Year: 1877

county Is the toughest in this part of
the State. From end to end it is one con.
stant succession OF high hills. There is
nothing in the shape of wagon roads.
as they are understood in the rest of
the State, known. The hillside paths


stony. rutted out by the heavy rains Of
spring and fall, are almost impossible
even IN the best part Of the year. But


here are magnificent views Of wiIdness.


From the tops of many of the hill one


may obtain q view of the surrounding
country extending many miles in every


direction. Hon. John A. Bingham.


who used to represent this district in


Congress. called it the Switzerland Of
Ohio. The people are at least fifty
years behind many other portions Of
the State They still live in the rudest
log cabins, the sites of which have been
dug out Of the hillsides. The chief en-
ployment is tobacco raising. and has
been for half century past They
produce very poor quality of the
weed, ana after the labor Of curing it
is sold for about % per hundred eight
aid shipped to Baltimore. where it is
exported to France and Germany to be
used in manufacturing. On account of
the insurmountab!e bills the people
travel almost exclusively on horseback,
and journey of eighteen or twenty
miles is considered days ride.


Some twenty years ago drover and
cattle buyer was known to have gone
down into this country for the purpose
OF getting up drove of horses and cat
tie, for the Baltimore market. He was
known to have had considerable money
upon his person, and was last seen at
dusk Is he left a little town called
Whigsville. on his way to another called
Sarahsville. about four miles distant.
He said to his host at the former place
that he would ride ON and reach the
latter place by bedtime. Nothing more
was thought Of the matter at Wings
vile for several weeks until some
friends Of the drover came there inquir-
ing for him. and then it was discovered
that he had never reached Sarahsville
at all. 1t is remembered by the good
people of Whigsville that the night on
which the drover departed from their
village became very dark. AMI they say
that murky clouds overhung the sky in
every part aud vivid flashes Of light
ming. followed by terrific peals of thun-
der. came in rapid succession. But it
was not until late at night that the
threatened rain began to descend.


The friends of the man who had thus
suddenly disappeared made as careful
all investigation of his disappearance
as it was thought possible to make un-
der the circumstances. He had no near
relatives, having led life of celibacy,
and thus the matter died out sooner
than it might have done But the peo-
pie of that section remcmberer the mys-
terious disappearance and related dur
ing all the intervening time curious le-
gends of the probable manner of his
taking off. Old settlers have departed
from the stage Of existence and another
generation has been born. and still on
stormy nights and during certain sea-
sons of the year the story is related by
old wives, and children are made to
shudder and draw closer around the
cabin hearth


But within the week the mystery has
seemed to have as superstitious aud
wonderful a partial solution ss it had
origin. A young lady not yet eighteen
years Of age, and who was accordingly
born some two years after the drover's
disappearance and could only have heard
the story as tradition, which WAS in
short that the drover had been mur-
dered and that his body concealed in a
certain spot. Hearing the peculiar cir
cumstnnces Of the case. your correspon-
dent called upon the young lady. She
WAS found at her parental house, an un-
pretentious farm residence situated
upon the hillside. She is Of light CON-
plexion. rather retiring in manner, not
pretty. but possessing re-
markable eyes. They are large, and,
although bright. still possess an inde-
scribable dreaminess that cannot fail to
attract attention. Upon being pre-
sented to a stranger she displayed the
difiidence natural to one unused to the
ways of the world. But upon my re-
marking that had come to hear her
relate her dream she seemed To r. gain
possession of herself, and keeping her
eyes fixed upon the ground. spoke. al.
most word for word as follows:


IL heard the story Of the disappear
ance of the drover. twenty years ago
just as every one has ia these parts.
and ! had dwelt upon it much in my
thoughts. 1t seemed to me very strange
and very unjust. and l could no. rest
within myself aud have it all remain q
mystery. SO had been thinking last
Thursday night after ] retired, and
upon dropping asleep think immedi-
ately began to dream. 1t seemed to me
that was in place familiar to me.
though on account Of the great dark
ness l could not certainly recognize
landmarks Presently the lightning be-
gan to flash and the thunder to roar. and
between the flashes l begsn TO see
where WAS knew it was the portion
Of the road about mile beyond Ssrshs
Vile, toward " higsville. Was walk
ing along. but at length l sat down and
something seemed to say. Wal. and see
what will happen l did so. and al
most immediately | beheld q man,
stranger to me. riding up the hillside.
He seemed in great haste. and ! thought
he was hurrying on to Sarahsville be.
fore the rain should come. So far as l


was concerned I did not care to seek
shelter. but something seemed to call
oil my attention to the stranger. Al
most Immediately saw another man
emerge from the darkness Of fence
corner opposite and with heavy club
or bludeeon in his hands be yan up be-