Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1877 — THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR. [ARTICLE]

THE MIDNIGHT VISITOR.

On a distant prairie, at nightfall, a wayworn and weary traveler was overtaken by a snow-storm. When the first few flakes came softly dropping down, he looked eagerly around in the hope of discerning place of shelter; but none was to be seen—only the trackless waste of rolling lauds, and far-off hills in the direction whither he was going—so far off that he feared he should never reach them. With the departure of light the snow began falling faster, the winds blew keener, the road over the prairie was soon hidden from view, and the traveler felt that he was lost on a trackless waste, without a star to guide him across the dangerous country. “This is terrible,” said he, aloud. “ I fear much I shall never come to my destination. If I had but a compass and a light I should not fear, for I could resist the effects of cold long enough to reach the hills, and there I should find human habitations, or at least the shelter of a rock. Now I may go in a circle till I freeze, and be no nearer help. What a fool I was to leave the river side and cross the prairie, just for the sake of a few miles more or less journey. No matter; I must even battle it out now, Heaven helping.” And battle it out he did, most manfully. He dreijr his cap down over his cars and brow,-and bis fur collar up over his mouth, and, thrusting Ids hands deeper in his pockets, pressed on through the yielding snow. The gloom increased, the wind came sharper, and, through his heavy clothes, the traveler began to feel the effects of the cold. His feet grew numb, bis aims chilled, and, after an hour’s rapid walking, ho suddenly paused. *■ How do I know whither I am going?” he exclaimed. “ Perhaps I have already turned aside from the straight line, and am wandring on the verge of destruction. Oh, that I could shake off this drowsy feeling that is stealing over me ! I know what it is—the precursor of a rest in this cold winding-sheet of snow. Great Heaven, I am freezing to death 1” shrieked he, bounding forward with re. newed energy. “ Action—action—action is life, and life is too sweet to lose yet I” He hurried aloug with a springing motion, stamping his feet vigorously at every step, and swinging his arms to keep the blood in circulation. Yet, with all his efforts, he knew that the angel of death was folding hi j white wings silently but surely around him. “ Despair—no !” he cried, “ not while the memory of my loved wife and dear children is left to me. I will struggle . on for your sakes, and fight the storm fiend to the last extremity. Oh, just Heaven, for the sake of the innocent ones whoscs only stay is my right arm, help me to resist—help me to triumph I” At this moment he plunged into a hollow, his feet trod over ice, and he heard the voice of a streamlet singing of life and action beneath its icy crust. At the same time the smell of wood-smoke saluted his nostrils. “Oh, Thon who reignest above,” he ejaculated, “I thank Thee that Thou hast heard my prayer. Help is near me.” He reeled heavily onward through the blinding snow, and saw just before him a low shed; one more struggle, and he fell against it. In an instant he divined its character. With a last desperate effort he found the door, threw it open, and, rushing in, flung himself full length upon the floor, knowing only that he was in an atmosphere reeking with the fumes of bacon, and warm with the smoke which rose from a pan of smothered coals in the center of the place. It was a settler’s rude smoke-house, left to care for itself during the long winter’s night, and the traveler’s grateful heart sent up a tribute to Heaven for this place of refuge in the desert of snow. ******* In a large log cabin in the valley of the streamlet, Milly Dean sat alone. Her husband had gone to a distant town, and the young wife was left with her baby. Accustomed to the solitude, she felt safe, and sat in contentment before the blazing fire; the flames leaped right joyfully up the chimney, and the green logs sizzled and crackled in the heat like things of life. Out doors the wind was howling drearily, and the snow falling heavily; but Milly cared not, for it only made the fire more cheerful. There came a rapping at the door. “ How strange ! Who can that be at our door in this wild night ?” she said to herself, as she rose and went into the little entry. The rapping was repeated. “Who is there ?” she asked. “ For Heaven’s sake let me