feiflt .... fMltl :'
" If ifes
) i n'j. VI rSfff I Mi?) - . .
A a A a . :w
a j t if 11 ih ii - 1 11 11 i
m r 11 m
if- 1 ini ;r
iTiyelr AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. ' f&JZ?'
Vol. "VIII. New Bloomfleld, Pa., Tuesday, January 2 O, 1874. TVo. 3.
bomfifltt (pints.
18 PtJBUSIIBO EVERT TUESDAY MORNING, BY
TRANS MORTIMER & CO.,
At New Bloomfleld, Terry Co., Ta.
Being provided with Steam Tower, and large
Cylinder aim jon-rresses, we are prepared
todoall kinds of Job-1'rlntlng lu
good stylo and at Low l'rices.
ADVERTISING 11ATE8I
7Van( H Cents per lino for one Insertion
18 " " two insertions
15 " " "three Insertion
Business Notices In Local Column 10 Cents
per line.
-ForlonfteryearIy adv'ts terms will be given
upon application.
' FAIR BUT FLEETING.
I saw a little bird that was singing on a tree,
And said " You sing so sweetly, will you come and
sing for me t"
But he spread his dusky plumage, and speed
across the sea,
For the ditty that he warbled was never sung for
me.
I saw the dainty blossom of a whits and fragile
. flower.
And I said, "Come and bloom for me in the centre
of my bower,"
But a white hand, bright as sunshine, came and
plucked It from the stem ;
And I trow that it was culled to grace a princely
diadem.
I met a kindred heart, and the heart to me said
" Come f"
And mine went out to meet it, but was lost In
sudden gloom.
Wither wander all those fair things t To some
land beyond Time's sear
Is there nothing glad and lasting in tills shadow
world for me ?
For the Bloomfteld Timet.
MYSTERJOUS FRIEND.
THE
A Story of Old Virginia
" C MAS3A ORLANDO, me glad
V you come back," she uttered,
as soon as she espied her young master.
" Me sartin 'fraid dcy got you."
"Got me ?" repeated tho youth. " What
do you mean, Elpsey ?"
" I mean de two men dat come dis
mornin'," returned tho old woman, regard
ing Orlando with a look of evident satisfac
tion in view of his safe return.
"But who were they? What did they
want, Elpsey ?"
" Why, I tiuk dey wai after you, massa,
hut den I don't know who doy be, causo 1
nebbor see 'em before,"
"Did they inquire for me?"
" Dey talk 'bout you, massa an' I tell
you how. When you wont away dis mor
nin', I was down to de brook washiu' ray
self. In a minute I hear someting make a
noise in de bushes, an I hide myself ; den
dese two men come out, an' one ob 'em
say, ' Dut's him going off into de woods,'
an' he p'inted his finger at you. Don de
odder say, .' Yes, dat's him we'll go an'
see what he do.' Den dey talk 'bout
shootiu' you in do woods, an' 'bout Indian
dog call Lolowah. Den me tiuk dat dcy
go to shoot you, but bress de Lord, you
come back safe."
"O, there's nothing to fear, Elpsey,"
said Orlando, more to quiet the old wo
man than by way of expressing his own
feelings, "I mot the two men of whom
you speak."
"And didn't dey want to hurt you?
Didn't dey try to shoot you?"
" No, no, they wore only in search after
aa Indian and they probably thought I
might know where to find him."
" But den what did dey talk 'bout shoot
in' you in de woods for ?"
" I guess they were speaking about the
Indian's shooting me. You must have
misunderstood them."
Elpsey made no answer to this, for sho
appeared to think that Orlando was right ;
and then, in her honest heart sho could not
conceive bow any one could wish to harm
Iter dear, kind young master. Yet she was
not without an inkling that all was not
right for as ths young hunter turned to
wards the house, she followed him with au
eager gaze, and the peculiar shaking of her
head plainly told of her doubts.
