Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1893-10-13

my mind andeyery direction had ever
heard about how TO treat cases in any
emergency flashed through my memo
ry. Who was this old man, evidently
in mortal agony, alone and helpless in
the forest, Was his throat partly cut?
Was he shot through the body? Was
he manned aud mutinted? l asked
myself over and over again. Then Il
terrible thought came to me. Perhaps
1t was an escaped lunatic, blood
thirsty mailman. with all a madmnn's
cunning, lying in wait to fall upon and
destroy the pitying wanderer who
CHANGED to come his way, lured toward
lam by his pitiful cries in the dark
ness.
As | thought of this stopped in
stinctiyelv and peered around me cau-
11I0TIsiy. Ir dark thickct lay only u
few steps in front Of me. How easy
it would be for man with maniac's
strength to leap forward, clutch me by
the throat with his powerful fingers,
more cruel than the claws of the ferc-
est wild beast in the forest
sprong back in terror. Nothing
moved, however. There was no
moan, no cry, only the tangled vines
and underground, and darkness in
front of me.
is there any one i'll distress-any
one needing help and assistance close
by?' asked i'll loud but quavering
tones. There was no answer [ walk
ed as near to the thicket as | could,
and peered into the vines and bushes,
but could see nothing, and was about
10 Withdraw at safe distance again,
when voicein faint tones gasped out
gbove my head:
N sHelp Helm,
y Above me ] could only see the inter-
lacing limbs of the trees, with rift
here and there through which glim-
mering star peeped down from the
dark blue Of the summer sky. An
owl occasionally flew by, and a solitary
freely flashed her emerald light as she
winged her zig-zag flight through the
darkness
Again and again from the darkness
above me came the cry for help, and
in such distressing tones that it almost
set me wild with fear The owls came
fiuttering around me, and the bats
darted on Kissing wings on every side
Then again came "A piercing cry from
the thicket, followed by a succession of
them, until my ears rang, and the cold
sweat poured from my forehead |
sank to the ground exhausted and hid
my face, for never can the widest i'm
agination conceive Of the pandemoni-
um which reigned in the forest at that
hour.
How long lay there or how long
the bats and owls and the unearthly
noise and screams lasted | can never
tell. When [ raised my head again
day was breaking in the east aud the
dense darkness was tinted with shad-
owy gray.
L sprang TO my feet and looked
about me Nothing unusual met my
sight, and only the song of mock
ing bird close by greeted my ears.
Tired and weary, / wandered away,
and as [ went looked around me eau
tiously to see that no lurking harm
would oyertake me.
It was about an hour after sunrise
that morning when came upon Il
small house in a clearing in the forest.
As approached young woman and
a boy appeared at the door and gave
me friendly greeting.
l asked them for something to eat
and a place where | could rest after
my terrible night in the forest. They
promised me both, and i'll due time IA
tempting, though primitive, meal was
set before me.
After l had partaken of the food, a
pallet of skins was spread before me
upon the floor. and it was not long be
fore was asleep upon it, sleeping the
sleep of one worn out with fatigue and
excitement
1t was in the middle Of the after
noon when | was awakened by some
one calling close to my ear:
"Oh, Mollie Mollie! Molliel'
| looked up. On the floor, twisting
his head and looking at me through
the corners Of his eyes, stood large
parrot.
ala ha! ha!" laughed the parrot
and the boy | had seen in the morn
ing, in merry chorus
just then the young woman appeared
at the door, and seeing the parrot and
the boy, she said, apologetically;
Il hope this naughty bird and mis-
ehievous boy didn't wake YOU up until
you had finished your nap.
No I said, Il am glad some one
did wake me up. ~
"My brother Ben and Poll are the
most misohieyous pair you ever saw.