in; I am freezing to death I” was the reply. “ Who are you ? and how came you in this lonely place on such an evening as this?” "I am a traveler from below; I lost my way, and am dying with cold. For pity s sake let me in, or I shall perish I” Milly hesitated. She was alone, and it was three miles to the nearest neighbor’s. What should she do? She paused in perplexity. “ Oh, save me—save me! lam dying !” were the words that met her hearing. There was a heavy fall against the sill, and then tow moans. Iter woman nature could stand no more ; true to the instincts of her being, she unbarred the door and threw it open. A closely-muf-fled figure reeled by her into the room, and, shutting the door, she followed. On reaching the fire-place the stranger threw off his disguise, and stood erect and strong, without f. sign of inconvenienoe from the effects of the weather. Milly retreated from him in amazement; but, recovering herself, and putting the best face on the matter, she tremulously addressed the man: lam sorry, sir, you are so cold. It is a bitter night to be abroad, Will you

not eit by the fire ?” And she pushed a chairs orward. ag <, isr * The man made ho' responsepbut, stdEping ovdfr, ran his fingers through the iKze ; then he turned and stared at herwith a look which madeher blood mu cold.' A bright thoughVfame into lieji mind She would prdtend there were nftanin the house, for she already Mt afraid of the man, and bitterly regretted having admitted him. “ Would you like to see some of the The man laughed hoarsely and replied— “ Milly Dean, for that I believe is your name, you cannot deceive me. You are all alone in this house. I took particular care to ascertain that before I came. So you may as well make yourself easy on that score, and do as I bid you. ” “Do as you bid me!” exclaimed Milly, in terror; “ What do you want of me ?” “ I want the $1,200 in gold your husband received for his produce two days ago. You probably know where it is. ” Milly sprung into the entry and would have fled, but the stranger caught her by the wrist and dragged her roughly back. “ You cannot escape me, young woman,” he said. “You will find it most convenient to make a clean breast of it at once. It will be better for you.” Milly strove to release her arm. Tne rough treatment she received aroused her temper, and indignation overcame all other feelings. “Let me go, you scoundrel* let me go, or I will call for help,” she cried. “ Call, you fool,” said the brutal fellow, “and much good may it do you. Keep yourself still, and tell me where the money is. ” “ I will not!” she exclaimed, her eyes flashing Are. “ You will not?” he replied; “we shall see 1” He released her wrist so violently that she reeled half across the room. Then he siezed the sleeping infant from its cradle, and held it at arm’s length almost into the blazing fire, so that the terrified mother expected to see its light garments catch the flames. “Now, then, where is the money? Speak out quick, or hear your baby shriek with pain. I will burn it to death before your eyes if you do not tell me where the money is.” “Monster, give me my child!” shrieked Milly, endeavoring to reach the little one. “ Let me have my baby !” But every effort was frustrated, for again and again the strong hand of the robber thrust her back. “ See, its clothes will be on fire in a minute,” said the man, putting the helpless innocent closer to the flame. The mother looked into his eyes. She saw there a look of heartless determination. She became aware that the cotton garments of her child were smoking with the heat. “ How shall it be ?” asked the ruffian. “Hurry, or the child dies. I have no time to waste here. ” “ Anything, anything, only give me my child !” she cried. The next instant it was handed to her, and she sank upon the floor and folded it to her bosom. “Come,” exclaimed the man, touching her rudely with his foot, “ you have not told me where this money is.” “ In the box on the upper shelf,” she replied, pointing to the closet. The man founn the box, placed it on the table, and opened it, saying : “Solar, well. It is nearly all gold. I will pocket it with your leave, or without it, just as you please.” He filled his pockets with the golden coin, and threw the empty box in the lire. Then he came and stood beside her. “Put your baby in the cradle,” he said, “if you want to save its life. I have other business for you.” “What do you mean?” cried Milly, eyeing the man with suspicion. “ Let me have him,” he said, trying to take it. ‘ * No, no, I will put