Neither was Orlando without his fears
and doubts, for the whole affair looked
dark and dubious, to say the leant, but be
resolved that his poor mother should not
have occasion for worrimenr, and so he
east off the gloom that might otherwise
have settled upon him.
CHAPTER V.
AN AltllKHT.
It was on the second day after the events
recorded in the last chapter that Orlando
Chester took his rifle and prepared to go
out in quest of game. He had already
passed out from the garden, and had just
called his dogs to his side, when he was
somewhat startled by the appearance of
half a dozen men coming towards him from
the edge of the wood ; nor were his emo
tions lessoned when ho saw that the Bheriff
was at their head.
" Good morning, gentlemen," said Or
lando, as the posse came up.
" Do I speak with Orlando Chester ?"
asked the sheriff, after he had returned the
youth's compliment.
"That is my name, sir," returned the
young man, at the same time casting his
eyes about to see if he could recognize the
two men whom he had met in the forest,
but neither of them was there.
" Then," said the sheriff, " I have to ask
that you will accompany me to Jamestown."
" To Jamestown, sir? And for what?"
" Simply to answer to a criminal charge
that has been preferred against you."
" And the nature of that charge what
is it?" asked Orlando.
" Young man, do you know what has
become of the commercial agent's messen
ger?" asked the sheriff, in return, at the
same time casting a scrutinizing glance
into tho youth's features.
" To what commercial agent do you al
lude ?"
"To Mr. Roswell Berkloy."
" And who was his messenger ?"
"An Indian named Lolowah."
"Then I havo every reason to believe
that I shot him," answered Orlando, in a
frank, independent tone.
" And for that I must arrest you," said
the sheriff, not a little surprised at the
readiness with which his question bad been
answered.
"Arrest me for that, sir?" exclaimed
the young hunter. " I am sorry that the
red man fell by my hand, but I could not
hoip it. I did tho deed in self-defence.
Even as I drew my trigger upon him his
rifle was aimed at my heart. He had way
laid me in ambush, and in a moment moro
I should have fallen a victim to his own
bullet. Surely, sir, you would not arrest
me for that."
" If you killed him in solf defence, you
will undoubtedly be able to prove it before
the court," returned the officer.
"And now, how shall I prove it, if my
simple word is not sufficient ?" earnestly
exclaimed Orlando. " I have no witness
but God, for He alone saw the deed."
" I am sorry that this duty devolves upon
mo," said the sheriff, " but such as it is I
must perform it. With your innocenco or
guilt I have nothing to do that rests with
a powor higher than mine. I have simply
to arrest you, and I trust that you will now
quietly accompany me."
"Sir," urged the youth, while au ex
pression of the deepest agony rested upon
bis features, " I have a poor insane mother
who depends for her very peace and com
fort upon my presence. Her already shat
tered heart would be utterly crushed did
she think that danger threatened her son,
and she might go down to the grave iu the
sorrow of her desolation. O, sir, do not
then take me away. Let my accusers, if
any I have, be brought bore, and if the
firm assurance, from a heart that never
cherished a thought of evil against a hu
man being, can be believed, then will my
innocence be established."
" Tho favor you ask is beyond my power
to grant," the shoriff returned, in a tone
and manner that evinced a deep sympathy
with the young man. " You must go with
me to Jamestown, and there I trust you
will be enabled to make the court believe in
your innocence, even as I do now."
" And have I been really accused of any
crime in connection with Lolowah's
death ?" asked Orlando, whilo a thankful
gleam passed over his countenance, as he
heard the sheriffs avowal of a belief in bis
innocence.
"Crime?" answered the officer, in a tone
of deep regret. " 'Tis for the red man's
murder you are arrested. Lolowah was a
servant of tho government."
"Murder ! No, no, they cannot hold
such a charge against nie. Such an accu
sation I could blow to the winds in au in
stant. I will go with you, sir. But I shall
not bo lodged in jail, shall I?"
" I think you will, for the present. Hut
you need not fear on that account."
