Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1842-04-05
THE PANTHER's LEAP.
A WESTERN SCENE

nOh, how the mother loves the child
she nursedm ..,., ....
Itwas fine morningin August, when
little SamuelEatOn was about seven years
old, that he was making . dam in the
brook that ran before his fathers door,
He was an Only and beautiful hild, his
mother alVsost idolizins him. There he
was with his trousers tucked up above
his knees, working like q beaver, his
mothers bold eye cleaning out ffom be.
meath his sun burnt hair, and with some
Of his Gsther's strength Juggling at large
stone 10 the bed Of the stream. Sam
nv, you'd better come in, hadn't yer
said Hannah: in tone half mother and
half mate. 'No-O-O, ] guess not yet., said
Sumuel,
An acorn came floating down the wa
ter. The bey took it uP-lQOked at it
was pleased, and 'reckOned, in his mind
there were more up the gully and when
his mothers back was turned, off he star
ted for the acorns. The gorge Of the
mounlain into which he wss about TO en-
tar had been formed, (IhO work Of cen
turiesl by the attritiOn Of the s'resm he
had Just been playing in--and walking on
a level that bordeTed each side of the wa
,et. he boldly entered the ravine. An
almost perpendicular wall OF bank aGcen'
dsd on each side, to The heighth OF hun
dred feet composed Of Crags and rocks,
friued BY decay and storm into fantastic
shape and position. A few scattered
bushes and trees sought nOurishment from
the earth that had fallen from the lsvSt
sbSve and excepting their assistance and
the unseen surface ofiths rock, this nat
ural psrapet seemed inaccessible, but TO
bird and 10 beast. About an eighth ofa
mile from the entrance, a catarast closed
the gorge, throwing up It's white veil OF
mist in seeming guardia nshiP of The spirit
Of The waters The verdant bOughs hang
iug over the bank cast deep gloon up
on the bed below; while SO lofty was the
distance, they seemed to grow out Of the
sky, blue patches Of which were 70 be seen
peeping between them.
; Hannah Eaton s1On missed her boy,but
as he had often wandt red to the fields
where his father was at werk, she con,
cluded he must be there, and checked
cemina fears with the hope that no
would return at the hour ofdinner When
he came, Josiah nor any Ofhsmen knew
where he was. Then the agitated moth!
or exclaimed; Hes lost he's lost! and
nv poor boy will 'stsrve and die in the
woods! Gathering courage she hastily
summoned her family around her and des
matched them all but her husband 70
search in different directions in the neigh
boring forest. To him she said, 'ScOur
every field you can call yout own,
and il you can't find him join me IN thS
gorge. y.
nah
He would go any where She knew
NOT why, hut presentimelh that the boy
had followed the course ct the s1'eam'
dWeli strongly on her mind.
Il can't fnd him Hsnlah,' said the huS.
band, as he rejoined her not fer from the
mouth Of The gorge.
An eagle few past the mother % she
entered the ravine. She thought 70 her
sslC, the dreadful birds are tearing my
child to pieces and frantic, she has'ened
an, making The walls Of the cavern echo
hack With the screams for her offspring
Her only answer was tho eternal thunder
of the cataract, raging as il 10 meeksry
OF wo, and Alnging lis cold spray uFOT
hsr hot and throbing temples. Fool tha
lam, bow can he hear me" She strain
ed her eyes along. the dizzy height tba
peerea The mist till she could lool
no longer. and her eyes 6lled wit
tears.
Who but molher can tell the feeling
q Ell mothers hearth Fear fell thick an
fast upon The reeling brain Of Hannah
OBJ my bOy--my brave boy viii de, %
wFilhing her hands Ia agony. shs 1ank !
her husband y feet.
The pain ofshops dsfeT'd, had sustain
ed her heart strings tp the seFeseSt ter
siOns end itsesmea ss ifthe rnde hand {