The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-06-03

Tile ana wandering trlDe OF INDIANS APP
preached the humble, but hitherto COM
paratively quiet dwelling of those
lonely settlers. The mother and her
little daughter Of seven years were en-
ployed in the house, while the father
and son, who was then about ten years
of age, were gathering wood short dis
tance from his dwelling. The father,
leaving his little boy engaged in picking
sticks, went with his arms full of wood
to the house, and had no sooner cached
it, than he saw his hostile foes coming
up and standing almost directly between
him and his SON. He called to him, and
thought at first to run to his protection,
but saw on moments reflection, that
by cndeavoring to save his life, he would
endanger his own, (for already several
arrows were pointed at him. and put
it out of his power to protect his wife
and daughter, who were alarmed almost
to fainting in the house. The only
alternative left him was to fee to the
house, and prepare to defend them there.
The Indians now gave horrid yell, and
attempted by every means in their power
to enter; but the father was enabled to
beat them back until his wife had loaded
one or two muskets, which were imme-
diately discharged upon them with good
effect. The contest was continued for
about half an hour, the wife loading AMI
the husband firing the guns when the
Indians, finding their attempts to enter
the house fruitless, and that powder and
balls were more fatal in their effect than
their own weapons, they took their de-
parture, and such of them as were able,
yelling most hideously. The night
passed but the fear of the Indians and
the thought that their child might be
already suffering the most cruel tortures,
prevented the parents, as may well be
supposed, from receiving one moments
rest. The morning dawned, and six In
dians were seen lying dead on the ground
near the house. The brave hunter had
not fought without carrying sorrow to
the bosom of his enemies, though he
snf'arad the loss, rs he believed forever,
of his little Charles, whom the Indians
he well knew would preserve only to
torment He ventured out and imme-
diately saw at short distance from the
house, another Indian, who, from his
he judged had been wound
ed. In his wrath he approached and
would have dispatched him at once, had
not the Indian, in a most heart-touching
manner, begged to be spared, Offering,
at the same time, as an inducement to
the hunter to let him live, to prevent
the life Of his son being destroyed, and
return him safe to his parents. On his
promise to do this, he was taken into
the house, and little attention to his
wounds enabled him to follow his savage
comrades. rrl ar
Years passed away, but no son
came. The hunter now felt that he had
been deceived, and regretted that he
had not dispatched the savage at blow.
Ten years had now already elapsed, and
all hopes of ever seeing Charles had long
since been abandoned. The mother
had made herself, in appearance and
feeling, old and almost helpless by grief
and mourning, and Ellenor, her daugh-
ter, was in the last stage Of consumption,
partly from the same cause, and from
seeing an affectionate mother sinking so
rapidly. She could remember her little
brother and how he looked before the
savages came and took him away. Her
thoughts were ever upon him.
"Ellenor died while yet in her sew
enteenth year, and was buried in spot
selected by herself, near large oak tree
by the house /; under whose shades she
used often to sport with her dear broth
er, and where, in the summer hours
when deprived of his presence, she had
frequently rcsortcd for contemplation
and study.
"The parents were now left entirely
alone, and few inducements to make
even life itself desirable. Their only
daughter had died in autumn, and a
freezing and dreary winter was at hand.
cit was severe cold night in the
month of December, and the moon shone
upon the snow bright and full almost as
the sun itself, when two men were seem
approaching the dwelling house of this
lonely settler. They walked up to the
house and kindly asked admittance.
Supposing them to be Indians belonging
to some friendly tribe near by, who
wished to warm and rest themselves,
they were, without hcsitancy, permitted
10 enter.