Litchfield enquirer., 1829-12-31

the sky---hIae patches of which were to b, seen peeping between them.
 1 Hannah Eaton soon missed her boy but as he had foften wandered to the field, where his fatbot was ut work, she conclu. dod he must be there, and checked he, coming fears with The hope that he would return a, the ltOut Uf dinner. When i, came, and JusiahnDr any of the men kucw where her son was, then the agita,ed mo. lher exclaimed, ss He's lost he's lost and my poorboy will s'Urve and die in the woods!" Gathering courage, she hastily summoned her G mily around her, and des. patched all but her husband, tO search in different directions in the neighborinc for- est. To him she said, l" ScoUr every field you call yoor own, And if you can. find him join mo in tho gorge" i" He wouldn', go to the gorge, Hannah." "Ile would 20 0ny where." TSho knew not why, but a presentiment that tb4 boy had followed the course of the siyexitIsdWelt strongly on her mind.
 An eagle few past the mother as she entered tho ravine. Sho though, to her. self, the dreadful birds are tearing my child to pieces and frantic, she hastened on, making the walls of the cavern echo with screams for her offspring. Her only an- swer was the eternal thunder of the cata- ract, raging as if in mockery of her wo, aud flinging its cold spray upon her hot and throbbing temples. "Fool that am, how can he hear mo !'' Shc strained her eyes along the dizzy height, and peered through the mistSstill she could look no longer, and her eyes filled with tears.
 |" can't find him, Hannah," said her husband, as he rejoined her near the mouth of the gorge.
 Who but mother may tell the feelings of a mothers heart? Fears came thick and fast upon the reeling brain of Hannah !" Oh my boy; my brave boy, will die '" and wringing her hands in agony, she sunk at her husbands feet. Tho pain of hope deferred'' had strained her heart strings to their severest tension, and it seemed us if the rude hand of despair had broken them all
 The terrified husband threw water upon her pale face, and strovo by all the arts he knew to win her back to life. At last she opened her languid eyes, stared wildly R. round, and rose trembling to her feet. As thus she stood, like the broken hearted Niobe, "all tears," fragment of rnck came tumbling down tho opposite bank.
 She looked up; a wild scream of joy fell from her lips. She was herself once more for half way up the ascent, stood
 But even while the glad cry was rssurns from her lips, it turned into nn'e of hor- ror--" o God, mercy, mcrcy!"
 The crag on which the boy stood, pro- jected from the solid rock in such way as to hang about twelve feet above the bank. Right below one of the edges of this crag, partly concealed among some low bushes, crOuched panther
 The bold youth was aware of the prox- unity of his parents, and the presence of his dangerous enemy at about the same time. He had rolled down the stone, in- exultation, to convince his parents of the high station he had attained and he now stood with another in his hand, drawing his arr. s.. .:sS.. aa iooxing at them, as if to ask whether he should throw at the terrible animal before him. Till then, the moth. CT seemed ;;T::;::c7,::55!!e :a a-: suspense but conscious of the great danger of her son il he irritated the beast, she ran some dis tance up tho rock, and motioned with hc hands and head, that he should not throw Yet with the 6ckle mind of childhood, ant a temper little used to control, he fearless ly threw the fragment with all his might a the ferocious savage. 1t struck him oI one of his feet. He gave sullen grow and flashing his tail with fury, seemed a bout to spring.
 "Get your rife, Josiah !" The pool man stirred not; his glazed eye was fixeC with look of death upon the panther, ant he appeared paralysed with fear. His wife leaped from her stand, and placing heI hands on her husbands shoulders, looked him in the face, and cried " Are you man Josiah Eaton do you love your child v He started as from sleep, and ran with fu- rious haste from the ravine.
 Again the mother looked towards heT son. He had fallen on his knees and was whispering tine little prayers she had taugh him. not in coward fear, but an indefinite thought came across his mind that he mus die. The panther was upon his feet; h' stoopcd to spring. The distracted moth CT could keep still no longer. She rushed up the ascen, with the energy of despair reckless of danger, thinking only of he son. The rocks c'umhled and slipped