Bart Ridgeley: A Story of Northern OhioRiddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin)
General
Bart Ridgeley: A Story of Northern Ohio
Riddle, A. G. (Albert Gallatin)
Ohio -- Fiction
"Your girl is safe," said Uncle Jonah. "The boy has found her, I'll
bet my soul!"
While the Judge stood, struck and a little startled, by this
information, and Jonah's positive assurance, a man on a foaming steed
came plunging down the hill, just south of the house, and pulling up,
called out, "Where is Judge Markham?"
"I am he."
"Oh! Good-morning, Judge! This is for you. Your girl is safe."
The Judge eagerly took the paper, gazed at it, and at the man,
speechless.
"She's at my house, Judge, safe and sound."
And then the group of men gave a shout; a cheer; and then another, and
another--and the men forming in the near-line heard it and took it up,
and repeated it, and it ran and rang miles away; and all knew that the
lost one was found, and safe.
No man who has not felt the lifting up of such an awful pressure, can
estimate the rush of escaped feeling and emotion that follows it; and
none who have not witnessed its sudden effect upon a crowd of eager,
joyous men, shouting, cheering, crying, weeping, scrambling and
laughing, can comprehend it, and none can describe it. All hurried
eagerly back to the Judge's, gathered about the happy, wondering
Wilder, and patted and caressed his smoking horse.
Mrs. Markham knew it, and with radiant face and eyes came out with her
grateful husband, when the bright sky again rang with the cheers of
the assembled multitude. After quiet came, the Judge read to them the
paper he had received from Wilder:
"JUDGE MARKHAM:
"Your daughter was found this morning, on the banks of the creek, a
mile from Wilder's, overcome and much exhausted. She rallied, got into
Wilder's, and appears strong and well. Wilder will take you to her."
"Whose name is to it, Judge?"
"There is none--who gave it to you?"
"The young man who found the young lady, and he didn't give his name,
said the Judge would hear it as soon as he would want to," was the
answer; "he didn't talk much."
"It was Barton Ridgeley," said Jonah. And the name of Barton went up
with new cheers, and louder than any.
Soon away went the Judge, on a splendid chestnut, with the Doctor, and
two or three others, on horseback, followed by Mrs. Markham and Nell
Roberts in a carriage. The sun mounted up, the snow melted away, and
so did the crowd. Some returned home, and many gathered in little
knots to talk up the exciting event. The absurdest speculations were
indulged in, as to how Bart found Julia, and what would come out
of it. There was an obvious element of romance in the affair that
appealed to the sensibilities of the rudest. And then, would Bart come
back with Julia?
As the day advanced, the neighboring women and children gathered
at Judge Markham's, all glad and happy, and a little teary over the
exciting incidents, and all impatient for the return of Julia.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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