Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-11-01
THE INDIAN TRAIL.

the Indians have attacked Mr.. Stuarts
house, burnt it, and carried his family into
capticity y were the first words of a breath
less woodman, as he rushed into the block
house of IA village in western New York, dur
ing one of the early border wars. 'Up, up
IA dozen men should have been on the trail
two hours ago.
God help us = said one of the group,
bold frank forester, and with a face winter
than ashes, as he leaned against the wall
gasping for breath. Every eye was turned
on him with sympathy for he and Mr.Stuar,'s
only daughter, a lovely girl of seventeen,
we're to be married in few days.
The bereaved father was universally re-
spected. He was man of great bcnevolence
of heart, and of some property and resided
on mill seat he owned about two miles from
the village. His family consisted Of his ell
des daughter and three children. He had
been from home, so the runner said, when
his house was attnei, ID, had tho ""'ah
bors any intima,ion of the catastrophe until
the light Of the burning tenemcnts awakened
the suspicious of settler, who was "A mile
nearer the village than Mr.. Stuart, and who
proceeded towards the flames, found the house
anu UlIIS III IUiIS, anu itSoS'ih'N Wv wv W
female and children on the trail Of! the lndi-
ans.-IIe hurried Instantly to the fort, and is
the individual who now stood brea,hlessly
narratine the events which we IN fewer words
have detailed.
The alarm spread through the village as
fire spreads in swamp after drought !;
and before the speaker had finished his story
the little block house was filed with eager
and sympathizing faces. Several OF the IN
habitans had brought their rifles, and others
now hurried home to arm themselves. The
young men of the settlement gathered to a
man, around Henry Leper, the betrothed
husband of Mary Stuart; and though lew
words were spoken, the earnest grasp of the
hand, and the accompanying looks, assured
him that his friends keenly felt for him, and
were ready to fellow him to the worlds end.
That party was about TO sci forth, when a
man was seen hurriedly running up the road
from the direction of the desolaled home
1T is Mr.. Stuart 2 said one of the Oldest
of the group, stand back and let him come
in
The men parted right and left from the
doorway, and Immediately the father entered
the neighbors bowed respectfully to him as
he passed. He scarcely returned their SAL
utation, but advancing directly to his inten-
ded SON. in-law, they mutually fell into each
others arms. The spectators not wishing
to intrude on the privacy other grief, turn
ed their faces away with that instructive del
icacy which is nowhere to be found more Of
ten than among those who are thought to be
rude borderers but they heard sobs and
they knew that the heart of the usually col
lecied Mr.. Stuart must be fearfnlly agitated.
my friends said he, at length, this is
kind, | see you know my loss, and are ready
to march with me! God bless you!' He
could say no more, for he was choked with
emotion.
Stay back, father said young Leper, US
ing for the first time name which in that
moment of desolaton carried sweet comfort
to the parents heart, you cannot bear the
fatigues as well as me-death only W ill pre-
vent us from bringing back Mary.
Il know i'll know it, my son-but !
cannot stay here IN suspense. No, will
go with you, have to day the strength of a
dozen men !
The fathers who were there nodded in as
sent and nothing further was said, but imme-
diately the party as if by one impulse SET
forth.
There was no difficulty in finding the trail
of the Indians. along which the pursuers ad-
vanced with speed incredible to those I'M
used to forest life, and the result of long and
severe discipline. But rapid as their march
was, hour after hour elapsed without any
signs of savages, though evidence that they
passed the route awhile before was continu-
ally met. The sun rose high above .he
heavens until he stood above the tree stsps,
then he began slowly to decline, and at length
his slant beams could scarcely penetrate the
forest: yet there was no appearance of the
indians, and the hearts of the pursuers began
to bond. Already the opinion was grow
ing general that further advance was USE
less, for the boundaries Of the settlers dis