Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-05-01
CHAPTER XVIII.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Not trace Of the lost horses had been
found. The search had been long and
thorough, but at last it had been thought
best by all concerned to abandon it, be
cause there seemed nothing more to be
done. Every possible effort. to find a clue
to the mystery had been made, and the
mystery. was more perplexing row than
at the start.
I'VE hain't got nothin' to work on.
said Deacon Snyder. Il wish we cd find
mitted tn do so, an | s'pose twas the
Lords will that l sh'd lose 'em. so | dun
nos l sh'd grumble, but
But he couldn't help feeling that he
would have planned things differently had
he been the Lord.
Hope OF Porter'll hev his stole,'' Bill
Green said more than once, smarting over
his disappointment at Dicks escape. He
felt as it is safe to suppose a blood
hound feels when cheated of its victim.
1T would sarve him jest right to lose
'em, it would so, fer stckin up fer Dick
Brayton."
For Bill felt sure. all along, that if
Mr.. Porter knew nothing of how Dick
got away, he was glad that he was gone.
And Bill was right about that.
After the search for the horses was
abandoned, a sort of still hunt for Dick
began by those who believed that he
might still be lurking in the neighbor-
hood. 1t was not systematic, but it was
kept up persistently for a time. Dick
l ri 81, n.
sought for him. 1t is not an easy matter
to capture a man in a wilderness when
he knows that he is being hunted. Know
ing this, Dick could govern his actions in
such a manner as to throw them off the
scent.
Bill Green and a few of his cronies
held to the belief that Dick was still in
the vicinity of Brownsville, but where
they couldn't determine; but they meant
to find out, if possible. Therefore they
kept up their search for at least a week,
but finding nothing at the end of that
time, they concluded that it was rot adj
visable to neglect their farm work longer,
and they, too, gave up the search in
measure, though Bill said they'd all keep
their eyes peeled, for they 'mought run
on to suthin' when they want expectin'
TO-"
I'm dead sure O. one thing" said that
astute individual, IAN that is, that he
won't dare to show his face insi'e the set
tlemunt. Fer he knows eff he did it'd be
a mark for somebody to shoot at, the
minnit they got glimpse of it."
Two weeks went by, and then a new
excitement took the place of the old one.
From secular matters the minds of the
residents of Brownsville turned to spir-
itual ones.
There was 20 be a camp meeting-the
first one ever held in Brownsville. Con
ference" had graciously seen fit to grant
that this opportunity for the .outpour-
ing of the spirit should be afforded the
settlers in this frontier region, and they
which occasions Of this kind always af
ford the country ncighborhood, be it
new or an old one.
In those days, mere than at present,
camp meetings were held to be events
that were not TO be passed over lightly.
They were considered something in the
light of a religious carnival. The inter-
est of every one in the neighborhood and
its vicinity was aroused and excited. 1t
mattered not whether they were saints
or sinners, whether they considered them
selves as of the elect or the unregenerate,
they were all interested alike. The elect
attended to pray for the welfare of the
non-elect. and for spiritual strengthening
and refreshment for church and individ-
ual; and the unregeBerate went 10 be
amused, possibly benefited, and because
everybody else would be sure to be there.
The social feature was one of the chief
attractions which the camp meeting held
out to young and old in those days. If
there was not a growth in grace as the
result of attendance, they certainly felt
better acquainted with their neighbors.
II jest delight in a camp meetin'," said
Mrs. Boone to Mrs. Porter, as they sat
talking about the .reat in store for the
Brownsvilians. Its jest like great
long visit, or picnic that holds over. |
always calkilated on Citing lots o good
out O. camp meetin's, when l us't TO go
TO 'em. down East, spiritually an other
wise. The very las one | went to | got
that recipe for salt-risin' bread from Mis-
David Slocum, an the pattern | made
my red an black delaine up by. You re-
member that red an black delaine, don't
We? There is some of it in that there
chair cushi'n ye're a settin' on this min
nit. An when Mamie was a baby an
had the 'hoopin' cough, got some drops
of oil Mis- Spratt, that lived down by
Hunts HoIer, that did her more good
than all the doctors stuff. Mis- Spratt,
she was a master ham when there was
sickness round. I've allus thought, an
l allus shall. that eff we'd had her when
Solomon's father was sick an died. Std
o Doctor Bangs, she'd ha' bro't him
tbro'. One reason why | allus felt lean
in lords her docterin' was. that you
knew suthin' was bein' done 1t was pow
erful, an no mistake, an when folks IS
awful sick it STAINS to reason that they
orter hev suthin' strong TO correspond
TO the sickness. seems 10 me. Now Mis-
Spratt she was great on 'metics an
sweatS. | know onct Solomon, be KEEP
a complainin' o. not feeiin' weil. had q
pain in his back. an his side. an his legs.
an purity much all over him. an | kep
8 givin' him cammy-mile an thorough
worth. an putin on smartweed an hops
IN vinegar. but be didn't seem 10 git ans
better. They don't take holt says he
Send fer Mis- Spratf. Id feet her med
Gin So | had brother Job 60 over after
her. an she come, an brung bag o
lobely. His stummick's cut O kilter.
says she. j givin' him jest one look I
knew il was. He's got TO throw up afore
he'll feel any better solomon, he groan-
ed. fer he know'd what was comm He'd
took her lohely 'mefics aforc. Ian sakeS.
how he did throw up. / never see nor
body come SO nigA tHrnin wr0ng-side
cut ards as he did. She KEEP him a heav-
in TIL mneh's three O'Clock. an THEN she
swe't him-set aim over wash Tub fun
O. hemiock boughs. n poured billing hot
water on 'em. with quilt wrapped
round him up tight 10 his neck. You'd
Jest orter ha' seen the SWEET roll cff'n
him. IL run down Wis face in streams,