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VOLUME I. |
BY C. R. HANLEITER,
[POETRY
buonaventure, by star-light.
BY HENRY R. JACKSON.
Along a corridor I tread
High over-arched by ancient trees,
Where, like a tapestry o’er head,
The gray moss floats upon the breeze ;
A weary breeze which kissed to-day
Tallulah’s fulls of flashing foam,
And spotted in Toccoa’s spray—
Brings music from its mountain home!
The clouds are floating o’er the sky,
And cast at times at fitful gloom,
As o’er our hearts dark memories fly—
Cast deeper shade on Tatnall'a tomb;
While glimmering onward to the sea,
With scarce a rippling wave at play,
A line of silver through the lea—
The river stretches far away!
And ’tis the hour when stars above
Reflect the spirit’s inner light,
And the lost Pleiads of my love
Are kindling in my heart to night.
I hear a foot-fall on the sand,
I feel an arm within my own;
Full often in a distant land,
I’ve listened to that trembling tone.
Night darkens into deeper shade,
As on with solemn pace we stroll,
I hear tire teachings of the dead
Like sacred music in my soul!
“Solivc and act, while thou art here,
“ That when thy course of life is done —
“ Above the stars thou may’st not fear
“ To meet thy father’s facd, my son
© !L T L[E □
For the “Southern Miscellany.”
THE BURGLARS.
The night of the twenty-sixth of March,
in the year 1523, was remarkably bright and
clear. The moon did not add her beams to
its brightness, but the stars were out in all
their glory, shedding a soft and silvery light
o’er field and forest. Upon that night our
B tory begins. The day had been unusually
warm for the season, and at an early hour
after its close, Edward Arden, a young gen
tleman, merchant, residing in the upper part
of the county of Morgan, having closed his
store, and fastened it well with “bolt and
bar;” sallied out, to enjoy in a short stroll,
the bland air of the evening. Passing the
house some short distance up the road, at
which he boarded, he proceeded but a short
distance beyond, when he joined Miss Mary
Osborne, ar.d her sister, who had both gone
out a moment before, to take their accus
tomed evenirlg’s walk. Daylight was quite
gone when the parties returned tothe house,
where supper awaited their arrival, and his
was quickly dispatched, and Arden, after a
ten minutes colloquy with Miss Mary, return
ed to his store, to calculate the profit and
loss of the day. Judge what was his con
sternation, when having reached the door,
he found it standing ajar. The burglar had
done his work! On entering, and kindling a
light, be found that the bar reaching across
the door, had been ingeniously removed, by
inserting a crooked iron through an old key
hole in the door, and forcing it up, so that it
fell from its place. On looking round lie
discovered that the small trunk in which his
money was usually deposited, was gone ; and
upon examining further, he ascertained that
a spelling book, in which was kept the mon
ey arising from the daily sales of goods, and
which contained about sixty dollars, was also
gone. This book he bad carefully inserted
between two pieces of flannel upon one of
the shelves of the store, and when be foutid #
that it was gone, bis suspicions were imme
diately aroused, and as readily fixed upon a
certain individual who had a few evenings
before had some money changed, to pay for
some small article, and who had seen him
take it from its biding place. None of the
goods were gone—the money seemed to be
the only object with the thief. His suspi
cion once aroused in reference to the man
whom he suspected, he resolved at once to
go to his dwelling, which was not more than
a mile off, and demand the return of the
money, and in the event of its refusal, to
shoot the supposed thief upon the spot. —
Having armed himself with a gun, he start
ed, but did not reach the bouse before his
prudence dictated another and a better
course. The plan which he adopted will be
seen in the progress of our story.
Belonging to Squire Osborne, the gentle
man with whom he boarded, was a negro
man, named Phil,a shrewd sensible fellow,
but withal rather tricky. Phil was in tli&
habit of waiting or. Edward Arden at night,
doing small menial offices, such as bringing
water, blacking shoes, &c. He bad return
ed to the store but a few minutes before
Phil came to do his accustomed work. The
bucket of water was brought and set upon
the table, and the brushes and blacking de
posited ready for the boots, when Arden
turning suddenly round—for lie had been
writing—and facing the boy, rather abrupt
ly asked him how long it had been since
he had seen Mr. Strain ?