"Fear, sir 1" exolalrued Orlando, with a
flush of indignation. " For myself I'd
enre not if a thousand prison doors wcio
barred upon me, but 'tis for my poor moth
er that I fear. Her shattered mind cannot
comprehend as mine, and she will think
me lost to her forever. But if it be God's
will that I go, then go I must ; but you
will allow me to see my mother first, that
I may leave her comfort for my absence."
" The sheriff readily assented to this re
quest, and commanding all the self-control
of which he was master, Orlando entered
the cottago.
"Mother," said he, "lam going to
Jamestown, and I may not return to
night ; but you will not worry about mo.
I shall return ore long."
"And you will not desert me, then ?"
"No, no, mother."
Tho young man turned away, for he dar
ed not trust himself longer in her sight,and
passing out into the back room, he found
Elpsey.
"Elpsey," said he, "I am going down
to the settlement, and I may be gone for
some time, and during my absenco I would
have you comfort my poor mother all you
can. If Bhe asks after me, tell her I am
coming back shortly, and assure her that I
am safe. Be smiling and cheerful, and do
all you can to ease her mind over its
troubles." ,
Elpsey looked uneasy and sad when her
young master turned away, and she shook
her head with a thoughtful, dubious mo
tion, for she had not failed to read in his
countenance the fears and misgivings
which he would have hidden from her, but
sho asked him no more questions, nor did
she say aught calculated to betray her
thoughts.
Orlando's faithful dogs crouched at his
feet, and it was with much difficulty that
he kept them back, but he at length suc
ceeded, though for a long distance he could
hear their piteous winnings at being thus
deprived of their master's company.
"You seem to know well my path," bo
said to the sheriff, as tho latter struck off
into the narrow track that led tho way to
his boat-landing.
" O, yes," -returned the sheriff. " 1 had
it minutely described to me before I
started."
" By whom?" asked the young hunter.
" By those who accuse you of the mur
der," answered the sheriff.
" And they wcro hero tho day before
yesterday?"
"Yes."
" Then there is some deep-laid villiany
in this affair," uttered Orlando, hnlf to
himself.
He would have said more, but he knew
that he had at present no means of solving
the mystery, and feeling thai if he said
too much, his enemies, whoever they wore,
might learn of his knowledge, and take
measures to Bcreon themselves behind some
other mode of attack. He determined,
therefore, that he would betray none of the
intelligence that he had gained till he
should again see Chiron, for he had no
doubt that he was both able and willing to
befriend him.
At the landing a barge was in waiting,
which the young hunter was requested to
enter, and ere long he was being rowed
swiftly down the river.
When the barge landed at Jamestown,
our hero was at once conveyed to the office
of the justice, where he found the two men
who bad met him at the Indian's grave,
aud who had appeared as witnesses against
him. Mr. Roswell Berkley was tho man
who had issued the accusation, and caused
the young man's arrest, and ho was present
in tho ofllce when Orlando was brought in.
It rquired but a few moments for Gilman
and Col ton the two witnesses to tell
their story, and ere long tho prisoner was
committed to answer to tho charge of mur
der. He stoutly persisted in his plea of
innocence, but he was coolly informed that
he could enter that plea at his trial.
A half hour later Orlando Chester was
within the walls of the jail, and as the
jailer had received injunctions to look well
to his security, he was placed within oue
of the strongest cells. As the door of the
dungeon was closed upon him, the youth
sank back upon the hard couch and buried
his face In his hands, not caring that the
struggling day-beams should fall upon his
misery 1
An hour, and perhaps more, had passed
away after our hero had been thrust within
the dungeon, when the bolts of his door
were withdrawn, and as the door swung
open, Mr. Roswell Berkley entered the cell.
Mr. liorklcy was a stouUbuilt, middlu-aged
man, of rather a commanding appearance,
but with a countenance far from prepos
sessing thre beiug a sort of lurking, mis
trustful gleam in his eyes, which gave to
his whole face an urtful, cunning expression.
