Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-05-28
From the World of Fashion.
THE MURDER.
A TALE OF FRONTIER LIFE.
ny WILLIAM WALLACE.

"Ah the Eagle must soon become wear
led with the little bird of the forest. and
his wings will no longer overshadow it,"
said Yantoe to her white lover in that
metaphorical style, which perhaps, the fer
vid imagination of the red man, as well as
the paucity of his language compcls him
to adopt:-"and," the beautiful girl con-
tinued, "the braves of the forest will then
scorn it,"
"Never neverw exclaimed the person
to whom the above was addressed, with
startling vehemence. "Never while the
rivers run, the wilderness puts forth its
leaves, or yonder sun glitters in the sky!"
The girl, as if satisfied, leaned her head
upon his bosom, and he, again and again,
pressed his lips TO her dusky, though most
lovely brow.
This conversation occurred many, many
years ago in the great wilderness of the
West. Simple as it was, unregarded by
the world, if overheard, as it would have
been, yet effects flowed from the passion
ate words Of these forest-denizens which
altered the destinies of hundreds, and gave
a peculiar character to the history of pop
ulous state.
Charles Grayson and his Indian girl
were wed. In a few days they left the
tribe to which she belonged, and were soon
settled in hunters lodge on the extreme
verge of civilization.
Years flew by; and the settlement had
already assumed the badges of CIVILIZATION.
The gems of art and agriculture were
glittering on the ruins of the wilderness,
and prosperity emptied her horn of plenty
over the land.
AS accounts of the change reached the
East, hundreds focked to the cline of
promise, and among them, one who to
personal beauty, the most exquisite, added
those graces of metropolitan refinement
and education never surpassed and but
rary equalled.
Mary Alton was the belle of her city.
Her father had, in the vicissitudes of the
times, been reduced to comparative pow
erty, and like many others in a similar
situation, turned his face westward. Bit
ter was the struggle in Marys heart when
she became acquainted with her fathers
failure, but more bitter still when she saw
the necessity of his seeking out a new hab-
ltation. 1t is hard for the young and sem
sitive to leave home hallowed by moth
er's memory, and the angel-like associations
of childhood. But the young, too, are
hopeful. The rainbow sparkled out upon
the bosom of the cloud and Mary Alton,
with cheering and radiant smile, con-
sented to depart. Oh smiles of the beau
tiful, do we not speak of SUMMER world?
world where the fountain of tears is
forever sealed by the seraph of happiness,
and grief lies buried beneath the fadeess
bower of joy.
And the two, father and daughter, bid
adieu to the crowded city for the solitude
of far-distant wilderness.
If Mary's charms were all powerful in
the East, they were not the less attractive
in her new home. She was the toast, the
worshipped beau ideal of the young hun
tiers. Her name cheered their hearts, and
fired their eyes amid the dangers and pri-
vations of the life which their lot often
compelled them to lead; for CIV en- yet, the
emgrants of that region were frequently
dependent on the chase for subsistence.
Among Mary's admirers was one partic-
ularly conspicuous. His name, Henry Sc
gard, was an honored one. He had more
than once saved the settlement from the
dreadful tomahawk, and rescued many a
captive from their border foes. The only
siNal, in prowess, to young Segard was
Charles Grayson. Fate seemed to have
pitted them against each other from boy
hood. Yet, strange to say, they were
friends, despite of intense ambition, and
the intrigues of their respective followers
There was a rumor indeed, that they had
sworn friendship. But the oath, if such
had ever been made, was soon to prove
valueless. There was one master passion
whose mighty arm would SILVER the holy
bond, and overturn forever the sacred
altar.
Henry Segard was the accepted one.
Oh how his heart thrilled when arm in
arm he and his beautiful betrothed wan
dered through the ma este old woods, be-
meath the silvery stars and surrounded by
all, the sweet influences of nature, whose
lofty brow yet wore the unsoiled dladem
of the lonely wild. How much do we
lay down before the shrine of civilization
How much of the beautiful do we sacri-
flee! The mighty river is turned aside
the ripping stream dried up, and the lofty
mountain stripped of its emerald coronal
which rustic in kingly magnifcence around
the marble summit. So let II be; such l;
cur irresistible law.
In these walks, unseen as they imagined
themselves, there was an eye on them
an eye dark and keen and sleepless.
A glorious EVENING" twilight OF Nortt
, America-cloud on cloud in crimson dra
rarxy ond r,,hlx, uoll cluSterinn around thu