The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-05-02

through tho woods on either side of the
road. The south lay prostrate beneath heI
accumulated woes, but her spring bios
SONS bloomed around her still and strove
to obliterate the marks of her suffering.
A young girl in a rusty black dress,
slight and 1.-the of figure, stepped lightly
along the narrow path on the outer edge
of the wrecked crossties. A pouch contain.
ing pistol depended from her waist, and
the alert, determined look on her face in.
dicated that she was not out merely for q
morning walk. In front of her walked q
middle aged negro, who bore on a stick
across his shoulders leathern valise of
the style used in that day, evidently full
OF something, probably eatables, for this
oddly assorted pair were bent on reaching
some particular destination. Whenever he
encountered any obstruction in the path,
the man stopped to remove 1t If possible
or turned solicitously TO see If the young
lady surmounted 1t Safely.
"I'm all right" the girl would say en-.
couragingly as she leaped across mud
puddle or climbed over bristling heap of
rubbish, and the negro would touch his
hat respectfully, and, reassured, turn again
to the untrod path before them. Soon the
trees on either hand became thicker, the
underground more dense, the ground sub
merged in water.
"Dis de river swamp, Miss Mary" an
nounced the negro. II don't b'leeve we
kin git cross. You better turn back, If
anything happen
Hush, Daddie john" said the girl
This Is no time to be prophesying bad for
tune. II there's anything at all to walk
on across the river, I'm going on. You
can go back, If you want to, but I'm 60
ing to Columbia or to the place where
Columbia was"
You know, Miss Mary, wherever you
go I'll follow, but it's no use to t'row way
your life, and the colonel will blame me
II anything happen. I'ze jest a-doin my
duty tryin to argue with you, that's all.
1t would never be me to turn back and
leave youl'
And on they go, picking their way as
best they can between the wrenohed and
heaVed up crossties, through the mud and
slush, till they emerge from the thicket oD
a comparatively firm bit of ground. Be-
fore them lies a waste of reddish yellow
water. Near the bank 1t Is calm and un-
troubled, but out farther the heavy waves
roll between them and the opposite shore,
for the Congaree is both broad and deep.
Midway jutting out into the expaRse of
water, Is the remnant of the trestle on
which the railroad had crossed. It's up
right supports, blackened and charred,
rose 90 feet above the river, for the trestle
had to be built abnormally high to allow
for the phenomenal risings for which this
stream is noted. To the first of these up.
right beams short horizontal pieces had
been affixed, forming a rude ladder, up
which, hand over hand, one might climb
to the skeleton trestle above. A little
canoe, manned by a grave faced soldier,
was in readiness to convey any one who
cared to essay the dizzy mile out to the
foot of the trestle.
The soldier smiled inoredulously when
tho negro informed him of his mistress
intention to cross the stream He glanced
at tho girlish figure, then surveyed the
forbidding looking elevated way stretch.
Ing across the rushing waters.
1t Is impossible for the young lady To
cross, - he said. If she fell, nothing could
save her"
But will not fall, (" urged the girl
II never get dizzy, and I'm good climb
er. All my people are in Columbia, and /
must get news Of the missing ones
have been over three weeks on the planta
tion alone, with nothing TO eat but corn
meal and peas, and no salt to season either
with. Indeed you must row mo outl'
Were you at the plantation when the
raiders went throughf' asked the man in
terestedly.
"Isaw them all /" was the reply.