The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1852-03-17

wafer. he boldly enterrd use fsrine. Al
almost perpendseulzr wall o. bank ascend
ed on zach side. 10 ilss heixhl Of hun
died leei. composed Of rocks snd crsg,
ireissd By decay and Storm into fsnlsslir
shape and posilion. A isw scattered
buslrs and Trees sought nosrishmeni IRON
lbe earth that had fsIIen hom she level
abose. and creeping their sssisssnes and
the unseen surface of The rock, this natural
part ssemed insccessible. hul 10 bird
and bsssi. About ihe righih Of . mile
from the entrance . cataract closed the
gorge. throwing up iis white veil Of mist
in seeming guardianship af lhe spirit ~s-
iers. The serdant boughs hanging over
the bsak. east deep gloom upon the bed
below. while 90 lofty was the dislsnce.
they seemed In grow out Of the sky; blue
pslches Of wafer we're 10 bs seen peeping
between them. Af
Hannah Eaton soon missed her boy.
but a. he had ofien wandered 10 the fields
where his faihcr vas n work. she con-
elnded he must be there. and checked
coming fears with the hope that he would
return ai she hour Of dinner. When he
came. Joseph nor any Of his men knew
where he was. Then The agilsled mother
exrlzimed. ..He's lost he's los, and my
poor boy will Stare in The woods -
Gs.hering courage. she hastily summoned
the family around her. aud despatched
them all. hut her husband. TO search in
d,iIereu, directions in the neighboring for
est. To him she said. .scour every field
you call your own. and if you can't find
him. join me in The gorge"
He woulda', 60 TO the gorge. Han
NAH"
/. lie would 60 anywhere" She knew
not why, but a prerenlineni that the boy
had followed The course Of The stream.
dwelt stronger upon her mind.
cant find him, Hannah" said the
husband. a. he joined her .. the mouth Of
the gorge.
An esgle few past the mother a. she
entered the ravine. She thought to her
self. The dreadful birds are tearing my
ehildto pieces. and frantic. she hasiened on.
making the walls of the cavern echo back
with her screams for her offspring. lleI
only answer was the eternal thunder OF
the cataract. an II in mockery Of woe !;
and flinging its cold spray upon her h o,
snd throbbing temples. . Fool that sm
how can he hear me I" She strained her
eyes along the dizzy height. ,ha, peered
through the mist, iill she could no longer
see. and her eyes filled with tears.
Who but a mother can tell the feelings
Of nollier's heart! Fear comes thick
and fas, upon The reelng brain of Hannah.
.OlI, my boy-my brave boy will die -
, and wringing her hands in sgony, sank
10 her husbands feet.
The pain Of .hope DEFERRED had
strained her heartstrings 10 The utmost
tension, and seemed as il the rude hand
Of despair had broken them all.
The terrified husband threw water upon
her pale face, and sirove by all The arts he
, knew 10 win her back to life. At las,
rhe opened her languid eyes. started wild.
ly around and rose trembling to her feet.
As she stood like heart. broken Niobe,
call tears" a fragment Of rock came tumb.
ling down the Opposite bank. She look.
edup. She was herself again, for half up
The ascent stood her own dear boy.
But even while The glad cry was issu.
| ing from her lips, il turned into note oI
horror" Oh, mcrcy-mercy! !"
The crag on which the boy stood pro-
jec,ed from the solid rock in such a way
as 70 hang about twelve fee, over the
bank. Righ, below one Of The edges o
this crag. partly concealed among som.
bushes. crouched panther.
The bold youth was aware Of the prox
unity Of his parents and the presence o
his dangerous enemy At sbou, The sam,
time. lie had rolled down the stone il
exul.ation, to convince his parents Of tn,
| high station he had attained, and he nov
stood with another in bis hand drawing
back, and looking Al them, az il to asI
whether he should throw il ., The terribl,
animal before him. Till then the moihe
seemed immovable in her suspense, bu
conscious Of The danger Of her son, if h,
irritated the beast, she rushed some dis
tance up The rock and moiioned with he
head and hand that he ehould no, throw
Yet, with the fearless mind Of child
hood and temper little used to contro
he learlessIy threw the fragmen, with d
bis might. al the ferocious savage.
struck one Of bis feet. lie gave sudde
growl. lashsd bis tail with fury, an
seemed abon. TO spring.
i "Gst your rife, Josiah !" The poo
man stirred not. His glazed eye wa
6xed with look Of death upon The pan
,her. and be appeared paralyzed with feal
His wife leaped from her stand. and pls
cling her hands upon her husbands shou
. ders, looked in bis face ard cried, Ar
you man, Josiah Eaton i-Do you lov
your child r. He started as if fror
slsep. and ran with furious haste from IN
ravine.
II Again The mother looked towards he
. son. He had fallen upon his knees. an
! was whispering the lillle prayers she ha