The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-10-20
THE HUNTERS TALE;

: THE HUNTERS TALE; y
OR, CONRAD MAYER & SUSAN GRAY.
By chace our long-lived fathers earnd their food
Toll strung their nerves, and purfy'd the blood;
But we, their sons, pamper'd race of men,
Are dvindled down to threescore years and ten
Epistie ia John Dryden.
So coNcLUDED.l "a
Little more was said; few slices of hall
roasted venison was cut from the residue
Of the deer slain the day before, and the two
hunters were, with careful but rather rapid
steps, measuring their way TO the north.
eastward, with view, as Lewis whispered
'to fall in the rear Of the hgens." With
all their untiring speed it was evening
when. reaching the head of hollow over
spread with the rank growth of the past
summer, Lewis stopped suddenly, and
pointing with his ramrod to marks which
+ Conrad could scarcely perceive, observed
in an undertone, "Here, here, are their
trail!' They had been severa. hours far
within the range where every stream and
ridge was known to Conrad, whose az.
ony Of mind increased at every moment
as following the steps of his wary leader,
he saw him advancing in the direct course
towards the home Of his parent and sister
He was almost provoked at the cold and
undisturbed behavior of Lewis, but the
dreadful appearances made him completes
ly Submissive to the orders which were
given, with confidence which inspired
hope in the very face of despair. -.
have already told you, my children,
that the evening was heavy, and the night
unusually dark. That darkness closed
apon the-I might say, angels of deliver
ance. some miles short of Mayors cabin.
1t was on the closing Of light that any ex-
preston Of impatience was shown by
Lewis. ,
Must these villains cscape!'' The ex-
preston was lofty, and calculated to alarm
Conrad; but the long tried warrior repair
ed his mistake with admirable quickness,
by adding "till tomorrow morning" +"
whispering at the same time, that sit was
not the custom Of the Iagens only to at
tack at break OF day." ,a tga
Still they advanced slow, silent and lis
tening at every few steps. For some hours
the wind enabled Lewis to keep his course
but when that guide failed, and the black
and covered sky hid every star, the bark
of the trees were felt. ~
sin any common case" again whisper
ed Lewis, .'maybe | could find my way;
we must be near your fathers house and
may pass tive must STOP"
A sigh and shudder was all the an
swer Conrad could make, and they crouch
ed down beside two trees. / need not say
hours were weeks, as both their faces
were to what they thought the East. 1t
was an opening amongst the trees, which
at last began to widen, the trunks and
large branches began 10 appear. Lewis
was Just ready to say "break of day." but
was prevented by Conrad springing to his
feet, exclaiming "By heavens!" His loud
expression was promptly and cffectually
arrested by the powerful hand of Wetzel,
who almost jerked him off his feet.
Conrad, brought to himself, in hurried
but suppressed tone, informed Lewis that
that they were between two and three miles
from his fathers house, and that the open
ing they saw was an abandoned settlement
They were on their way before Conrad
had finished. Avoiding the open old field,
they were soon on cattle path, and in a
few minutes, on rising hill, the long
drawn howl of the house-dog was on the
point Of being answered by the two brute
.sharers of their march, but touch Of the
ramrod reduced to complete silence the
well trained mastiffs. Their speed was
every moment increased, as the cry ofths
watch dog became more and more dis
tinct. are sr1illl sE1 aa5t li8 b
Lewis suddenly stopt, and listening for
a second or two to the change of note of
the dog, then most earnestly observed to
Conrad, t1..,6 -, g8s sssb stI 1ou st
''Now my brave young man., follow my
directions. Your housei surrounded by
these sayages; advance cautiously, anddo
not fire unless sure of your mark. When
you do fire, instantly retreat and reload;
but above all things do not, for any cause,
rush towards the house, unless you see
me do so,' ls 4 asaE 19dm9vcA q
The orders were here cut short; the
death scream of the dog, the terrible s.
fence which followed, and then the. rapid
firing, together with the screams of the fe-
males, put all further delay out of the
question, and yet the never disturbed the
peace ofmind ofWetzel, as Conrad after