The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-06-07
THE OVERLAND TRAIL.

| THE OVERI AND VRAH
!
! In the summer of 1878 was 30 years
of age-in perfect health and of steady
nerve. was no believer III the uncanny
I hardly in the supernatural-and had
always poohpoohed at tales of ghosts.
J phantoms and visions of all Sorts
1t is unnecessary to explain how came
to be travelling in the far west without
companions, except for horse and dog
and gun. Following the general route
of the old overland trail. camped one
night in the edge'of considerable forest,
and at point from which could look
forth over broad, open plain.
1t was already after sundown. The
good horse was picketed. and having pro-
Vided a supper for myself and dog from
y rabbit which my gun had brought
down an hour OF two earlier. | disposed
things for the night, and as the stars
came ont, lay down to sleep, comfortably
rolled in blanket.
1t was probably in the small hours of
the night that awoke and arose to a sit
ting posture The moon was climbing
the eastern sky, with not feather of
cloud in her course, and every object
stood forth as clearly as in the day.
But it was not for me to contemplate
in quietude the rare beauty of the night.
In almost the first moment of conscious
ness my eyes fell upon slowly moving
object in the distance. It was one Of
those canvas covered wagons, the ''prairie
schooners" so familiar in the early days
of overland travel to California.
1t was approaching almost directly to-
ward me- and my curiosity was at once
aroused. Why any one should be travel
| ing thus. and so late at night. could not
! imagine. The movement was heavy. as
if the horses were jaded, and the man
who walked by their side had a weary
step
Twenty minutes passed the vehicle
approaching nearer and nearer. Still on
it came, until when about thirty wards
from me it suddenly stopped, and the
man, looking about, seemed to be con-
sidering the wisdom of making camp.
At this point suddenly realized that
the approach of the wagon had been
utterly noiseless. What could this mean?
Was | dreaming? No, l was never more
awake. Was this hallucination? No;
for the dog. who had been aroused bv
nv movement in awakening now +urned
his head in tbe d;rection ~ tba nov, or
rival and uttered a low orrovl T1aid
INV hand on him to Laan hin, oriat
The man now stood Inv the forward
wheel looking in at the onenino, of tna
canvas TON. and. though heard no voice
7 imagined that he was snaalino to sorne
one within A vvoman,s head snpaarad
and after GLANCE sronnd ooya a nod
of assent and tba man nrocoede6 e 20 - m mn
bor,,os. +bo borsos o,,d t,,,.,, tI,o,,o Ioosa
to craze Then after a moment in
which he saemed 70 ba anxiorslv srr.
veving the trail over which tbey had
come he belned the woman m aI;gbt
And NON, 4ha;r ,,,o,,a,,oa,,ts Cs,.aa+l,,
,,,,vzIod mo wal,,i,,,, 20 "a 60 tl,aS,
sas,nod 70 h. saarob;9n Co. so1,n SnUy 80.
HcnIor spo+ of orrornd Fima,iT, a. no
man rointa5 70 snooa Lat,yoo,, o,,' -
,,orno +reas and +ho Ynan oftor Ioo1,;,,S, :,
~ ~ Co. 1,Do,,,a,,+ 49, 20 +,e e,,S
Of tha WAGON and hrono,b+ foytI q sroda
vVitb the od0a 90 a. ;,,,,,lar,o,it l,o
,nsrl-aS "a ractanf,,,1.r s,,aaa ao,'' aI,o,-t
e. So H., 49, "a -, ~ az; an
tb;s la - he ,.a,,,.,,,, o ,,o'.eS 40.
inte silence - WV
Rv this time NV c,,r;osi+,, had 4,,rraa
IN marvel Hara ,,,as a oH+rodiotio,, oF
common sanseI could not beI;eva that
what I saw was real. tbaae be;nos r,rst
ha annaritions And vet mere h,s nav, s;de
was tbe doc as alert as I and trambIin9
vy;tb ~, iror,,lsa 40 ;nvost;oato ,vI;iS
obedient 70 nv hand os restre;nt
The digoino nroceedad ~ and tha soii
baino soff some Eve feet oF da,tb yvss
soon rsacbad and tben tbe voan thre1y
o,,t tha sDoda -, tha or,o,,,,d M
woman n,ean,vhiIe had beon rl,,ol,;nS
branches OF evergreen, bringing them in
armtuls and throwing them beside-"the
grave" thought. And now, with the
utmost care and patience, the whole cav
itY was lined with these sprigs Of ever
green held IN place by twigs thrust into
the backs on either side
This done, the man sprang out. The
two surveyed their work for moment
and then, after gazing once more, as Il
J in anxiety, over the route by which they
had come, they approached the wagon.
Having rolled up the canvas on one side
/ they lifted out small mattress, deposit
ing It upon blanket which they had
1.a.Aa HNuaar