“Me!—me see Mr. Strain?—why bress
your soul Mas Edard, I haint seed him since
he bought datpinto’ rum hefe, last Saturday
r.ight.”
Well, Phil, he has been here to-night,
and has broken open my store and robbed
me of one hundred ar.d fifty dollars, besides
some clothes.”
“ Law hab mercy on poor nigger!—why,
a jFamUij : DcUotcfc to &sriculture, jaeenauCcss, Education, jToreicw auR ©omesetie XuteUCfieuce, *cc.
Mas Eel a rd, why you no catch him, if you
see him break open de house?”
“ But I did not see him, I was at the
house, at supper, and when I returned 1
found it broken open, hut no body there.”
“How you find out Mr. Strain break ’em
open den, if you no see him do it.”
“ I know lte did, or had some hand in it,
because some money has been taken from a
place which no one knew any thing about
but him. I recollect that on the night he
was here buying the rum, he saw me get it
from that place, and put it hack again, and I
remember now he watched me closely when
I put it back. That money is gone.”
“ Well, dat look mighty ’spicious, 1 declar
—why you no go to he house, and tack hint
wid it.”
“Oh, he would ofcourse deny it,and then
I would be at the end of my row. I must
try some other plan. How would you like
to make ten or twenty dollars, Phil?”
“Ten or twenty dollars!” exclaimed
the darkie, his eyes open to their utmost
limit at the thought of making such a round
sum. “Why you know nigger like it prime.
But how I gwitie make all dat, Mas Ed
ard.”
“ Why, I’ll tell you, but before I begin,
you must promise to keep it all a secret, for
if you don’t, you can’t get the money. Doyou
think you can keep a secret Phil ?”
“ Law, Mas Edard ! you jist projickin-.
wi tne, case I’se a nigger.”
“ No, I am not, Phil, you are a negro it is
true, but just now I think you can do me
some service, if you think I can trust you
with the secret, and if you do the ten dollars
are yours. Can I trust you, do you think ?”
“ Oh, yes sir, be sure you cat); and now
I find you arnest, you tell me all you want
—you find Phil close as wax.”
“ Well, you know old Isaac that belongs
to Major has been runaway some
time ?’’
“ Yes, Massa.”
“ You know he is a grand rascal, and has
been suspected of breaking open several
houses lately ?”
“ I been hear dat bout old Isaac, but me
no know for sarttn.”
“ Very well, then. I believe this old fel
low, Isaac, knows who has broken open my
store. He has been seen lately in this neigh
borhood, and the thing I want you to do, and
which I will pay r you well for doing, is to
put me on a plan to catch the old scoundrel;
for I think if I can get hold of him, I shall
get on the track of my money ?”
“Oh, Mas Edard, dat never do. Brack
manmust never tray his own color—spose he
find me out, he play de dehhle wid Phil? —
No, Massa I fraid to do dat.”
“ Well, hut you forget that it can never
he found out, unless you or I tell of it—and
I promise you I will not.”
“ Me no tink of dat, for true —hut I tell
you Mas Edard, nigger what lib in de
woods mighty cunnin.”
“ I know that very well, and T know also
that you can put me in the way to catch him
before two weeks pass by. If you do. I’ll
pay you well, and promise you never to let
any body know any thing about it. Now
tell me, will you do it, or not ?”
The negto stood for several minutes in a
deep study, his hands tlnust into his breech
es pockets, arid his head declining so low,
that his chin rested upon his brawny chest.
At length slowly raising his head, he went
to the door and looked out —not satisfied, he
walked all round the house, and again came
in and closed the door, and addressing Ar
den, said
“ You promise to gib me de ten dallar ?”
“ Yes, I promise you.”
“ And you gib Phil your solemtary word,
you neber tell a libin soul dat lie do it ?”
“ I’ll promise all that, my hoy, and now
what do you say ?”
“I say I’ll do it—l’ll tree him fore Satur
day night, de old runaway—ho ought .
