Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-07-23
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A Mystery !
The Wagon Train That Was |
Lost In the Mountains !
By 3 cRITTENDEN LyTLE /
I Copyright. 1910. by American Press ;
Association J
BY 0 cRITTENDEN LyTLR
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Assassination.


Years ago. when there were no rail.
roads between the Atlantic and Pa
citic oceans. a wagon train was lost In
the Sierra Nevada mountains. 1t was
last seen by some indian hunters.
Searching parties went out TO lind 1t
without success. At last 1t was given
up aud forgotten.
The leader OF the party was Edward
Earle. He was a widower with little
daughter. Elizabeth. whom he had left
In the east In care Of his sister Eliza
beth was five years old when her IA
Their was last heard from. but she took
deep interest in the story of his dis
appearance What to older people was
a mystery was TO her a child's story
similar to those she read IN her fairy
books. II did not occur to her that
there was anything more wonderful In
the disappearance Of wagon train
consisting OF half IA dozen teams and
ten or twelve people than In changing
man into frog In other words.
she did not realize that the one really
happened and the other was impossi
Bile.
But as Elizabeth grew beyond tho
age TO be impressed By the imagination
this story Of the lost wagon train be-
gan to grow upon her. Had II not been
given TO her by those In whom she had
confidence she would not have believ-
ed II. 4 man might disappear TO re-
turn many years after with an expla-
nation. But how could wagons. horses
and men all 30 out like q candle?
Elizabeth was the only person who
fancied that her father would some
day come back. Her elders did not OPP
pose her in this. though they did not
pretend 10 agree with her. But as time
wore ON she realized that the case of
the wagon train her father conducted
was like that OF a ship going down I'M
der some marine catastrophe. carrying
with It eyegy living person. There
came hope that her father had left
some message FOR her which she would
some day receive She was told that
he had had some property. but he
alone knew where il was located. No
will had ever been found nor any
other papers TO throw light upon his
affairs. But this was not strange since
he had all his effects with him.
by the time Elizabeth had become
al. 81, - h.t. IA ~.
disappearance had grown upon her to
such an extent that II became sort OF
nonomania. Possibly this resulted
from trying 10 solve an insoluble ques-
ton. She WAS continually asking her
self how such a thing could happen.
one Of her suggestions was that the
train had been carried away by
cloudhursi Another was that 1t had
been buried under an avalanche. But
~ the east of the cioudburst the re-
lnains Of men. horses and wagons
would be- carried down where they
would be scen and in the case of the
avalanche they would appear as soon
as the snow melted. II was brooding
on these problems that AZ last threat
encd to affect Elizabeth's mind.
When Henry Mrrrywcather began 10
court Elizabeth her aunt hoped that
living interest would relieve her from
the burden of n dead one. Henry was
fine fellow aud grew more and more
wrapped IN the serious girl. made so
by mystery. Hy delicate attentions
he endeavnrpd "a Withdraw her mind
from the topic upon which II was alb
normally fastened But his efforts
were u failure Despite all he could do
he elected ouly an occasional smile.
temporary Interest.
The time had come when Elizabeth
felt that she must relieve her aunt Of
her support. and she accepted posi-.
don as teacher IN school Occupa-
fion helped her IN the matter that was
Often In the midst OF her duties she
would find herself endeavoring 10 solve
the problem of the lost wagon train.
As last resort Henry Merryweaiher
resolved TO 20 out to the region where
tine train was last seen with view 20
1Vlf Aii- AAt his ~ t'lfNN thsAt -
he could bring back any plausible solu-
ton Elizabeth would accept II and she
would regain her normal status. With
out saying anything TO her IN reference
10 his intention he set out for the
Sierra Nevadas and the region where
the train had been last seen.
Fifteen years had passed since the
tragedy or whatever II was occurred.
and settlers had come into the region
that had been a solitude. Henry. OBJ
tanning good horse. set out TO go
over the pass where the train had
been lost. The mystery was so well
known that he had no difficulty In To-
eating the position where Il had been
last seen One Of the equipments he
possessed for his quest was taste for
geology. AS he rode along he noted
the character of the rocks. the dow OF
the streams. the coniiguration Of the
soil. As he passed through canyon
In which ran mountain stream he
came TO point where the ground
formed n dam. making small lake.
II seemed to him that this could not