Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-12-23

~ u ~ me W Cousiu uO 1Auih :
E7M/V on to the next town.
81 I - Tho sun went down
" just as We ascended
the hill beyond the town, but left
such piles OF golden glory behind him
that scarce regretted his going,
until the twilight was fairly upon me.
There grew upon all things a singc
OF solemnity which affected my nerves.
and wished myself back to the little
inn ae, in, for was awed by the: IN
creasing beauty OF the evening. II
made me sad. I never feel gay by
moonlight. It seems to wear too
solemn beauty for light words to be
spoken beneath its radiance.
Before the very entrance OF athe
town I stopped. For the last ten
minutes had fancied that Z heard a
noise close to my horses heels. that,
had heard it in the woods through
which hal passed, would have driven
me nearly mad with terror. The noise
was like the pattering OF small feet,
yet scarcely like any animals. ]
grew bolder and looked around. Far
back upon my horses track; saw o
little white figure, its shape fairly
defined by the broad stream OF moon,
light that flowed directly across the
path where it stood. 1 fancied that ]
could see its arms thrown up. hes,
itated. tried to reason against my
superstitious fears, and said to myself
"Eustace Amnesty, are You q man Of
full grown strength and stature-and
do you fear this wee, shadowy thing
that pu,sues you no longer. bui
stands as If lmploring you to return9''
And I turned Napoleon's head and
went buck. In the middle of the road
steod child, its little arms and feet
bare and glittering like snow in the
moonlight. I spoke to it, and the
rich, soft tones that foated to my car
dispelled all my previous ideas of q
spirit voice.
"Who are you and where are you
going? How came you here at this
time of night?" were the questions
rained upon the little creature, MS
threw myself from my horse and
alighted down beside it.
81 am poor, motherless little girl,
and am going anywhere. from crue
people," was her response.
Good heavens! thought ], are there
wretohes in the worl;l wicked enough
to harm this little innocent being?
asked no more questions, for she wa.
shiyering with the night air, and ,sht
had evidently hurried sSSay from thu
scene of her dis..ssrrs with nothing but
night,66i6t6es upon her shrinking tit
Tame. \
] took her up and placed her upor
Napoleon's back, covering her from
head to foot with q large plaid scarf
which I had not felt cold enoughtt
pGt on mounted behind and drew hes
little form close, shielding her with
my arms, in which she nestled as il
with q sense of deep security.
Half On hour after, was seated be
side blazing fire, at my friend Johr
Wakefela's tea table, and still nesting
close to my arms was the child | had
rescued, now rejoicing in fullsuit o.
little Caroline's. John happened tc
know the ruffian into whose hands she
had fallen, and was prepared to give
even greater credence to the child'i
story than myself.
A systematic course OF hardship ane
exposure, and brutal punishment in
Aicted for each inability to bear it.
seemed to have been her bitter lot
until, this night, goaded into unutter,
able madness and terror, after crue
beating, she had risen from her straw
bed upon the garret floor, and crep'
softly down stairs, escaping easily
through an open window and running
of, she knew not whittier. She was
AFRAID to appeal to any one near, les
she might be taken back; 80 she had
run on in the wildness Of her despaia
We found that she had actually come
eight miles thus thinly clad. She had
walked beside my horse, NOT expect
ing to be taken up, but merely becalst
it seemed good. as she expressed it. tc
be Lear anything alive; and when
spurred him on, she said she though
that she was dying; such pain wen
through her heart.
Her name was Olive Rosseter. Hel
father and mother died during an epi
demic at the South, and she wa
brought to New England by servan
of the family, they two being all thai
survived. She wept bitterly when sh'
SPOKE OF this person, who Geemed t.
have been all that the kindes
mother could have been to her. Sh
brought the child home to her friends
but they were poor, and Hannal
sewed for their living until she grey
sick, and renamed sick for loni
time-probsbly she died Of consumr
tioD.
Then a man and his wife wanted her
and they moved away from the tow
where the child might have found bet
ter friends among Hannah's poor re
iations. Somehow she had forgottel
the name of the town. So many place
were in her mind that she could no
distinguish events which had passed il
each; so we had no means of knowini
except by trusting to the innocen
face. That was too truthful to die
trust. Passing over variety of cir
cumstances which she related with
modest propriety that charmed us ali
1 must tell you how gladly the littl
creature found refuge with my mothe
q. our family mansion in Thornfeld
had inst left college, and was pre-
pairing to study medicine as profes
sion. / was glad that, in tho brie
years in which l must leave m,
mother, / could leave my little Div
to be companion to her.
But when at length I became th
medical adviser of oil Thornfeld, il
consequence OF the resignation of DR.
Hsmmond's practice, Olive was th
happiest creature alive.