Listen, you no hear notin.”
“ Nothing at all—did you ?”
“I speck it a hog or a cow.trampin round
here—but I gvvine home now. I bring you
de news of old Isaac fore long.”
And with a chuckle at the idea of the re
ward he was to get, Phil bowed himself out
of the room, and departed homewards.
It was the fourth night after the events
detailed above occurred, that Arden, who
had communicated the fact of the robbery
to no one hut the negro Phil, was standing
by the roadside not a great distance from
his store house. He had been there hut a
little while, when lie heard the sound of ap
proaching footsteps. He withdrew farther
into the shadow of the wood. Soon two
men, engaged in a low conversation, passed
by. ITe heard some words, but not enough
to gather their full import—enough, how
ever, to induce him at once, to hang upon
their path and follow them. Ileknewtltcm
well, and knew them as associates of Strain,
whose name he distinctly heard one of them
mention as he passed by. They were go
ing.too,precisely in the direction of the cabin
where Strain lived, and by the exercise of
caution lie hoped to be nble to learn some
thing that would throw some light upon the
robbery. After they had passed on some
distance, lie emerged from his retreat and
followed them, being careful to keep far
enough behind to prevent his font-fall being
heard. In this way. keeping the two men
in view, he pursued them nearly a mile,
when they reached the cabin of Strain.
The two men paused at the fence, and
uttering a loiv whistle, the dooi of the cabin
MADISON, MORGAN COUNTY, GEORGIA, SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 26, 1842.
was soon opened, and a stout heavy built
man came out and joined them. This was
Strain. A short consultation ensued, after
which the three started off in company, keep
ing the direction and the Aiad the two first
were traveling. Arden still followed. Ten
minutes more brought them to a cross-road,
md turning down to the light they were
soon at the door of a small house, with a pi
azza in front—kept as a grocery, or more
properly speaking, a whiskey-shop. The
door was shut, thousrh the light from within
shone through the cracks, and more than
one voice was heard in high glee. A word
and a knock from one of them had the ef
fect of opening the door, and all having en
tered.it was again closed. Edward Arden,
waiting a moment to see that all was clear,
made a short circuit to the left of the road,
and approached the house again from the
rear; stealing cautiously up, he gained a
position, from which, through an aperture
in the wall, he could perceive all that pass
ed within.
When iie first looked in, the three men,
whom he had followed, were each engaged
in quaffing a glass of liquor, which seemed
to he but the prelude to other matters. —
There were two other men in the room be
sides. One, tiie owner of the premises, an
old man, well advanced in years, and judg
ing from the complexion of his face, and the
rubicund appearance of his nasal organ, one
would suppose him a “ tip top” customer at
his own bat, and well qualified to be the
agent of his sutanfc majesty in the grog and
liquor department. The other a young man
from Tennessee, a drover, fond of drink
and lather green, who having sold out his
stock partly on a credit, was in the neigh
borhood, collecting, preparatory to leaving
for home. lie was at the grocery by acci
dent. We need not tarry long in the des
cription of the other three, whom we have
seen in the datk. The light revealed three
countenances, however, such as are rarely
to be met with in a day’s journey. Strain
himself, who, perhaps, was the liest looking,
had a real hang dog exnression of counten
ance, which always caused a close observer
to form the most unfavorable opinion of him.
One of the others by the name of Watkins,
was a low heavy built man, about forty years
of age, with an eye too timid to hear the
gaze of another; whenever he spoke, he
did so with a down look, as if fearful that
his eye would reveal the deep villainy of
his soul, The last, by the name of Walsh,
was a tall rawboned man with a treacherous
blue eye, and a gash across his upper lip,
which gave a hard expression to his features.
The interior arrangements of the room
were about such as are to he found in all
cross-road dram-shops. A few shelves on
one side, on which are deposited various
specimen of goods, wares and merchandise,
to wit; a few bolts of homespun, a few of
calico, a dozen or two of cotton handker
chiefs, a small lot of barlow knives, a half
keg of tobacco, a few kegs of liquor alrea
dy “on tap,” a lot of jugs, and a stock of
pipes and playing cards. Those items made
up the usual stock in trade, and mainlycom
prised the stock of the present owner, Use
liquor, however, being by far the most abun
dant.
