Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-24

n happy 20 lucky farmers son, and Eliza
CherinGtoa crew up As friends. 1t cannot
be said that they Were lovers, for Eliza at
the time this story begins was but school
girl 10 years and ) months old, while James
Butts was more than 81 and hard listed
fellow who could split rails, break colts and
cut away brush for the fall blowing The
Cheringtons had but few neighbors, so it
was natural that they associated more or
less with the Buttses, who lived 900 yards
away on the winding wagon road.
Early in the spring of 1877 series of re-
vival meetings was held in the township
church. Eliza had for years been a member
of Sunday school class, and when she
manifested more than passing interest in
the success OF the revival people living in
the neiGhborhood said she was going to be
a good woman when she grew out OF her
short skirts. The two Butts boys-John and
James-were not so devout. They were, in
fact, two young men who would now be
called brushheap handles, for they often
boosted of the power they possessed to win
the affections of women. Nothing worse
could be said about them, however, but
there We're long bearded men living in the
township who said that nary one of the
boys could keep from running down the
red lane That meant that the two boys
liked liquor, and when farmer in Knox
county begins to drink whisky his neigh
bors say he is going down the red lane"
The night OF Feb. -, 1877, was cold but
bright. The evening meal at the Cher
ington household was eaten at an earlier
hour than usual. in order that the family
might have ample time TO reach the church
before the choir began to sing. On their
way along the starlit road they called at
the Butts homestead. Here they were
Joined by James Butts and one OF his sis
Thar, no tod
the church, the lights in which could be
seen cleaning through the bushes up the
road.
James Butts accompanied little Eliza
They walked behind the rest of the party,
but nobody thought there was any wrong
in that, for il must be remembered that
they were ncighborS and had known each
other from infancy. When the church was
reached, the party paused on the threshold
to see what had become Of James and Eliza
But as they were not in sight IL was reck-
oned that they were sPooning along the
way and would be at the church before
services began. The evening wore away,
the choir had sung its last hymn, and the
preacher, standing in the glare of lamps on
either side Of the pulpit, had pronounced
the benediction, when the Cheringtons, now
thoroughly alarmed at the strange conduct
OF ElizS started on the long tramp back to
their home. They found no trace of the
girl, and what WAS worse the people in the
Butts homestead said that James had not
been home since he set out for church.
Early the next morning searching part
started out to scour the woods. The dis
tracted father Of Eliza left a sick bed to
/ join in the hunt. Every thicket for miles
around was searched, but no trace Of the
missing couple could be found. Finally
Alonzo Woods came into town and said
| that he had seen Butts and Eliza walking
( in the roadway near Altoona. This infor'
! nation gave the CherinCtons some encour-
! agement, but their hope was pitifully
! ephemeral.
I The mystery grew deeper and deeper, and
as the days passed the feeling against the
/ missing farmer grew in intensity. Had he
/ lured the little girl away from the old
/ homesteads Or had he murdered her and