The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-07-10

|
proportions, that had braycd the storms Of
more than forty winters.
Tue conntenance Of tho missionary turn
I'd to ashy whiteness, for on the first survey
be recognized robher and perhaps nur-
deref! Every indication painted most
vsIdly on his perturbed Imagination the
danger that hung over him. The first i'm
pulse was to urge his faded horse into fight.
A second thought convinced him of the
hopelcssness Of the attempt; and, breathing
: word OF prayer TO Heaven for protection.
ne ielt TO submit to his fate, with CLEAN Of
hope that the desperado, who was now but
a few yards from him, might, peradyenture,
spare his life.
The salulation that struck on his car con
|veycd no consolation TO his mind, and only
served 70 increase his alarm.
"iialloo, stranger! What are You doing
there? Where are you riding to2''
The reply was given in the language Of
lhe meekness OF submission, and something
was added with lndstinct utterance about
|givlng up horac and equipments if his life
might be spared.
Learning that his destination was across
the river, TO a settlement sJme fifteen or
twenty miles Distant, the supposed robber
replied in voice by no means mild aud at
IiracilVe:
"You can't get there TO night besides,
he old ford is washed away, and you can
not find the new one. Come, follow me,
can fr You"
The word 'fiX" had an ominous import !;
bat the exact degree Of outrage implied in
this new form Of speech was not very clear
10 the mind Of the missionary. But their
was no alternative. He was alone and
wholly unprotected; he was small in stat
ire, of slender make, had no weapons save
spiritual ones, and successful resistance was
hopeless. lie knew not the way across
the river; and were he to attempt flight,
the dea,h.dealing rifle might stop him
lie turned as he had been directed and fol-
lowed his guide. As they rode in "lndian
tilen through the tall grass, and the points
oftimber and brushwood for some iwo miles
The missionary drew fancy picture on his
Imagination ofa cave and gang ofrobbers
who would soon s.lis" him, or determine
his fate. He breathed more freely when
he found a sugle cabin and rough looking
stable for horses, and corn field OF few
acres. with no signs Of accomplices.
slight. stranger, and take your saddle
bags-iii fir your horse"
Taking his saddIc.bags on his arm, be
entered the cabin through n low door,
1 Here was woman and three children, but
their personal appearance and dress might
Or might not, Indicate danger TO The tray
eier.
On her head was a covering of coarse
cotton, that nearly bid ber face from human
observation, called in the language ofa pms,
generation = .'snn- bonnet" Reaching for
ward stool the only saIu,ation given was,
.take "a seat by the fire stranger"
Recollecting what Lcdyard and other
travellers have said oft humanity Of the
female sex, tho missionary mnsed on the
probabilities Of escaping with life--fee'ing
a degree Of reconciliation for the loss OF his
horse, his saddle bngs, and the contents OF
his purse, which last contained few dol
ars for travelling expenses. In his saddle
bags were divers articles of apparel which
nigh; be spared; but there was tho pocket
bible, The gift Of mother, now in Heaven,
hymn book, and small package otneaiiy
written sermons, which had cost him sever
al months labor, and as he fancied were
admirably adapted TO disperse the clouds OF
ignorance that brooded over the people for
whose spiritual benefit he had risked much,
and now stood in most imminent peril.
In the mean time tho settler, hunter, or
robber, in whatever avocation he might ap-
pear, had replenshed the fire with some
logs Of dry hickory, while the house wife
vas preparing tho evening meal. II con
sisted of fried yenison steak, corn dodgers, :
and highly favored coffee, with appurten-
ances of fresh cream and excellent butter.
The missionary, who had eaten nothing
since early dawn, was startled from his rev
erie with the invitation, "sit BY, stranger,
and take bite"
If surprise and qualification were the
first emotions, amazement followed, when
the apparent robber impored the blessing
of God, in n sonorious voice, closing with
an expressive and somewhat emphatic "a.
MEN.n
Bewidered and confused, he forgot to
eat, until repeatedly reminded by his now
hospitablc landlord, and the kind-hearted
wiic, that he did not eat. "Perhaps he
was not used to such iare;" 'would he
take a sup Of mk"
He did not seem to regain his appetite
until the ofcous housewife brought on her
platter OF honey, gathered from The hollow
sycamore, and made divers apologies that
her lardcr contained nothing he could eat
After supper, the landlord commenced
religious conversation, by the inquiry, "Are
you processing man, stranger The
question was propounded in novel lorm,
and did not convey TO the mind of the mis-
sionary exactly the idea intended. "You
looked mighty skeercd when found you in
the prairie reckon you was sort o lost
Still the replies were vague and con
fused, until the owner of the cabin struck
up the iavorite hymn of Wesley
i ga charge to keep have,
A God TO gIorify.