One after another of the company treated,
and drink after drink was guzzled down,
until the crowd began to grow quite lively,
—especially the Tennesseean, who being
younger than the rest and not so whiskey
proof as they, coon began to manifest symp
toms of drunkenness. About this time
Strain and Watkins withdrew into one cor
ner cf the room and held a slant consulta
tion, in a low voice. Happening to be near
the point at which Arden was watching, he
overheard all they said. They proposed
and agreed to engage the Tennesseean in a
game of cards, and “ ease” him of what
loose change he had about him. Their plan
being arranged, they again joined the other
at Hie counter, and Watkins called for an
other drink. While it was being prepared,
lie turned to the Tennesseean and asked
him,
“ Yv T hnt’s the reason the Georgians can
always beat the Tennesseeans so badly
playing cards ?”
“ Who says they can do it ?” quickly
asked Tennessee.
“ Oh, 1 have heard several persons say
so, I thought every body knew that.”
“ Well, here’s one that don’t know it,”
said Tennessee, steadying himself in an
upright position, holding on at tha same
time to the counter, “ I’ll be dast if I ever
seed a mail that could beat me at old
sledge.”
“ Would you like to bet any thing at that
game,” said Watkins, “ with a man that
learnt it in Georgia.”
“ Devil the hit do I care where he learnt
it; I’ll hack my judgment on that game
with any named nag in these diggitts, and
stake the priziririctum right tip. What do
you say to that, stranger —do you go the
stripe ?”
“ Why, I was only joking,” said Wat
kins, “ I am a poor hand at the game—any
body can beat me that can play at all.”
“ Backed out, by jux,” said Tennessee,
with a Kwaggor, “who’s afraid—l dare you
to take a game with me. I’ll learn you the
Tennessee cut and shuffle, to the tune of
high, low, Jack, beg, gift and the game, by
gum —do you come it ?”
“ Well, I don’t care if l do take a game
or two with you, if you’ll promise to learu
me that trick in the game.”
“ Look here, stranger,” said Tennessee,
“ that learning will bo somewhat expensive
to you, but if you are willing, here goes—
lend us a deck, will you (addressing the pro
prietor) till I give this gentleman a few les
sons. What will you bet ?”
“ Bet!” said Watkins, his eye fixed upon
the Tennesseean like that of the snake
when watching the effect of his charm up
on the unwary bird who is unconsciously
drawing nearer and nearer to his devouring
jaws—“ Bet! why you don’t want to bet any
thing, do you ?”
“ Don’t I, though ? Do you think 1 would
set down and shuffle over these here spot
ted papers, just for the fun of the thing ?
you’ve barked up the wrong tree this time
I can inform you, stranger, if them’s your
sentiments. If I play, I bet—if I don’t bet,
1 don’t play—that’s Hat—”
“ Well, if that is the condition of the
game, why, just to learn a little, I don’t care
if 1 do go you a quarter .”
“ Whew ! a quarter —no, no, stranger,
this here child don’t waste his time for such
small matters. If you’ll say a five, then,
we’ll talk about it—five dollars a game, noth
ing less.”
Watkins appeared to hesitate some time;
however he at last agreed to try one game,
just, to learn a little. A small table was
drawn out into the floor, and a candle, stuck
into the mouth of a black bottle, placed in
the centre, flanked by a decanter of whiskey.
An old greasy pack of cards, that seemed
to have undergone hard usage, was produc
ed by the dram-seller, and having seated
themselves on opposite sides of the table,
they staked the money, and at it they went.
They cut for the deal, which was won by
the Tennesseean. lie took up the cards,
and catching them between his thumb and
fingers, drew them together with a rattling
sound, and proceeded to shuffle them after
the most approved Tennessee fashion.
“ Now,” said he, slapping them down on
the table, “give ns a cut, a real Georgia cut
—and then I’ll show vou how to turn up
Jack.”
The cards were cut by’ Watkins, and the
usual number for a game of “Old Sledge,”
were dealt out by the Tennessean, and, as
luck would have it, a Jack uas turned up,
sure enough.
