The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-01-02

But we, their sons, pampcr'd race of men,
Arc dwinded down to thrcc-Score years and ten
Epistie to John Dryden.
(CoNcLUDEDo
The wonder-stricken Conrad stood immoyeo
Bile, until he was reused to 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 of almost superstition;
dread in the bosom of Conrad; feelings which
were wrought up to the highest pitch when the
terrible stranger returned, running with uncom.
mon speed, and coming up, handed Conrad q
completely loaded rifle.
Eyeing the rifle and the owner alternately
Conrad at length found breath to exclaim.
'lt you had not the look of fine young man
should suppose
Il was something worse, replied the stranger;
'but tits time we knew ca oh other
My name, with some hesitation, replied Con-
rad, lis Mayer am the-I am sorry to say,
undtiful son, Conrad, of Frederick and Maria
Mayer
'And am not worthy the name, perhaps,
sad the stranger; but am Lewis Wctzcl
The arms of Conrad were instantly round his
prcscrvcr, for it was the wind beaten and sun
cmbrowned hunter warrior, Lewis Wc.zel, will,
whom he had been contending.
Their mutual embarrassment having a Little
sub5idcd, Lewis observed
Conrad, as you have found | az, man lust
like yourself, suppose VIC have our breakfast; We
have earned it! Let US skin this chap and carry
his carcass to my camp. We have been play
ing the fool long cnHug gh to be hungry
On the bank ola clear Stream, The trees for
roof, the two hunters ttastcd; gave each to the
other short account of their lives laughed and
spent the day; for that day they did not resume
the chase; and when evening closed upon them
thn,, {!,,;,. 1>or
consequence 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 close of the Soc
ond, clear. For the next morning Fred had pre-
pared every thing necessary to set out to meet
his son. Towards sunset, the wind set in from
the northeast; the whole heavens became over
cast, the night set in raw and cold, and that most
dismal OF all domestic sounds, the howl Of the
house dog, mingled with the night blast. The
family had, IN some measure, conquered the sense
OF consequences, which is SO painful when few
human beings gaze upon each other for the first
time, and feel that they are dcfncelcss few a.
lone IN wilderness. Over the hilly and varia-
gated peninsula between the Mononyahcla and
ONO rivers, at the early day of tale, the fields
were small; they We're few, and they were far
distant from each other. The cabins were rude
and often constructed as block houses, for de-
fence. The almost imprrccptbe paths wound
through intermlnable forests, where almost every
sound which broke the silence was of the most
appalling kind. 1t was these lone habitations
which became 50 often the scenes of savage mur-
der This is not the product Of irnaginnton-;t
Is the bitter remembrance Of real life and death
the remembrance Of the worst features of human
strife. Fifty years have passed and showed up
on this head, yet it seems only yesterday, the
dark and dreadful nj ght, when Fred Mayer and
his wife and child, far removed from every eve
but that Eye which never sleeps. The night
passed slowly away, but sleep they could not
each tried to convince the other, and say to their
own hearts, 'it is the absence of Conrad But
their champion had often been absent before;
their heavness of heart had now something dis
tressing beyond all former anxiety for their Con-
rad. Towards midnight the wind entirely ceas-
ed, rain began to patter 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 hight,
until the faint grey light of morning 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 warn
ing voice was as rapidly followed by scream, 4
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
seize his rifle, in the use of which he was no
bungler. Was it accident?-he did grasp the
rifle, but his foot struck log of wood, and he
fell to his knees, as the thin clapboard door was
dashed from its hinges, and three rifles discharg-
ed into the cabin in rapid succession. The most
heart-rcndng screams reused Frederick to fren-
zy. The great muscular force of his youth SEEM
ed to be redoubled The Indians were deceived
by his fall, and naturally concluded their victim
safe. They were soon undeceived, however, as
uttering the names of his wife and child, in a
voice of absolute fury, he rose to his feet, and
firing into the group, attempted to turn the butt
end of his rifle. The shot took effect on one en-
emy, but the stock of his piece flew to shvers
against jost as the owner was grapplcd with
and thrown on the floor. His presence of mind
never for an instant forsook him. and feeling that
though alone against such fearful odds of num-
bers, that his enemies were exposed to the dan
ger of woundng each other, which in effect took
place. Firmly grasping his formidable weapon
the naked rifle barrel, and turning himself by
main strength on his face, he once more regain
ed his feet, and by sweep Of the iron bar carried
away the entire upper part of the skull of anoth-
The cabin had now become, indeed, scene
Of indcscribable horror. The whole events
have noticed did not occupy more, if as much, as
half aminute. The screeching Susan was drag
ged by the hair, at the very moment that her
protector fell, in the first instance. This mad
dening sight was the last that Fred Mayer got
of any part of his family, until the tragedy clos
ed. The groans of his wounded wife he heard
amidst the combat: but he saw her not; the bed
on which she lay had been broken down, and her
pure blood mingled with that of her savage ene-
my. The very best safeguard of a single man
against many was thrown around Fred-that is,
he lost all sense of fsclf fpreservaton and bent the
whole force of his body, and resources of his
mind, on the destruction of the destroycrs of his
how the contest would have termi-
mated we can never know, as the shouts of 9TH
er voices now mingled in the maddening fray.
You may remember, my young friends, we
left Conrad and his new made friend, Lewis,
sleeping on rivulet of Ohio Let us return to
them and watch their motions. Next morning
after the scufiie and happy reconciliation, the
sun shone clear upon the heads Of the two chill
drcn Of the woods. Conrad attempted to make
amends for the sallies Of the day before---it was
an effort understood by the keen-cyed Lewis.
My dreams hang Aeauy on me this morning,
Conrad said his companion, sand with all your
vOi1r hrauy 10 horu,, "a x,<s, n,,or