The Arkansas banner., 1843-12-16
MS CEL.LANEQu2.
THE sQuATTER,s STORY.


 "Sir, said he, am sad fellow: very childish, very wicked, and of course, very wretched. am a fool, know, but can't help 1t. l never see fur cap of that color, pointing to his own which lay steaming on a kettle before a huge roaring fre-son the head of boy, without feeling as if could cry my eyes out. l have been, what you told me you once were-a husband and a father, proud father and happy husband. ou remember the fires we had Ill 1891 ?- We'll, had camped out that fall and was making a fortune; how, or with what view, Is nobody's business. You needn't stare- saw the question rising in your throat.- We'll, had left my wife; no matter why i, incompatbility of temper if you like. All 1 have to say is, that she was altogether too good for me. Had she been more of wo- man, less ofan angel, should not have been what am now-an outcast-a wanderer, C hunted outlaw. Oh you needn't stare pve told you about all mean to tell you on that head. Well, we separated in plain Eng fish, ran away and left my wife, taking with me only one child; my poor dear Jerry; the only child was sure of; for be- tween ourselves, my good sir, the devil had put 1t into my head to be jealous of my poor wife-and so Jeff her all the children with blue and grey eyes, and took with me the only one that resembled me. An ! if you could but have seen that boys eyes! They were like sunshine, though black as death- Well, Jerry and got along pretty we'll to- gether for nearly three years, when one day l received a letter from my wife, saving that Luther my eldest boy, and the two blue eyed babies, were in their graves. Two were drowned in each others arms-,he other died of Q broken hear;-a mere babv-bui ii pined itself to death, after disappeared-she told me so and believed her-asking for for farter. poor. farfer,a a hundred times a day, and whenever it awoke in the night; and dylng-literally dying with that word upon its lips. My wife added that she was com ing home. What could say knew that l had wronged her; that was fool and a madman. but what could I say ? Well. our arrangements were made, and I set off to meet her-leavlng poor little boy at home, with little girl to take care of him until I got back. To be sure that he would not % astray, l had tied young Newfoundland puppy, ol which he was very fond, to the post of his trundle bed--telling him to stay there until l returned with his mother which would be in the course of that afternoon. or near nightfall''
 Here he stopped, and his breathing chang ed; but aitera few minutes, began anew, in lower and steadier, though much altered tone.
 "eii, SIT, we met once more, and she for gave me and we were happy. And so I took her into my arms, lifted her into the saddle, and we started together--two as han py human creatures as there were upon earth. notwithstanding the sell-reproach and heoy;, ness felt on hearing the particulars of what cannot bear to speak of yet, or even to thin,, oi-the death of Luther and his elder sisters foof Luther--podr baby! Well, we were already more than half way back to the place where she was prepared to see her little nest ling asleep, aud dreaming of its mothe,-bis DEAR, NEW MOTHER, as he called her. and persisted in calling her from the very mo- menl told him that she was eomiog io live ~l'n us. Poor little fellow He had alnos, iolso'len her. Suddenly, as we were de. scehalng the top of hill, our horses beoan 70 snort--my wife caught rny arm. and as I turned toward her, I saw the western sl, " ;a perpetual glow. Before I could sneak a . sa siange darkness swept by, and felt as if inc nand oi death were upon me tried to snoas .s ou' could not. could only urge my wifi, wife