Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-06-11
Then the agitated mother ex-

claimed,
Hes lost! he's lost ! and my poor boy will
starve in the woods,
Gathering courage, she hastily summoned the
family around her, and dispatched them all but
her husband to search in different directions in
the neighborhood forest. To her husband she
said
Scour every field you call your own, and ifyou
can't find him, join me in the gorge
He wouldn't go in the gorge, Hannah
sHe would 90 anywhere
She knew not why, but a presentiment that
the boy had followed the course OF the stream
dwelt strongly upon her mind.
.Ican't find him Hannah said the husband,
as he joined her at the mouth of the gorge.
An eagle flew past the mother as she entered
the ravine, She thought to herself the dread
full birds are tearing my child topieces; and fran
tic, she hastened on, making the walls OF the ra-
vine echo back with her screams for her offspring
The only answer was the eternal thunder OF
the cataract, as if in mockery of her woe, as 1t
threw its cold spray upon her hot and throbblng
temples.
She strained her. eyes along the dizzy height,
that peered through the mist, till she could no
longer see, and her eyes filled with tears.
Who but mother can tell the feelings OF
mothers hearth Fear came thick and fast up
on the reeling brain of Hannah.
oh, my boy-my brave boy will die! and
wringing her hands in agony, she sank to her
husbands feet.
The pain of hope deferred had strained her
heart strings to the utmost tension, and it SEEM
ed as if the rude hand Of despair had broken
them all.
The terrified husband threw water upon her
pale face, and strove by all the arts he knew to
win her back to life. At last she opened her
languid eyes, started wildly around and rose
trembling to her feet. As she stood like a
heart-broken Niobe, all tears, fragrant of rock
came tumbling down the opposite bank. She
looked up. She was herself again; for half up
the ascent stood her own dear boy.
But even while the glad cry was issuing from
her lips, it turned into note Of horror.
'Oh, mercy-mercy!
The crag on which the boy stood projected
from the rock in such way as to hang above
twelve feet over the bank. Right below one of
the edges of this crag, partly concealed among
some bushes, crouched "a panther. The bold
youth was aware ofthe proximity of his parents,
and the presence of his dangerous enemy at ab-
out the same time.
He had rolled down the stone in exultation
to convince his parents of the high situation ne
had attained, and now stood with another in
his hand, drawing it back, and looking at them
as if to ask whether he should throw it at the
terrible animal before him. Till then the mother
seemed immoyable in her suspense; but consei-
GUS ofthe danger of her son, if he irritated the
beast, she rushed some distance up the rock and
mentioned with her hand that he should not
throw. Yet, with the fearless mind ofchildhood
and temper little used to control, he fearlesslV
threw the fragment with all his might at the
ferocious animal 1t struck one of his feet
He gave a sudden growl, lashed his tail with fu-
ry, and seemed about to spring.
Get your rife Josiah!
The poor man started not. His glazed eye
was fixed with look of death upon the panther,
and he appeared paralyzed with fear. His wife
leaped from the stand, and placing her hands
upon her husbands shoulder, looked in his face
and said,
Are you man, Josiah Eaton? Doyou love
your childp
He started as if from Sleep and ran with fu-
rous haste from the ravinc.
Again the mother looked towards her SON
He had fallen upon his knees, and whispered the
little prayers she had taught him, not in cow
ardly fear, but thonght came across his mind
that he must die The distracted mother could
keep still no longer. She rushed up the steep
ascent with the energy of despair reckless Of dan
ger, thinking only of her son. The rocks crum-
bled and slipped beneath her feet, yet she fell
not. On, on she struggled in her agony
The ferocious creature paused moment when
he heard the wretched mother approach. True
to his nature; he sprang at the boy. He barely
touched the crag and fell backward, as Hannah
ascended the'opposite side.
"Ahm said she, laughing delriously, "the
panther must try again before he parts u.s. my
boy; but we won't part" and sinking on her
knees before him, she fondly folded him to her
breast, bathing his young forehead with her
tears.
Unaterable in his ferocity and the manner
of gratifying it, the panther again sprang from
his situation. This time he was more success
full. His forefoot struck the edge of the crag
"He will kill us, mother he will kill us" and he
nestled close to his mothers bosom. The ami
NAL struggled to bring his body to the crag--
his savage features but step from the mothers
face
"Go away, go away" shrieked the mother
hoarse with horror, 'you shan't have my
child!'