Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-04-27

/ hour I was q dozen times more lost
J than Mr.. Truesdel. This possibility
had not occurred to me. / had sup
posed that with the woods full Of men
should only have to lift up my voice to
/ bring immediate assistance. So, when
/ perceived that was advancing along
the circumference of a circle, and had
climbed the same rail fence four times,
decided that il would be wise to veil
once or twice by way of experiment
1t was a disastrous failure. / got
scared at the vastness Of the silence
around me, and, starting up plunged
ahead through the Shiny underbrush.
Twenty minutes later was sittinarsn
small but very cold stonet - II
remembered having passed several
times before. was chilled So thor
oughly that the separate pieces Of my
spinal column knocked together with
sound like a boy learning 10 play the
..bones." There was no doubt that
was lost, and in the new light which
that days events had thrown upon
searching parties, / had no hope that /
should ever be found ! recalled the
disgraceful things which had been said
about Mr.. Truesdeu. and reflected with
pride CAat my character was beyond
reproaeh / pictured the deep and
poignant sorrow Of my many friendsan
admirers. 1t was too much. l could
not bear the thought of their grief
arose, and clearing my throat with a
little ''red-eye," yelled again
This tim it was not in vain; a voice
20
beyond a clump of trees and lost not
second In plunging through. On the
other side tall man stood in fairly
well-beaten path. / fell on my knees
and thanked him as my preserver.
told him that he had laid an eternal
debt of gratitude upon me. l assured
him that all my debts were practically
eternal, and that / would save his for
the very last. Also, / said that graft
tude was due him from the entire coun-
try, which would have mourned my
loss. He assured me that the matter
was of no consequence whatever; and
then he asked what was doing out in
the woods, My spirits had revived so
much at the sight of rescue that was
able 70 give him vivacious account of
the disappearance OF Rev. Mr.. Trues-
dell
"Of course" said I, .'the man has
skipped. | saw that at glance. He
is evidently bad egg, from all that
can find out from those who know
him
Il grieve to hear it," replied the
stranger. What have you learned
about him?"
/ thereupon related all the disagree
able things which had been whispered
around the shores of Hot Hole pond
He appeared to be deeply moved; so
deeply, indeed, that l asked if he had
known the missing man particularly
well
Quite well young man, said he. 81
am Mr.. Truesdell"
| nearly fell dead IN the wet grass.
Il have been to Jonesville." he con-
tinued, 'and l sent word tony family
of my intention to remain over night
1t seems that they did not receive it,
but they must by this time have been
relieved by a telegram | sent from
Jonesville. am just returning from
the station at Waycross."
The remainder of our interview con-
sisted OF feeble attempts at apology
from me, and as they did not appear to
impress Mr. Truesdell they probably
would not interest the reader.
An hour later l hired a horse and
wagon and set out for roadhouse at \
the north end Of the woods. where !
was told that MOST of the searehers
would assemble found abou thirty
men there. including Carter, and / lost
no time in telling them the news
said. Rejoice with me, for our worthy
friend has returned"
They did not rejoice. never saw 50
Disguised a sci OF men in my life They
appeared to regard Mr.. Truesdell's con
duct in remaining alive as a base in
Jury and an ATTEMPT to cast ridicule
upon Somesville.
$50 sheen warm and mfortable
while we've been tramping our legs
off, : said one
Perhaps he thinks it's funny TO
make me pull the bottom out of Hot
Hole pond on day like this, put In
the fisherman. ! showed them con
clusively that Mr. TruesdeTI was in no
way to blame; but they shook their
heads, and the sentiment of the
party was expressed by gray-haired
farmer from Somesville Center. IF
TrueSdell thinks this is the way to
make himself poplar IN our town. he's
more darned badly mistaken than any
man since the fellcr who told Noah it
WASH goiu Ga rain.
HOWARD FIEguNa.