards tue
road slept tue ashes OF the humber pOr-
tiOn of humanity.
How different was the scene now to
days OF wore! Tue walls OF brick were
still standing, but the rOOi and floors had
been burnt, aud young trees had sprung
up aud now grew inside. Where once
the sweet notes Of the organ pealed fOl tn,
there sounded now only the bark of tue
fox and tine dismal mornings Of owls.
Burnt Church was still used "a a buFying
ground for many miles around Those
whose family burying place it was. Still
wishing to lay theirsbO by the side OF
their aucestnus, abd the common people
burying theirs also, there, from force Of
example.
Tue yard itselfwas good deal over
| gr0wn.ra haif-brOken-dowa fence tbickly
| OverTun with Cherokee rose. jassamiWe
and cta5ny hFiar vines, separated b from
the read, but on the lett little distance
from the entrance stood the oak struck w
! lightning, not far from which old August
had told me poor Mary simmons was bur-
led that day.
! InvOluntarify, as passed along the in
closure, and looked up at the desOlate
| scene, the brick walls now showing dis
tinetly in the pale moonlight, my thoughts
| turned To hefuheral that had that day
taken place there | th0ughtof the pref
" girl whom had 80 often danced with
| at the rustic festivities OF the country,
for nothing ever took place that had not
attended; thought of the sad ending to
the brief life-of the sweet face lying un-
der the sod.
"Alasv sighed /, show many unwrit-
ten tragedies there are at our very doors
that we pass without notice, and then go
to weep over fictitious griefs that never
saw the lIghtW
BY this time | had passed the greater
part of the yard and was Just nearing the
entrance. when suddenly my atIentiOn
was attracted TO Rover who had made his
way under the hedge and gone a little
way into the Enclosure. He now rushed
up 20 me trembling, with every hair on
his body erect, and turning, raised his
head IN the air and gave the most melan-
chOly howl have ever heard. IL sent a