As soon as Berkley entered, the door was
closed behind him, and after gazing upon
tho young man for a few moments, as
though his eyes had not yet got used to
the dim light of the place, he said : ' ''
' " Young sir, this is a heavy crime with
which you are charged ; but yet I trust you
may go clear. I can hardly persuade my
self to believe that you are guilty of actual
murder, for you are yet too young to have
cherished such criminal feelings."
"Then, why did yon accuse me of it?"
asked Orlando, who, both from his visitor's
appearance and words, did not place the
fullest confidence in his condolence.
Mr. Berkley slightly cowered beneath
the words and looks of the young hunter ;
but quickly recovering himself, he replied :
" I could not bavo well done otherwise
than to have accused you, for this case is
a peculiar one. Lolowah was not only of
much service to tho authorities, but he
was also extensively known and beloved
among tho ai-ndly Indians about us ; and
if his violent death were to pass unnoticed
by us, it would not only alienate the con
fidence of his red brothers, but it might
bring down their wrath upon us. The two
men who saw you bury your victim spread
the intelligence abroad, and I could do no
less than I havo done. But I trust you
will yet be able to clear yourself."
"If there be Justice in the colony I
certainly shall," returned Orlando. "The
red man fell a victim to his own intended
crime."
" I hope you can prove it," snid Berkley,
in a half doubting tone.
" But your hiding the body "
"Hiding the body I" interrupted Orlan
do, with an earnestness strongly tinged
with contempt. "I buried the body ; and
do not nil Christians the same ? Even to
one of my dogs I would give a grave ; and
should I refuse the boon to one who was
made in the image of God ? Should I have
seen the man left a prey for the beasts of
the forest, aud his bones to bleach upon
the surface of tho earth ? No j in pity
and in sorrow I buried him, and I murmur
ed a prayer for his soul, Hiding the body t
Out upon such a shallow subterfuge for
my arrest ! What bad I against the In
dian? I nevor had dealings with him, nor
did I want aught of his. Everything that
he had about him when he fell, now lies by
his side beneath the sod that covers him."
Roswell Berkley trembled and shrunk
away, as the words of the young hunter fell
upon his ear, but at length he said, in a
cautious, constrained voice :
"If I remember rightly what Gilman
and Col ton said, tho Indian spoke some
words to you after he fell."
"You undorstood rightly, then."
"And what did he say?" asked Berk
ley, with an evident attempt to conceal the
earnestness which he manifested.
" He said he was dying that my eye
was too quick for him."
" Did he say nothing else ?"
" Nothing to speak of. He gave mo no
communication for other ears than my
own."
Mr. Berkley seemed much nettled by the
laconio manner of the young man, and once
he soemod ou the point of leaving tho cell,
but he tufned again, and assuming a sort
of a careless air, he remarked :
" You say the Indian was preparing to
shoot you."
" I did say so, sir."
" Then did you not ask him why ho had
attempted your life ?"
" Yes."
" And what was his answer ?"
This last question was asked with a ner
vous earnestness, and with a perceptive
tremor tho speaker awaited answer. Or
lando gazod into the face of his visitor with
a searching look, and at the expiration of
a fow moments he rcpliod :
" The Indian eudoavored to excuse him
self, but yet there was murder on his soul."
" But what excuse did he offer ?"
" He offered nono."
" You said hut now he did." '
" I said he endeavored to do so, but aa
what he offered could be no excuse for my
assassination, 'twould benefit you not to
know what he said."
" What I Do you moan to Insult me ?"
exclaimed Berkley, entirely losing his self
control. " Do you refuse to answer my
questions?"
" I have answered them all," quietly re
turned Orlando.
" But not as I asked them, young sir.
You answer them not plululy. I asked
you what the Indian told you as a reason
for attempting youc life."
" I will not tell yeu what ho said. Is
that plain?"
" 'Tis too plain for your own good, Mas
ter Chester," muttered Berkloy, "for your
unwillingness to reveal the facts stamp you
as the murder of Lolowah. When we meet
again I wot that you will be somewhat
humbled."
