The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-06-04


the leg and literally bleeding to death
1t had not taken him long to fashion q
rough tourinquet Of leather STRAP
and piece Of wood. and to revive the
wounded boy with water from n neigh.
boring creek; 50 when he had done all
to make him comfortable. he had
mounted the horse and sped for assist.
ance.
And now he found himself. after
hours of useless riding. cut off from
further hope by this tnrbid stream.
A cold day in latter March had passed
away; pale and cheerless sun. that
had cast no heat on the lcafess scenery,
had sunk, and the darkness of stormy
night was coming on rapidly. On the
brink Of the torrent he had refined mp
his weary and Undiscovered horse. and
By the light of day that yet fingered
in the sky. had seen far away on the
opposite bank the indistinct outlines of
q house.
'.Swim the river | must" he NUT
tered, but death may be the pen
atty
He knew that in his rear, the way
they had marched, lay wastes of mo-
rasses and dense pine woods, Inhabited
only by the few wild animals civiliza-
ton had driven TO its rccesscs. As he
looked anxiously at the house, the abode
evidently Of some planter, its out
lines disappeared in the gathering
gloom Of night: but lights were begin
ming to sparkle chccrfully through its
many windows Could those who were
comfortably. perhaps luxuriously, seat
ed within but know that there was a
fcllow-bcing on the eve perhaps Of per-
ishing hclplcssly amid the dark flow of
that deep roaring river! Again and
again he halloocd loudly, but in vain.
.'Ah, If | should perish herc-such a
fate" thought he, shuddcring. ITO be
cast a drowned corpse on some lonely
swamp. and to be found and stripped BY
some reckless woodsman who will never
even send word of my fate to the dear
ones at Meltonburg."
With brief Invocation on his lips, he
gave the horse the rein, and with
fierce and angry snort the gallant beast
plunged into the torrent. Floating
roots and trunks of trees, the debris of
struck rider and horse and forced them
down the stream; but after twice near
" giving up the struggle, the horse
gained its footing on the opposite bank
and emerged from the food, painting,
snorting, dripping and trembling in
every fiber.
Leading the sturdy steed by the bride,
and carcssing it the while, he made
his way up the bank, and, guided only
by the lights in the mansion. he CROPPED
his way onward. 1t was large house.
The glowing warmth within shonc
through the curtains and bespoke COM
fort to the weary traveller, who could
scarcely drag along his bcnumbcd
limbs. lie boldly approached the door
and knocked vigorously. A colored
man-scrvant answered his summons,
and hastily calling another to take his
horse to the stable, ushcrcd the
drenchcd visitor into a comfortable
room, on whose hearth big log-fre
was burning.
AS Frank stood rcveling in the glow
ing warmth, tall, dignified, aristo-
cratic old man entered, whose keen.
dark eyes expressed spirit that could
be suave or irritable as occasion
prompted.
Where are You FROM" he asked. abb
ruptly, more in tone Of authority than
of anxious inquiry.
Frank. shiveriny with cold, told his
story briefly and without comment.
When he recited his adventure with
the wounded youth in the forest, the
hosts manner quickly changed. Moth
ing could be more urbane and agreeable
than the tones in which he babe the
young man welcome to his roof.
I'VE must thank your accident for
procuring us the pleasure of your visit
in this lonely place." he said, with a