“ There, now,” said Tennessee, “didn’t
I tell you so ? You see 1 know a thing or
two. How do you like your hand ?”
“ Not very well,” observed Watkins, “but
I shall get a better next time, when I deal
myself.”
The game went on—card after card was
played until each trick was won or lost, and
on counting up, Watkins had one, and Ten
nessee two, which, with the Jack, counted
him three.
Watkins proceeded to shuffle the pack,
which was cut and dealt out as before, and
the game played, and won by Tennessee,
who held high, low, Jack and the game.—
He gathered up tle money with a flourish,
swearing he could beat any Georgian that
ever trod shoe leather. He declared lie was
born with a pack of cards in his hand, and
that it come as natural to him as sucking did
to young ducks.
“ And now, stranger,” said he, “have you
another one of those Y’s that you haven’t
any particular use for ?”
Watkins staked another five, and again
the game began. And the money was won
by Watkins. Another five is staked—anti
lost by Tennessee. He curses his luck, and
takes a drink. Strain all the while stood
looking over the shoulder of the Tennesse
an, and giving item to \V atkins. As they
played on the young man became excited at
liis repeated losses, forthey already amount
ed to more than fifty dollars, and pulling
out his pocket hook, swore he would lose
all, or win back that already lost. He pro
posed to hot fifty dollars on the next game,
ami pulled out the money. It was covered
by Watkins, who now saw that lie had him
in his gtasp. He deliberated a moment, to
determine whether he had better win the
stake, or let the Tennesseean win—hut
as the latter was already sufficiently excited
and sufficiently drunk, not to discover that
the cards were regularly stocked upon him,
he resolved to win the game. The fifty dol
lars followed the fives into Sam Watkins’
side pocket. At this point the Tennessean
again swore roundly—cursed his luck, and
cursed the cards. ‘Taking up one of them,
and examining it closely, he declared that it
was marked, and called for another deck.
The old dram-seller produced anew pack,
and at it they went again, but with the same
success—until at length the young man be
coming desperate at his repeated losses,
opened his pocket hook, gathered up its
contents, and threw them on the table with
an oath—•‘now,”aid he, “cover that.”
The stake was his last, and amounted to
three hundred and twenty dollars. Wat
kins covered it with a like sum, and the
game proceeded. During the progress of
tne game, the Tennesseean observing Wat
kins hesitate a moment in his play, lilted his
eyes quickly upon him, and perceived that
he was watching someone behind him, and
suddenly turning round, lie caught Strain in
the act of giving item to Watkins by signs.
Enraged at the discovery, he gathered up
all the money on the table, and swore that
he had been cheated and swindled. A reg
ular row ensued, in the course of which,
Tennessee was knocked down, the money
taken forcibly from him, And himself uncer
emoniously thrown out of the house. He
cursed, and raved, and swore ; Vint the door
was closed, and after exhausting his vocab
ulary of expletives, he was forced to pocket
his losses and leave the premises. It will be
well to say, however, that he succeeded
some days afterwards in recovering back the
greater portion of his money.
After the Tennesseean hail left the house,
and gone off, and the incidents connected
with the game atid the row had been duly
discussed, over a half pint of white faced
whiskey, the party proceeded directly to the
business which bad brought them together.
And now Edward Arden was all eyes and
ears, Imping that something might be said,
that would shed some light on the robbery,
and give him some legal hold upon the vil
lain who had perpetrated it; for he verily
believed Strain was the man.