As Berkley spoke he turned and left tho
cell. There was in Ids eye a serpent-liko
look, as he cast his eyes back on the pris
oner ; and when at length tho bolts were
once more shoved into their sockets, tho
young hunter felt that he had just met
with one who, to say the loast, boro him no
good will. Berkley's words, his strango -earnestness
iu asking bis questions, and
his trembling looks, all Beemed to indicate
that be knew more than ho should havo
known with regard to the mission of Lolo
wah. If he had not, then why should he
have been so anxious to have known
whether the Indian had implicated any one
by his dying declaration to tho hunter, for
that was certainly tho object of his inquir
ies. Tho more Orlando thought upon tho
intorviow that had just passed, the more
he became convinced that his caso was
a hard one ; for if Roswell Berkloy was his
accuser, he had certainly nothing to hope
from him, if he might judge from tho gen
tlemau's conduct tl:us far ; and thou tho
two witnesses, Gilman and Colton, were
evidently nothing but tools in tho hands of
some paying master, for already had they
perjured themselves in thoir evidence at
the justice's office. There they had sworn
that they bad come accidentally upon tho
young man when ho commenced digging
the grave, whilo Orlando knew that they
had been stealthily creeping about his home
long before he went forth to bury the In
dian, and, from Elpsey's conversation ho
know, too, that they were fully aware
of Lolowah's having come to the forest on
purpose to shoot him. Of these circum
stances he had said nothing, fearing thut if
he did, measures would be taken previous
to bis trial to rebut them, whereas, if he
kept all to himself till the trial camo . on,
they might prove of more; sorvico to him,
especially if he should procure tho assist
ance of some competent advice.
Tho afternoon passed away slowly and
heavily, and as the window of the young'
hunter's cell looked towards tho west, ho
could easily mark the setting of tho sun ;
and as the glorious orb sank lower and
lower, his own spirits seemed to sink with
it. His heart looked not upon his own in
carceration for tho misery it brought to
himuelf, but ho oould havo wept, had bo
felt less miserable, for her whom he had
loft in the forest. Towards bis mother
went forth his heart in sorrow, nnd he fear
ed it might be weeks ere he could see hor
again, and perhaps never !
As that thought passed through young
Chester's mind, he started up from tho
couch upon which he had seated himself as
though the grim angol of death . had even
then intruded upon him ; but the idea was
so terrible, that he strove to banish it from
his mind.
The lost rays of the sun were resting
upon the prisoner's wall, when the door of
the coll was opeued, and a small loaf and a
mug of water were silently placed upon his
Btool. After the door had agaiu been fas
tened upon him, Orlando took the loaf and
the mug in bis bands and seated himself
upon the stool. The bread was yet worm,
having evidently been but short time
from the oven but the prisoner felt not
like eating, for the excitement he had un
dergone, and tho fearful conjectures that
had just been working through his brain,
mada him sick at heart, and be laid tho
food upon tho floor. Of the water, how
ever, he partook, for bis lips were parched
and dry.
Ere long Orlando Chester stretched bis
weary limbs upon the hard rough couch,
and as a sensation of drowsiness began to
creep over him he was startled by a low,
grating vpioo by his side. ,
Ho started up and peered through the ..
gloom that was gathering about him, but
he could see nothing. Again the sound
struck upou his ear, seeming to come from
the floor, and on looking . down he oould
just distinguish the outlines of two or three
Inrgo rats gnawing away at his bread. At
first he thought of driving them away, but ,
he wanted no food for himself then, and as '
they would probably bring him moro in the
morning, he determined that be would lot
the rats have their fill ; and with this idea
he sank back upon the couch, and lay so
that he could watch them at thoir repast.
But the dungeon grew darker and darker,
until the prisoners oould seo his little com
panions no longer ; but still he could hear
them as they industriously gnawed away
at the broad, and with tho low grating of
their sharp tueth yet sounding in his oars,
he fell Bbleep. Continued next week.