Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-09-30
Select Gales.
From the Ladies' National.
THE MOTHERS BABE.
BY II. D. DANA.


the child.
The father bold and sturdy, stood in advance
of the gronp the mother, proud and happy, car
rying the smiling infant, her frst-born, in her
arms, pressed after him; and gray-haired, pa
tiarchal minister of God, was in the act of rails
ing his hands in prayer, preparatory to dedica-
ton.
1t was during the old French war Brad
dock had been defeated, and the victorious
savages were pouring down on the frontier set
dement's. But as yet, neither the overthrow Of
the British general, nor the coming massacres
by the Indians were known; and all quiet
and peace in that little frontier clearing, and, as
its possessors fancied, for hundreds Of miles a.
round.
Suddenly, shrill, unearthly cry rent the air,
seeming to fill the cabin and the atmosphere
without like some demoniac shout Quick and
startling came that yell, bursting on the silence
like thunder-cap in summer The old minis
ter dropped his hands; the mother became ghast-
ly pale and looked round IN wild alright, But
the father, starting as the deer that hears the
hunters cry sprang towards the chimney-piece,
seized his gun, and with single bound gained
the door, which he flung wide open,
Too well had each one there OWNED that
cry. They knew it to be the war-whop Of the
savage; its Tremendous volume assured them of
the vast number ofthe foe
If any doubt remained it was dissipaed by the
sight rendered visible when the door was flung
open The house stood in the centre of the
clearing, about furIong from the forest which
encncled it on every side. This vacant space
was now filled with dark savages, in their war
paint running toward the cabin
Bar the door bar the door" exclaimed the
minister, rushing toward the opening, while with
his feeble hands he seized the huge wooden
beam used to iasten it on the inside
'Ay and barricaded tool said the father anC
husband, with that stern eagerness which show
ed both how well he understood their pers ant
how resouely he was prepared to face them
And accompanying the words with action, HI
soon, with the assistance of the minister, block
AIDED the door on the inside with tables, chair
and other household articles. And gancinl
rapidly round the room to see if unything elst
could be done, his eye tell on his wife and child
But the sudden change which passed over hi
conference.-the transition from the look O
conscious strength and defiance to that of love
pity and agony all combned-it was eviden
that, in the excitement of the few pleceedin!
moments he had quite forgotten the presence o
those two dear beings
For dear they were to him nexpressibIy. {
how the rich are mistaken when they weep owe
fashionable tales Of love if they fancy that tn,
poor know nothing of affection. Hearts bea
under russell cloth as we'll as under silk or velvet
A wife, child, is often all the treasure poo
man possesses. John Harding, the frontier fal
mer OF our story, was one of these he had non
of this worlds goods except the wild cearn
and his gun, but he had bosom that throbbe
with the most devoted affection for his wife an
child.
Yes, for that wife was the love of years. sh
had been of prouder blood than his own, FAM
iy once rich but now decayed, and her parent
and brethren had long resisted her marriage t
an almost pennyIess man. But the lovers ha
at last rlumphed, and the young wife, without
complaint, nay, on the contrary, with her blu
eyes beamng with love, had feft her friend,
the very borders of the civilized world Here
after soIourn of five years. child had bee
born to them. Long desired had been that Ii
tie stranger, and when it came, the hearts of tn
parents were in Autter of Joy The infar
had grown to the age Of nearly year, and Wa
growing more interesting daily, when an itn
rant minister of God, one of those patriarch
who may still be found in our frontier settI
ments, blessing and doing good wherever the
go, came along, and now, for the first time, IL
mothers heart could be gratihed by having tt
long desired rite Of baptism bestowed on h
child.
When Harding's eye fell on his wife she hi
sunk into chair hopeless agonizing, eve
muscle apparently paralyzed The infant W
gazing up into her face with its great, blue eve
as if in inquiry and astonishment The grot
thus made visible to the husband and father r
called the remembrance of his early love. al
all the still sweeter memories of married Iii
then by sudden flash of thought, that wife al
child, SO dearly cherished, rose before his mine
eye manged and bleeding under the tomahav
Of the savage 1t was this reflection, vivid
presented, which had changed his look from tn
of high energy and defiance to utter agony a
despair.
But now that patriarchal man of God advar
ed He had seen the transition in Harding
demeanor and guessed at once the cause
laid his hand on the husband and gently sho
him.
Rouse yourself Faith worketh wonders.
The God Of battles will surely be on the side
innocence and youth
As he spoke he glanced at the young moth
whose eye knded at the words with sudd
hope. Harding saw it He too, was char
ed man. Grasping the old mans hand, VIII
the tears dried in his eye, he said,
You are right, in God let us trust Ma
we will save you and the child, or all die toge,
er, Ha! they are on us
These words were called up by yell of {
ger which the savages sent up, on having reac