The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-10-13

centre of which he made small black
spot with powder, and then laughingy
said-"young man, you will now see
what maybe, you never saw belore;" and
placing his back to the marked sapling,
and grasping his rife, with the muzzle for
ward, in his left hand, darted from the tree
with the speed of an elk.
The wonder-stricken Conrad stood i'm
lmoveable, until he was reused 10 exclaim
IN extreme astonishment, "who can he be!"
on seeing the stranger suddenly stop,
wheel. and fire. The report of the rifle
and disappearance Of the mark, began to
excite feelings ofalmost superstitous dread
in the bosom of Conrad; feelings which
were wrought up to the highest pitch when
the terrible stranger returned, running with
uncommon speed, and coming up, handed
Conrad a completely loaded rifle.
Eyeing the rifle and the owner alternate
ly, Conrad at length found breath to ex-
claim,
"If you had not the look of fine young
man, should suppose
81 was something worse," replied the
stranger, shut it is time we knew each
other
"My namc," with some hesitation, re-.
piled Conrad, sis Mayer. | am the--I
am sorry to say, undutiful son, Conrad, of
Frederick and Maria Mayer
"And | am not worthy the name. per.
haps," said the stranger; shut am Lewis
Wetzel."
The arms of Conrad were instantly
round his preserver, for it was the wind
beaten and -embrowned hunter-war.
ror, Lewis Wetzel, with whom he had
been contending.
Their mutual embarrassment having a
little subsidized, Lewis Observed
Conrad, as you have found am man
just like yourself, suppose we have our
breakfast; we have earned it. Let us skin
this chap, and carry his carcase to my
camp. We have been playing the fool
long enough to be hungry.
i On the bank of clear stream, the trees
for roof the two hunters feasted; gave
each to the other short account of their
lives, laughed and spent the day; for that
day they did not resume the chace; and
when evening closed upon them, they slept
on their lealy couch as if nothing of con-
sequence had passed between them; and
while they slept and hunted, let us wander
up to Wheeling, and visit the cottage of
Fred Mayer.
The two days after the departure of
Conrad were cool, and until towards the
evening of the second. clear. For the
next morning Fred had prepared every
thing necessary to set out to meet his son.
Towards sunset, the wind set in from the
north east; the whole heavens became
overcast, the night set in raw and cold,
and that most dismal ofall domestic sounds,
the. howl of the house dog mingled with
the night blast The family had, in some
measure, conquered the sense of lone
someness, which is so painful when few
human beings gaze upon each other for
the first time, and feel that they are de-
tenceless few alone in wilderness. Over
the hilly and variegated peninsula, be-
tween the Monongahela and Ohio rivers,
at the early day of our tale, the fields were
SMALL they were few, and they were far
distant from each other. The cabins were
rude, and often constructed as block
houses, for defence. The almost imper-
ceptible paths wound through intermina-
Bile forests, where almost every sound
which broke the silence was of the most
appalling kind. 1t was these lone habi-
tations which became so often the scenes
of savage murder. Thisis not the pro-
duct OF imagination-it is the bitter re-
membrance of real life and death, the re-
membrance of the worst features of hu-
man strife. Fifty years have passed and
showed upon this head, yet it seems only
yesterday, the dark and dreadful night,
when Fred Mayer and his wife and child,
far removed from every other eye but that
Eye which never sleeps. The night pas
sed slowly away but sleep they could not;
each tried to convince the other, and say
to their own hearts, sit is the absence of
4 Conrad" But their champion had often
been absent before; their heavness of
heart had now something distressing be-
yond all former anxiety for their Conrad.
Towards midnight the wind entirely ceas-
ed, rain began to patter on the roof, and
the darkness, heavy before, became still
more dense. The howl of the watch dog
became more loud, and anxious in its
tones. Thus passed the night, until the
feint grey light ofmorning began to dawn,
"God be praised, sighed Frederick, sit
| is break of day."
At that moment the faithful sentinel at
the door, by fierce and rapid barking,
: announced the approach of some living
object The warning voice was as rapid
lily followed bya scream, a few groans, and
all again was silent.
Frederick Mayer, like all truly brave
men, lost the sense Of underlined fear at
| the aspect Of real danger, sprung from the
bed with intent to sieze his rife, in the use
Of which he was no bungler. Was it ac-
cidentl-he did grasp the rifle, but his foot
struck a log Of wood and he fell to his