34 FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF 



CHAPTER II. 



starts for Wheeling, and reaches his Uncle James Spurgin's — Good Advic« bj 

 Uncle, suited to all Young Men — Determines to be guided by it — Continues bit 

 Journey — Reaches Union Town — iMeets with his Grandfather, and also his Mo- 

 ther — Affecting Interview— Relates the bad usage of his Aunt — Spends a week 

 there — Meets with General Riggs — Good Ritte-shooting — The General wishes him 

 to go to Ohio — Declines going — Reaches Wheeling, and is hired by John ('aldwell 

 — Gets acquainted with Daughter Nancy— Ills first Bear Hunt — Nancy describeg 

 an Indian Attack — Old Lady does not treat him kindly — Stays four months — 

 Leaves, to the regret of the family — Misfortunes of Caldwell's family. 



Ha\inu left Mary in sucli a hurry in order to suppress 

 my feelings, I feared that she would doubt uiy sincerity in 

 what I had been saying to her at our last two meetings ; 

 and I stopped in the road to consider whether I should 

 not go back to make all right. But, after some little re- 

 flection, I said to myself, "Would I not look like a fool 

 to be seen going back, no one but Mary knowing what 

 had brought ine there ? But let her think what she 

 pleases ; hang me if I will go back ! " So saying, I tra- 

 veled the road as fast as I could walk ; but my toes were 

 so sore from being frozen only the week before, that I 

 made rather a slow walk of it ; trying all the time to dis- 

 pel the thoughts of Mary, and the msinner in which I had 

 leit her. Almost before I knew where I was, I found my- 

 self in full sight of Uncle James Spurgin's farm; having 

 traveled seven miles on my way westward. 



Entering the house, I was received kindly; and, a very 

 cold night coming on, I was asked which way I was going. 

 This was a tough question for me, as I was leaving his 

 brother ; but I resolved to tell the truth, anyhow. 



" I am going to Wheeling, uncle," was my reply. 