The parties sat grouped together around
the table, engaged in a low whispering con
versation for more than an hour. They were
evidently digesting some scheme of rascali
ty, hut what it was, he could not satisfacto
rily discover; they were too habitually cau
tious, even at that late hour to speak above
a whisper. Detached words, end portions
of sentences he did hear, stul putting “that
and that together,” he came to the conclu
sion that they were about to engage in some
regular and concerted plan of thieving. The
name of the old negro Isaac was mentioned
more than once, but in what connection he
could not readily perceive ; and the compa
ny broke up without his being able to learn
any thing satisfactory in reference to his
money, or with regard to the intentions of
the men. Before they left the house, Ar
den had slipped from Lis place of conceal
ment, and regained the road, resolved to be
ahead of them, so that he might gain a se
cure hiding place near Strain’s cabin, where
the men would separate, hoping that ere
they parted, someone less cautious than the
rest, might still say something that would
lead to a discovery. He succeeded in reach
ing the place before them, and was scarce
ly concealed when they approached. They
were still engaged in conversation, when
having reached the fence they paused ere
they separated. Strain remarked—
“ We must use the utmost caution now,
else we shall he detected—it is a dangerous
business. We have money enough now,
and in a few days more l shall be ready to
lie off’, and give me but two days the start
and I won’t ask the devjl any odds. Be sure
to meet me at the rendezvous , on Saturday
night, for by that time I shall be ready to
start.”
His two Companions promised to meet
him, and they separated each for his home.
Arden soon followed, still unsatisfied, hut re
solved to foil them yet. But where was
the rendezvous at which they were to meet
on Saturday night ? That was a question
much more easily asked than answered, and
he puzzled his brain a long while before he
slept that night, trying to solve the mystery.
About 8 o’clock the night after the occur -
rence of the events above detailed, Edward
.Arden was sitting in tlte back room
store closely engaged in writing. A low lap
at the door aroused his attention.
“ Who is that 1” said he. No answer—
but the knock was repeated a little louder.
“ Who is that ?” lie asked again. No re
ply being made, he snatched up a hammer
which he had kept near his bedside ever
since the night of the robbery,and approach
ing the door cautiously removed the bar, and
opening it just far enough to look out, he
saw the boy Phil, who spoke as if in a great
hurry saying—
“ Mas Edard, I come to tell you old Isaac
will he at Mr. It ’s.gin house sometime
to-morrow night. You go dar you cotcli
him sure null—l must he gwine, I hear
horse foot cotnin up de road.”
“Hold—stay a minute,” said Arden, hut
Phil was off raid gone before the words were
uttered.
“ That’s a sly dog, that Phil—he is afraid
of his own shadow, and dreatls lest anyone
should see him with me, for fecr the part lie
has taken should be suspected ; well he is
t ight, for he would fare but midiing among
the negroes if he sliould be found out; hut
I’ll take careofthat. But bow shall 1 man
age to catch old Isaac ? 1 have as yet told
no one of the robbery, and this circumstance
alone may induce the thief to believe that I
have set some scheme on foot to detect him,
and make him more watchful. Pit go
to bed now, and devise some jilan before
morning.”
By the time it was liglit, the following day,
Edward Arden, mounted upon a fleet horse,
was on the road to town. A ride of ten
miles brought him to it. Alighting at the
Hotel—which at that time stood on the west
ern corner of the ptibiic square, but which
has since been Inirned down—be enquired
of a smartly dressed young mau standing iu
the door, if Mr. Campfield was in?
That gentleman himself, from within the
bar, responded,
“ Yes, he is here, what there is left of
him,” ai:<l at the same time came forward,
proving by his appearance that whatever
portion of him had come up missing, there
was qpite enough of him left for all the or
dinary. uses of flesh and blood ; for he was
tall enough, and thick enough, and broad
enough, certainly giving a personal demon
stration that he fed well, ami grew fat up n
wliat he ate. But why consttso; time iu the
description? Every (tody-knew.ofl (“utter
Cuinjbield, and those ovdo kuew him ocat,
esteemed him most. It was to him Arden
| NUMBER 30.
W. T. THOMPSON, EDITOR.
had come in his present difficulty; and he
was the very man for him. They were soon
engaged in a close and confidential conver
sation; in the course of which the young
man told him all the facts with which the
reader has been made acquainted.
The old gentleman remained several min
utes in deep thought, chewing with energy
a huge quid of tobacco, which received a
constant addition from a large plug, which,
for convenience he held in his hand. At
length discharging a torrent of the express
ed juice of the weed, thickly sprinkled with
the fragmentary particles of the aforesaid
quid, hesaid,
“ Well, my son, this is a pretty serious
business, and requires looking after—have
you told any body else about it ?”
