Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-04-22


ears as she stopped over the hearth, hold
ing tallow candle to the ashes which she
was trying 10 blow into fame, when my
summons interrupted the process.
"You thought would have been here
before" | exclaimed at last, in reply to
her singular salutation, "why, my good
woman, have lost my way, and only
stumbled upon your house by accident
you must take me for somebody else"
'.l'm no good woman. Don't good wo.
man me-" she replied, with a scrutinizing
glance which had something, | thought, OF
almost ierceness in it, as shading the now
lighted candle with one hand, she turned
scornfully round and fixed her richards up
on me.
"Yes! yes, stranger, you are the man,
The very man that was to come at this hour.
| dreamed vel dreamed yer hoss--her
brown leggins and all, dreamed 'em-
and now 90 look after yer critter Will | git
some supper for ye."
Those who are so good as to follow me
in my story will perhaps be vexed and I'M
patient when | tell them here that the
whole of this singular scene has no imme-
date bearing upon its denouemcnt.
"Why them" it may be asked, "do you
delay and embarrass the relation with the
detail of matters that have no connection
with the incident for which you would
claim our interest?'
| did not say they had no connection
with it. Taey have an intimate--a close
connection. 1t was these very circum-
stances which still furthe fashioned the
mood of mind under which | 5eca;-e an
observer and partially an actor ia the start
ling thong grotesque events which follow
ed, and wish to place the reader IN eX.
actly the same position that | was IN. |
wish to win him, if possible, to perfect
sympathy of feeling with me for the hour,
and lie, him exercise his judgment, if he
care 10, from precisely the same point OF
mental observation.
We have returned, then, to the cabin, he
Che reader) or are again alone in the
midst of the wilderness, in that dreary
room; alone with Tint weird looking wo-
man. The storm is now bowling without,
but it does not chn(c savagely enough 10
excite the dispirited temper of orr feel
ings, or offer a contrast Of any dignity to
the gloomy Influences within.
Supper was alrea dy prepared for me
when ] returned from looking after my
horse. The coarse bacon and hoe-cakes
were placed before me without another
word icing spoken between my hostess
and myself. drew rude s'oo' to The Ia
BILE, and was in the act of he'p!ng myself
from The wooden pa'ter-
rs op! | hear them coming!' cried the
womln.
"Hear them! who?" said |, turning
round srarpy, as some new, though unde-
fnabe su<i icon flashed upon me.
"Trem a. vii have TO sh re that supper
with We, slanger--if h ,w,'be't they let We
eat any of it,"
! had no time 10 W Ugh further the mean.
ing Of her wo rds, 'or 1T this nst'nt there
was sharp flash of lightning, The door
was dashed sud eny open, IN three arm
ed men strobe inlo the apartment, the
storm peIring in behind them "a they ell
tered, and terrific thunder iurt follow.
ing instantly the lightning amid whose
glare they crossed the threshold. The
palor of their countenances, set oil by
their long black dripping locks, seemed
measurcbly TO pass away when hat Iivld
lipht was Withdrawn; but from the mo-
ment that the dor was fling open there
was an earthly smell in the room, which,
whether coming from the rocking soil with
on, or from the garments # these wild to-
esters, was most perceptible. Tnose less
familiar than my self with the raw sav"ren
odors which sometimes travel out with the
rich perfume OF the woods, would, am
persuaded have identified it with the grave
damps which our senses will sometimes
take copnizance Of in old church-yards.
The aspect OF Two Of these men was suf-
fcienty formidable, though in point OF
stature and an appearance OF bury
strength they were inferior TO their COM
panion. They were square shouldered,
black bearded fellows, armed with Ratchet
and bowie-knife, in addition 10 the short
rifles which they still retained laid across
their knees as they settled themselves side
by side upon bench and looked colby
around them. The third was fuIl-cheek-
ed, heavy-featureI man, Of about eight and
twenty, bearing strong resemblance to
nv hostess, both in complexion aud coun-
tenance, save that his eyebrows, instead
of being square and coal-black like hers,
were irreguIarly arched and of faded
brown, His mouth also lacked the firm
ness of expression which dwelt around her
thin and shrewish lips.
This man bore with him no weapon
save a huge old German piece, Tyr"'ean
rifle as il seemed to me, from the enormous