Litchfield enquirer., 1837-03-23
A NIGHT Bx THE rocoNo.

on the SnSquehannA, t0 Easton Onin DeI' aware, crosses one the most wild, rugged and el"on,v mountains in P Pcnnsylvauia, anc is called the Pnconn. There is even al this day, few inhabitants upon it; and they live a life of solitude, hunting and trapping for their principal occupations. Wild and fer'ciouS beasts of nature roam the forest, and fix their habiIations in the huge rocks and caves with which tue mountain a. bounds. For thirty or forty miles along the turnpike road, the traveiler's eye is greeted by but two or three dwellings which have the appearance ofhnman habita,ions.
 u was in the autumn of 1920, that was passing over this drcary mountain alone, and oD horsc-back-lhe roads at that time being almost impossible for carriages Ihe sun had just peeped over the tall pines ot the Sssquchanna, SIS | found myself at the foot of the Pocono, on the way to Phil adeIphia, intending to reach house kept by Wm. Sox, where travellers sometimes found Accommodations. rode all day with out falling in with any company, and en- deavored to chase away the feelings of sol- nuoe which were occasionally creeping O.. yer me, by talking to my horse, whis.ling or singing some !avoritc tune of by-eone days.
 The curtains of night began to fall around me, and my horse appeared res;ive and !m- patient to attain the end of his jonrney.- Now and then the distant howl of the wolf would fall l,arshly upon my ear, and cause the horse to prick up his ears, snort and press forward with renewed vigor. All at once | fancied heard human voice looked around and listened, but all was sic lent. Again d low, plaintive vail, like that of person in distress, would reach my lis- tening ear. Could it be human voice :? or was it tho counterfeit of the panther to al- lure the traveller into his jaws.
 Itmust be tha, robbers infest these thick- cts, and assume the cry of distress, for the purpose of dccoying the unsuspecting, and giving the whole gang an opportunity for plundsr. But hark It surely is human voice. Such were tho thoughts that sug- gested themselves to my imagination, as I rode along catching at every sound. Now a cry half hoarse and eurgling, like some one slranglng, then another, slow and sup pliant, and piiful, would rise upon the breeze, and fall upon my anxious ear, and SO tantalize me that was unable 10 form any opinion whatever. At length l resol- ed to dismount and reconnoitre thickct which stood few hundred paccs from the road. I tied my horse to a tree and commen- ced the task. At one time the sound ap- peared at an immense distance, and al- most despaired of finding out from whence it proceeded. Then again it would seem so near me and so like human voice that I pushed forward and soon arrived in the centre ofthe thick clump ofsaplings, where there was a small open space. Here ] hai- ted. and stood listening to catch the sound again, when sharp piercing yell issued from a thick copse of wood some further on. I now felt sure that it was panther, and vexed at being decoyed into great dam ger, turned to retrace my steps as fast as possible. Just at ;hat moment, felt some- thing pull me by the pantaloons, and a voice, preceded by deep sigh and a sob, in plain English, said "Pa is it you? Ma is calling you wonder, why don't you comet"
 To stop ard pick up the little fellow. a boy about four years old, was but the work of an instant, and just as left the spot an- other howl or scream burst upon my ears. was fully convinced of our danger, and pressed the little boy still closer to my be- som. "That aint ma" said he, after a death-like pause, and clung closer to my neck. ! did not stop to ask how he came there, or where he lived, but pressed to- wards the road as fast as fear and anxiety could urge me on. found the horse paw. ing and neighing so furiously, that sweat rolled from his sides in great drops, and he trembled like an aspen leaf. He too was conscious of his danger. Mounting him, and placing the boy before me on the saddle, with my feet firmly fixed in the slirrups, ! gave the horse loose rein, and he darted off with the rapidity of the wind. He had taken but few leaps when heard the dry brush crack but short distance behind me, and scream-such an one as ! mover wish to hear again. came ringing in my ears, and caused my hair to raise my hat clear offmy head. The panther was in full pursuit, and the veil just uttered was that of disappoint- ment. My horse needed no urging, indeed it seemed as though we were riding on a chain of lightning, so fast did he fly over tho ground. At length l heard faint half uttered cry which assured me our enemy had given up the chase, and just as that mos ncni | discovered q glimmering light thro' the trees, a short distance from us. As soon as my little friend saw il. he cxclai",. ed. Tnere--ma is Up yet, and we shall have our supper afier all." The poor lit- tie wanderer was evidently very hungry, and almost despaired ofrelieE Rn.--Good God-wla, "A supper tue panther would have mnde, had 1 not heard ibe little suf- fercr's cries. We neared the light, and my borse dasI,ed into the door 0f tho h"usc be. e HNis suJ.lnn