“ Not a soul.”
“ That is right, you have acted wisely;
‘too tr.nny cooks spoil the broth.’ Do you
know where Mr. It ’s gin house isT”
“ Oh, yes, very well.”
“But do you think you know the place
well enough to find it in the dark. We
must catch that old negro, Isaac, for I have
no’doubt if we can, we shall he able to find
out from him where their rendezvous’ is,
which, I think, when found, will prove to
he some den which they have mode, for the
purpose of hiding the negroes, whom some
of the clan, I know, have long been suspect
ed of harboring.”
“ 1 think I shall l>e able to guide you with
out difficulty—hut had we not better have
one or t wo others along ?’’
“Yes, two more will he enough. Get
some person in she neighborhood on whom
you can rely,to meet meat youi store house
at dark, and I will bring a yonugman along
with me. If we succeed in catching Isaac,
we shall then have the game all in our own
hands.”
“ I think so,” said Arden.” And now as
we have arranged the matter, I will return,
hoping that you will not fail to be with me
to-night.”
“ You may expect me certainly by dark,
or a little after, with a good hand along with
me.”
Arden returned home, having called on
the way to see a young friend who promis
ed to be up that night, and aid in the cap
lure of old Isaac.
After dinner he became restless and anx
ious upon the subject which had been en
gaging his attention for the last several days.
He feared they might fail in catching the
negro, and if so, the plaee of the rendezvous
would still be unknown. lie walked the
piazza in front of his store uutil he was wea
ry with the place. At length, having no
customers about, he closed the doors, and
shouldering his gun, plunged into the woods
near by, resolved to enjoy a few hours of
solitary rambling that he might better col
lect his thoughts and arrange his plans be
fore night. He soon arrived at the margin
of a large creek which was at no great ins
tance from the store, and paused a moment,
deliberating whether to proceed upor clown
the stream. At length he determined on
his course, anil turniqg down he struek off
at a rapid walk. He continued his course,
following the meanderings of the creek for
more than a mile, when, coming to a place at
which a rocky hill jutted boldly up to the
very brink of the stream, he was compelled
to clamber up the sides of the precipitous
ascent, or go tar out of his way to make the
circuit of the liiJL He chose the former
alternative, end when on the top of the ridge,
he seated himself upon the ground to test
awhile, as the toiling up had lieen somewhat
difficult. If any of my readers have ever
been upon that ridge, they will recollect the
fine view which it commands of the sur
rounding country. The creek itself, wind
ing along through the lowlands* fringed
with tangled vine, and changeless green,
now hid beneath the overarching bower,
and now gliding out into the open day, flash
ing brightly in the sunlight, was an object
well calculated to fix the eye, and enchain
the attention of the lover of the beautiful in
nature—and beyond, the undulating forest,
just recovering f.omthe frosts of winter, and
beginning Ur deck itself in its gay and green
apparel, with here and there a broad open
ing in its Irosom.tnade by the industry of the
farmer, marked off into various fields by the
rude worm fence, with now and then an
orchard, budding and blossoming into beau
ty —all conspired to give tone and character
to the scene; and Arden gazed long and
mutely upon the prospect spread out be
fore him. He had been thus silently drink
ing in the beauty of .the scene before'him
for perhaps an hour, when shouldering his
gun to renew bis wanderings, his eye rest
ed upon a thin line of smoke, curling up
from u deep hollow which lay at the base of
tho hill upon which he was standing. His
position gave him at a glance the entire
command of the whole ravine, and of the
hill side opposite, and yet he could not for
the life of him perceive from whence it
came. What could it mean 1 Could it ho
that he had falleu upon the very place tire loca
tion of which he was so anxious to discover)
The sun was still high in the heavens, and
he sat down again, resolved patiently to
await the development of the mystery. Ho
had been reseated not more than fifteen min
utes, when he perceived a portion of th&
earth near the place fiom whence the Smoke
seemed to issue, slowly rising up, and pre
eutl , t lie head and shoulders of a large,
black negro man were forced, upwards and
outwards, until ha drew himself clear out