American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-09-02
from the Ladies' Nationa. Maga1inc,I
THE PURITAN'S DAUGHTER,
TALE OF THE PLYMOUTH COLONY.

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Meantime, however, the younS soldier had
sprang from his steed to examine something,
which, lying half hidden under TIE ruins, had
sent the blood curdling to his heart With a
sickening feeling he gazed upon the body of a
man, the head Glove i'll twain and dis6Gsred by
The loss of scalp-lgck. For e moment, as he
gazed upon it, his breath, coming thick and
choking almost deprived him Of utterance,
and he could only take his companion by the
arm, and point, With horror in his eyes, to the
Inutilatcd corpse. But the gesture was enough.
The quick eyes Of the father, anxious for his
lost child, at once detected in the body his muir
dered servant lie started back aghaSt. For
an instant neither spoke. At length in dry,
husky voice, trenlulous with agitation, the faith
er said
''The Indians!-my child isdead-ver:ly! thy
hand is heavy on me, oh! Lord"
The young officer fer moment stood gazing,
spell.bound, upon the murdered man, then his
feelings burst forth.
''By the God of my fathers he said, 81 will
rescue you, Ruth, if living, and revenge you
# dead" and clemcking his hand Gercey he
shook it on high, as ito call heaven to witness
his vow.
"Rchard-Richard' p said the father, "swear
not all!n
Gather" answered Rutherford, in mlder
tone, az am rebuked. But let us waste no time,
If Ruth is alive she is priscEer, for surely
they have not dared to murder her-we will
find their trail and follow it IS not the first
time have logged a savage. In the name of
our Maker let us co.
We need not describe their feelings of alter
nate hope and fear as they searched around the
homestead for the bodies of the slain. Ruth
was not among them.
'Hope, father, hope, :" said Rutherford, 'Rath
IS only prisoner"
ain the Lord is my trust.''
IL might be about an hour after he departure
OF the Indians, when MIR. Elingwood and Ruth
erford set iorth on foot in their pursuit. No
man travelled in that day without being armed
and both, therefore, carried with them thei,
Guns, together with tie common hunting knitS
then in use. With the sagacity which long
practice in border warfare had given TO him,
Rutherford followed up tie trail of the saVagcs.
STOPPING his body forward to watch the marks
Of the Indian footsteps, and gliding stealthily
along in silence, while the father followed be-
hind, he found himself at length on the verge
of preclpitous descent, from which narrow
path led down into a kind of amphitheetre be-
low, overgrown with dwarf-trees, and almost
hidden from sight.
Tho keen eye of the young soldier he'd de-
.ecte6 that within the seclusion of the little
grove was hid party of human beings, no
doubt The very oaes he sought. His breath
grew thick with the excitement of the diScov-
cry, but remembering that all depended on his
GOODNESS, he checked his emotion, and turning
80 Mr.. E,lngwood, whispered,
''They are there below-all now depends en-
our sagacty, for as they outnumber us, we
1aust rustic stratageEs to rescue Ruth"
The father answered not, but his eye geam-
ed, and he pressed the hand of Rutherford
warmly. Taking rapid glance at the land
acape Immediately around him, the young Of
ficeI beckoned to his companion, and commence
ed stealthily descending The declivty. =,
''Hist!" said Rutherford, when they reached
The base Of the descent, "look there"
The father turned his eyes in the direction
indicated, and beheld six powerful Indians
sitting in circle, while his daughter knet, as
in prayer, short distance off. The sight made
him involuntarily lift his piece to his shoulder,
but the cautious young soldier, laying his hand
upon the old mans arm, and bending down his
mouth close to MIR. Ellngwood's ear, whisper
ed,
Take chem in range-move a little to the
right"
The father mechanically obeycd, but the
cracking Of dry twig beneath his feet caused