Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-03-06

.rExTGACTEDFRoM THE " PIONEERS.
Elizabeth and Louisa proceeded along the
,'smargin of the prscPice, catching occasional
.glinpses of the placid o.sego, or pausing TO
listento the rafting Of wheeb and the sound-oF
Examiners thar rose rom tie valley, to miilgic
SHE sigus Of men with the scenes of nature,
s-when Elizabeth suddenly started, ard ezclam.
+ed---
"E;sten there are the cries Of a
~child nn this mountaini Is there q
.clcaring near US o., can some little
-one have strayed from its parents :"
4" Such things frequently happen"
t,retufned Louisa. " LIT us follow the
sounds; it may be q wanderer staving
on the hill
Urged by this consideration, the fe-
males pursued the low, rnournful
sounds that proceeded from the forest,
!. withquick and impatient steps. More
than once the ardent Elizabeth was
ron the point OF announcing that she was
the sufferer, when Louisa caught her
by the arm, and pointing behind them,
rcried---
Look at the dog"
Brave had been their companion
sfrom the time the voice Of his young
mistress lurcd him from his kennel,
Ito The present moment. His advanc.
.ed age had long before deprived him
5.of his activity when his companions
stopped to view the scenery, or to add
eto THEN bouquets, the n,lstitf would
lay his huge frame on the ground, and
await their movements, with his eyes
closed, and listlessness in his airthat
i'll accorded with the character of a
protector, But when, aroused by this
+, cry from Lonsa Mise Temple turn
ised, she saw the dog, with his eyes
keenly set on some distant object, his
head bent near the ground. and his
hair actually rising on his body, either
through fright or anger. II was most
probably the latter, for he was g:owl-
ling in a low key, and occasionally
showing his teeth, in manner that
would have terrified his mistress, had
she not SO well known his good quail
ties.
Gravel she said, I" be quite,
Brave. what do you see, fellow :"
At the sounds of her voice, the rage
: >of the mastiif, instead of being at all
*sadiminished, was very senslby lncreas-
"a ed. He stalked in front Of the ladies',
: and seated himself at the feet of his
mistress, growing louder than before,
) and occasionally giving vent to his ire
"A by short surly barking.
What does he see :" said Eliza
-. beth, "there must be some animal in
. sight"
Hearing no answer from her com
pauion. Miss Temple turned her head
3>-and beheld Louisa standing witened
: to the color OF death, and her finger
4, pointing upward, with Il sort of flick
. ering, convulsed motion. The quick
eye o. Elizabeth glanced in the direc-
ss>tion indicated by her friend, where
4 she saw the fierce frown end glaring
eyes of female panther, fixed on
frthem in horrid milignity, and threaten
ing instant destruction
Let US lily CACihlhiCu bi'Ad-
! beth, grasping the arms of Louisa,
whose form yielded like melting snow,
and sunk liteless to the earth
There was not single feeling in
The temperament of Elizabeth Tenn
pie, that could prompt her to desert a
companion in such an extremity; and
she fell on her kness, by the side OF
the inanimate Louisa, tearing from
the person of her friend, with an in
stinctiye readiness, such parts of her
dress as might obstruct her respira-
ton, and encouraging their only safe,
gard, the dog. at the same time, by
the sounds OF her voice.
Courage, Brave" she cried, her
own tones beginning to irembie, cou
rage, courage; good Brave"
A quarter grown cub, that had
hitherto been unseen, now appeared
dropping from the branches Ola sapine
that grew under the shade oflhe heccl
which held its dam Tbs ignorant
but vicious Greater approached near 10
the dog, initiating the actions and
soand ofit3 parent, but exhibiting a
straug, mixture Of tie piayillEes5 of a
iiken, with the fcroc;.y d its race