The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-09-14
Volume XII.
MISCELLANEOUS
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BY J. II. DANA.

Far In The wilderness, IN q lone loS-nuIi
were gathered the family, prepared for the
solemn rife.
The father, bold and sturdy, stood in ad-
vance oil the group; the mother proud and
happy, carrying the smiling infant, her first
born, in her arms, pressed after him; and a
g~ray-haired, patriarchal minister OF God was
in the act of raising bis hands in prayer, pre-
paratorY 10 The baptism,
1t was during the old French war, Brad
dock had been defeated, aud the victorious
savages were pouring down on the frontier
settlements. But as yet neither the overthrow
Of the British general, nor the coming massa-
ores by the Indians were known and all was
quiet and peace in that little frontier clearing
and. as its pos~essors fancied, for hundreds
of miles AROUND.
Suddenly a shrill, unearthly cry rent the
air, seeming TO fill the cabin and the atmos-
phere without. like some demoniac shout.
Quick and startling came that yell, bursting
on the silence like a thunder-clap in sum-
mer. The old minister dropt his hands the
mother became ghastly pale and looked
around in wild alright. But the father,
starting as a deer that hears the hunters
cry, sprang toward the chimney piece. seized
his gun, and with a single bound gained the
door, which he flung open.
Too well had each one there OWNED that
cry. They knew it 10 be the war-whoop Of
the savage its tremendous volume assured
them of The vast numbers of the Toe,
Ii any doubt remained il was dissipated
by the sight rendered visible when The door
| was thrown open The house stood in The
centre ola clearing, about a ~lurIong from
| The forest, which encircled il on every side.
| THIS vacant space was now filled with dark
| z,uo,rao in fhpir vvar naIDf rprn.-- ,....l
the cabin.
Bar the door-bar the door, exclaimed
the minister, rushing towards the orenine,
| while, with his feeble hands, he seized The
huge wooden beam used TO fasten il or the
inside.
'Ay and barricaGe too said the father
and husband, with that stern eagerness
which showed both how well he comprehend
ed their perils and how resoluiely he was
prepared 10 face them. And, accompanying
The words with action, he soon. with The
assistance OF The minister, blockaded the door
on The inside with tables, chairs, and other
heavy articles, This being done, he paused
a moment. and glancing rapidly around the
room TO see if anyihing else could be done,
his eye fell on his vile and child,
By the sudden change which passed over
his CONFERENCE.-The transition from the
look Of conscious strength and defiance to
that of love, ply. and agony all combined
il was evident that, in the excitement of the
lew proceeding moments, he had quite for
gotten the presence of those two dear be-
ings.
For dear they we're TO him inexpressibly.
Oh h NV arc The rich mistaken. when they
weep over fashionable tales OF love, il they
fancy that the poor know nothing OF affection
Hearts bear under russell clothes well as IN
der silk and velvet A. wife IA child is often
all the treasure a poor man possesses, John
Harding, the frontier, farmer of our story,
was one Of these he had none of this worlds
goods excep, the wild clearing and his gun ;
but he bad Il bosom that throbbeG with the
most devoted affection for his vile and
child.
Yes for That wife was The love OF years.
She had been OF prouder blood than his own,
a family once rich but now drcayed, and her
parents aud brothers had long resisted her
marriage to an almost ~penniless man. Bul
The lovers had at last iriumphed, and the
yOnng wife, without a complaint, nav with
her blue eyes beaming on the contrary with
love, had leh her friends and followed her
husband 10 his frontier home on The very Dor
ders Of the civilized world. Here after, a go
journ of five years, a child had been born 10
Them. Long desired had been that little
stranger, and when il came, the hearts Of The
parents were in a hutier ofjoy. The infant
had grown 10 The age of nearly a year, and
was becoming more Interesting daily. when
an i~:ineTant minister OF God, one of those pa
triarchs who may be still be found in our from
tier settlements, blessing and dong good
wherever they 90. came along. and now, for
the first time, the mothers heart could be
eraIifed by having the long desired rite o.
baptism bestowed on her child.
When Harding'e eye fell on his wife she
had sunk into a chair. HOPELESS, agonlzing,
every faculty apparently paralyzed. The in
FAINT was gazing up into her face with its greaI
blue eyes, as il in inquiry and establishment
. The group, thus made visible TO the husband
; and father, recalled the remembrance ofhii
e early love, and all the still sweeter memories
of married life then by a sudden flash o.
e thought, that wife and child, so dearly cher
: ished, rose before his minds eye, mangleC
and bleeding under the tomahawk of The saw.
age, Ii was this reflection. wildly presented
which has changed his look from that Of higl
energy and defiance, TO utter agony and de
, s2air.
But now that patriarchal man Of God ad
, vanced. He had seen the transition in Hard
ing's demeanor, and guessed atonce hecause
, He laid his hand on The The husband and gent
: ly shook him.
Rouse YOURSELF he said. Faith workett
wonders. The God OF battles will surely be
on the side of innocence and youth
As he spoke he glanced at the young moth.
er whose eye kindled at the words with sud-
den hope, Harding saw it He TOO was q
changed map. Grasping the old mans hand
while the tears dried in his eye, he said.
You are right 10 God let US trust. Ma
ny, we will save you and the child, or all die
together, Ha! ihev are on u.s.
These words were called forth by a yell oil
anger which the sayages sent up on having
reached The house, 10 find it securely barri-
caded against them.
Immediately blo&s were heard on the door
followed by deafeningsyells. Harding exam.
ined the printing of his gun, ready to fire on
the falling in OF The first PANEL. AT last with
a crash one Of them gave way. The farmer