the baby in the cradle myself. You shall not touch the poor little thing. Now, sir,” she continued, almost choking with excitement, “what is it?” After having laiji the pretty infant on its downy place of rest, she stood erect and waited the reply. “I am going to kill you!” said the man. “ Kill me !” she exclaimed, her face growing pale with terror. “ Kill me ! What have I ever done to you that you should kill me ?” “ Nothing, nothing, my dear, only you know you have seen me, and you will know me again. ” And he advanced upon her. “ Oh, sir, let me live. Have you not done enough to take my husband’s money, without depriving him of his wife, too? I will never say one word against you if you will spare me, only spare me.” As she spoke she clasped her hands, and looked imploringly at him. “I am sorry that I cannot safely grant your request, ” he responded. “There is no help for it, so come along out doors.” He reached out his hand to grasp Milly. But the instinct of self-preserva-tion was strong upon her. She evaded him, flew to the chimney piece, snatched her husband’s loaded rifle from the hook on which it hung, cocked and presented it at the breast of the robber. Her motions were so rapid that before he could prevent it her finger had pressed the trigger and there was an explosion. But with equal readiness the man had stooped to the floor, the ball had passed over his head, and the next instant his gripe was on her throat. “I will teach you to handle arms,” he said. “ You would have killed me, would you ? I will show you a trick worth two of that!” “Mercy, mercy!” cried the terrified woman. “ There is no mercy for you,” he ejaculated. He dragged her into the entry, and flung open the door. “Outwith you into the snow !” “Hold! what is this?” exclaimed a deep-toned voice. Unhand that woman, you scoundrel!” A powerful man stood in the doorway. He dealt the robber a blow between the eyes which struck him back into the entry. His grasp of Milly was relinquished, and she fell to the floor. “Oh, sir,” she cried to the new-comer, “ save me. This man has robbed us, and would murder me that I should uot tell of it.” “ Fear not, madam, he shall not harm you, ” responded the stranger. ‘ ‘ Fellow, surrender yourself 1” “Get out of my way,” cried the robber, making a rush for the door, and striking at the stranger with a bowieknife. But the stranger was prepared for him. Giving back a few steps, tie artfully seized the robber by the collar, whirled him around, and threw him on his face in the snow. The robber struggled, but the stranger knelt heavily ou the small of his back and grasped his hair. “Lie still,” said the stranger, “or I will send a bullet through your brain. ” The robber felt the cold barrel of a pistol at his ear and obeyed. Milly quickly brought ropes at her rescuer’s request, and the robber was bound hand and foot. “It was a strange providence,” the new-comer said, “ that overtook me with a snow-storm on the prairie, and forced me some hours ago to take refuge in your smoke-house, nearly dead with cold.” Milly acknowledged the truth of the remark, and she knelt and thanked her Father in Heaven for her deliverance. The next day Milly’s husband came home, and when he was told all he remarked, “ This fellow was in the tavern at the village the day I sold my produce. It will teach me a lesson—never to let

strangers know when money is plenty with me, lest theybe'tempted to crime and bring ruin on me and mine;” That day some sixty or seventy men gathered at the house of Mr. Dean. The robber was recognized as a notorious horse-thief who had long infested the neighborhood. There was a summary trial, and then, in dogged silence, the wretch who would have burned a harmless infant and murdered a faithful and gentle woman, submitted to his inevitable fate; A rudely constructed gallows and a stout rope ended his' existence. So on the thinly-settled frontiers of the West they mete out justice to offenders against property and life. There were about $1,700 in bills found on the person of the robber, besides the gold he had taken from Mrs. Dean. As there were no claimants for the bills, at the suggestion of the stranger,whose life had Been saved from the anger of the winter storm by the shelter he found in the smoke-house, SI,OOO of the $1,700 were presented to Milly in consideration of what she had passed through, and the remainder was divided around. On that very spot there is now a thriving town, and one of the finest residences in the place is that where dwell Milly Dean and her husband.