The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-08-14

Stanwood turned his head, and brushed away
tear at the recollection of his father, when his
trend made this enquiry, and replied:
health
Evening arrived, and Herbert and Stanwood
obtaining leave of absence, proceeded immedi-
ately to the residence of the former.
Stanwood was cordially received by the Her
berts, and after some conversation matters of
no vital importance, the elder Herberts retired
for the night. Stanwood was in a state of fever
ish anxiety, for he had seemingly failed in the
principal object of his visit, for Miss Alice was
not present.
"Stanwood," said Herbert, after a long silence,
Zone would suppose, from your grave demeanor,
that you had received orders from head quarters
to make midnight search after a party of cred
| skins"
"1s Miss Alice at home?' enquired Stanwood,
without replying to the remarks of Herbert.
s'By St. George, there it goes again, my dear
fellow, your memory must exceed all date;
will have her called in Immediately, if her abb
scnce contributes so much to your disquietude
Hist, that is her voice IN the garden, she has
been worshipping the moon, or singing songs to
the flowers; she Is a romantic Jade
A light footstep was heard at this moment at
| the door, and the next moment Miss Alice en-
tered the room. She arraycd in simple
garb her dark luxuriant hair flowed over her
shoulders of surprising beauty, in whose rich
folds were entwincd some fresh plucked flowers;
her sparkling blue eye, and ruddy check, be-
spoke health and happiness. After the ndis-
pensable ceremony Of introduction was past,
Stanwood and Alice were soon engaged in spi-
ritcd conversation, principally on the old coun-
try, and the merits of the new; and it was not
| till Herbert had the third time reminded his
friend that they had broken their leave, that they
took their departure. On their way to the camp,
Herbert in fine spirits, and sung many songs
of glee, but Stanwood preserved the utmost si-
lence, nor seemed to notice the many freaks of
his friend. The reader will readily imagine the
nature of his thoughts.
The unfavorablc aspect which presented it.
self to the British army, after the defeat Of the
division under Col. Baum, which was sent TO
seize on the American stores at BENIN rton and
their unsuccessful attack on Gates, at Sarntega
August 81, contributed in no small degree, to
spread gloom over the prospects of Burgoync,
and damp the ardor of those brave soldiers who
had marched with such confidence of success,
into our territory. Their savage allies, the In
dians, after the first prospect of defeat, became
much disquieted, and soon after the failure of
Burgoyne's first attempt on the Americans, du-
ring the silence of the n ght, deserted from the
camp Of the British, notwithstanding the vgi-
lance of their scntinels as we'll as those of the
American army, who had taken position to in
tercept any who might attempt to escape.
Stanwood was constant visitor at the house
of the Herberts, and on the evening which have
mentioned in former part of the story, he stole
away from the camp, to spend few moments
with his souls dearest treasure. Until he met
Alice Herbert, he had never bowed to the magic
form of Beauty, although he had been in the
presence Of many, who we'll might have elected
the most devoted homage Of the heart. Yet the
remembrance of early days, of the hours when
they had roamed in childhood together, combin-
ed with the artless simplicity of her manners,
awoke in his mind such an interest, that ere he
was aware, he found that she possessed his heart
But, however devoted his feeling towards Alice,
there was circumstance which tended much
to render him unhappy. She had never, in his
presence, by word look, or action, given him the
most distant hope, that their feelings were reci-
procated. On the contrary, during his visits,
she had invariably preserved calm, cold de-
meanor, which seemed to Stanwood to approach
very near at times: to Indifference.
Stanwood had entered the small gate, which
was situated at the extreme end Of narrow
walk, which led to door Of the cottage, yet he
paused, for gloomy silence pervaded the scene;
no light of cheering taper CLEANED from the trcl-
lesed windows as it was wont to do-no merry
laugh was heard to re-echo within, and as the
night breeze wandered by, it seemed to whis-
per mournfully, some tale Of woe. With a
strange sensation pcrvading his whole frame,
Stanw wood ascended the steps The lattice was
broken in several places, ana to his utter aston
ishment, he perceived that the door was broken
down. He entered. The silence of the grave
pervaded those rooms, which once had echoed
with the sound of Joy. Stanwood stood a mo-
ment, as statue of marble. At length the
moon, which had been long time obscured by
dark cloud, poured flood Of light into the a.
partment, which revealed to him the fate of the
o1f@ rf~l 4,
place, lay the corpse of the elder Stanwood, his
scalp torn off, and his face horribly mangled. A
cold trcmor crept over the frame of Stanwood,
as he gazed ON the ghastly features of the slain,
and behed the blood which lay in large quanti-
ties on the floor Summoning resolution at
length, he entered the adjoining apartment, and
beheld sight, which to him, appeared far more
terrible than the first; female form lay across
bed, which had been drawn into the middle of
the room, with tomahawk buried deep in her
skull. s f.. ~ ss5.. % &
ooh God!' exclaimed Stanwood, "havc the
hell hounds no compassion youth, beauty,
and innocence? She is murdered! she is muir
dered! Oh Alice! would that could have been
here to have lent you my aid Oh that with
you had died. Henceforth for revenge Slow
ly he approached the body; sssurely," said he,
.'this is not the form of Alice and upon closer
inspection, he discovered that it was the body OF
Mrs. Herbert. 'sThank God, calculated Stan
wood, ''perhaps she is saved" Here he COM
inenced to search the adjoining apartments, but
could discover no trace Of Alice-At the time
of the desertion of the savages from the camp of
Burgoyne, they spread desolation and terror in
their course, and few nights previous to the
scene above described, had witnessed the desc
lation OF the house of the Herbets. - .s#
Alice was seized during the massacre, by the
iron hand of a savage, who had raised his tolna-
hawk, with the intention of plunging it into her
skull, but the blow that would have deprived her
of existence, was arrested by the chief Of the
band, who snatched the deadly weapon from the
hand which held it, and hurled it through the
nearest window. The Indian that held her, re-
leased his craps, and after listening to some has
ty sentences, which the chief uttered to him,
bound her in silence. Soon AFTER the party, af-
ter placing fire in several parts of the house, that
it might be consumed, departed, pursuing their
journey northward. The feelings Of Alice may
be more easily imagined than described. She
had beheld the murder Of her parents, and her
home made desolate. And she alone, was cap
tive, to be carried, she knew not whittier, to
l draw out a life more intolerable than death it.