The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-09-14

There was no opening except that oil the
shattered panel through which TO reconEoitre
the enemy, and here no signs Of The foe were
visible so the little group stood Inotionless
and waiting, GREATNESS with anxiety. Hard
ing was by the door, the minister beside him;
the mother stood apart, striving 10 quiet the
child, which had been frightened by The fir
ing,
Suddenly she shrieked, and Harding turn
ing around saw a dark form emerging from
the chimney. In another instant, IA second
savage, descending from the roof in The same
way. dashed into The room, ThoDghparalyz-
ed for a ome Harding fired almost i'm
mediately and one of The savages fell, bull
The other sprang on him. and a third drop
ing noiselessly but swiftly into the room
engaged the minister in combat, while a
fourth. appearing in the same way, fastened
10 unbar the door.
The room was now filled with the terrible
war-whoop, which was replied 10 by the saw
ages outside, and, in an instant, the door
yielding 10 the combined efforts withou; and
within, the apartment was filed with foes.
In that moment, true TO a mother instinct
Mrs. Harding thought only of her babe
Even before The door gave way she had re-
treated into a corner behind The bed, where
she stood partially screened from sight,
Pressing her infant 10 her bosom and engaged
in hushing IFS cries, she saw, for some sec
onds nothing of the terrible conflict going on
so nigh.
Ay! Ii was terrible. The minister, weak
and unused 10 personal strife, was soon flung
bleeding and stunned on the floor. when his
assailanr, seeing his companion hard press
ed: hurried TO his help, Harding ihus beset
by Two. fought like a noble stag al bay
Selling lhelargehalehet, which fortunately
lay on the hearth with a pile ofwood, he re-
treated into a corner and prepared 10 make
good his defence; but before doing so he
glanced around the room, and seeing his wife
safely concealed for the present, he began
the fight. dealing d single blow with his
weapon that ieIled one ofhis assailanis like
an Ok. The other linen drew varily of.
Blu, by this time the room was filling with
savages who, hesiiaiing but a moment, made
Il second rush on Harding.
1t was at this instant the wife thought, for
the first time, OF her husband, She glanced
wildly around, and though the intervening
savages almost hid him from sight, she dis
ting uished his tall form raging above the
fight. Spell bound she gazedl Her babe
now lay hushed, because terror-stiuck on
her bosom while, 18th parted lips and eyes
strainlng In agony, she watched the fearful
conflict. To and fro, flashing metcor-like,
she saw the huge axe Of her husband fly,
and wherever il struck, an enemy went head
long to the earth. So rapid weIe its motions
that even the nimblest Of the foes failed TO
brake The charmed circle which Harding
kept aronnd him, Yet, for a While, the
dense crowds pouring into The room and
pressing toward the scene Of the fight, ac-
tually forced their comrades forward in a
body on the weapon of Harding, SO that
those in the foremost rank had no resort but
TO engage this terrible foe, nor could they
DO il otherwise than with their tomahawks.
for the crowded space did not allow them th
use firearms. At last however, the car
mage was so terrible beneath that terrific
weapon. welded by Hardins's sturdy arm,
that, by a violent, convulsive effort, the
foremost savages forced back their comrades
aud stood at a safe distance, regarding their
foe, like dogs before they rush in again OIL
the boar.
All this had not occupied minute. Yet
TO The wife and mother il seemed an age
Every hope hung on that single defender
and he was her husband Can feeble words
depict her agony?
1t was but a moment the savages stood
ir %esJlute, One of them levelled his gun
and was in The act of pulling the trigger,
" hen Harding. whose keen eye, sharpened
by peril, SEEMED to take in every motion Of
his foes, at once, darted forward and with q
blow of his axe, laid the Indian a maDgled
mass at the feet of his companions. The
next instant. The borderer had regained bis
place and stood once more on the defensive
This terribly bold act appeared TO para
lyze the foe for the third time. They look
ed at each other, and shrank inslinctively
back further from Harding. But, at this
instant, a shrill, terminating cry arose from
the outer edge Of the crowd, and a toma.
hawk, hurled with unerring aim, would
have transfxed the defender, but that he
saw it coming and lodged the blow. The
sieel grazed his hair and sank into a log be-
| hind, where it struck, its handld quiverine
violently.
At that whoop, accompanied by that on.
set. the sasages appeared TO cast off The
awe in which the proves OF d single mar
had enchanted them, and remembering theil
numbers, made a third onset OH Harding;
not this time only With hatchets and knives
but with firearms,
Wounded, hard-pressed, and weak from
los Of blood, Harding could be seen fol
some minutes longer, by his agonized wife
fighting with superhuman vigor and desper
alton. Her vary breath hung suspended a;
the conflict progressed, Now she hoped
for she saw his tall form soaring pre-emi
nent; now she despaired, for he was dashed
down by the tide OF foes surging fierce ana
high over him. But again he re-appeared
he had only sunk to his knee; and he ragged
again the master spirit Of the fight. Al
last his proud rom was bowed once more.
There was a terrible crash of crossing
weapons, a violent CONFUSION in the crowd
Of ASSISTANTS, who fell back, but instantly
advanced again. Then followed a breath
less hush, succeeded al. at once by a SIM
ultaneous yell Of the savages. The vile
knew that all was over.
She had been held motionless by the spc
tacle Of that terrific struggle-motionless
as if paralyzed BY some e~nchanter's spell.
She had thought of neither child nor hus-
band definitely. Only a vague sense of hor-
ror bad possessed her, a breatbless sus,