The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-06-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
The boy nlRd the Panther.
A WILD WESTERN SCENE.


1t was u fine morning in August,
when little Samuel Eaton, about
seven years old, was making a dam
in the brook that run before his fa-
ther's door. He was an only and
beautiful child, and his mother, al.
most idolized him. There he was
with his trowsers tucked up above
his knees, working like a beaver, his
mothers eye glancing out from be-
meath his sunburnt hair, and with
some of his fathers strength, tug.
ging at large stone in the bed Of
the stream.
Samuel, you had better come in,
hadn't you 2 said Hannah, in tone
Of half mother and half mate.
No, l guess not, said Samuel.
An acorn came floating down the
stream. The boy took it up, looked
at it, was pleased, and 'reckoncd' in
his mind that there were more up the
gully and when his mothers back
was turned, off he started for the
acorns.
The gorge of the mountain into
which he was about to enter, had
been formed (the work of centuries)
by the attrition of the stream he had
just been playing in: and walking on
a level that bordercd each side of
the water, he boldly entered the
ravine. An almost perpendicular
wall or bank ascended on each side
to the height of hundred feet, com.
posed of rocks and crags, fretted by
decay and storm into fantastic shapes
and positions. A few scattered bush.
es and trees sought nourishment from
the earth that had fallen from the
!svcl above, and excepting their as
slstance, and the unseen surface of
the rock. this natural part seemed
,staccessible Sut to y. beast.--.--
About the eighth of a mile from the
entrance a cataract closed the gorge,
throwing up its white veil of mist in
seeming guardianship Of the spirit
waters. The vegiant bonghs hang
ing over the bank cast deep gloom
upon the bed below, while so lofty
was the distance, they seemed to
grow up to the sky. Blue patches
of water we're to be seen peeping be-
tween them.
Hannah soon missed her boy, but
as he had often wandered to the fields
where his father was at work, she
concluded he must be there, and
checked coming fears with the hope
that nc would return at the hour of
dinner. When it came, neither 10.
siah nor any Of his men knew where
he was. Then the agitated mother
exclaimed,
Hes lost! he's lost and nv
poor boy will starvc in the woods =
Gathering courage, she hastily
summoned the family around her,
and dispatched them all but her hus.
band to search in different directions
in the neighcorhood forest. 10 her
husband she said
Scour every field you call your
own, and if you can't find him, Join
me in the gorge
'lle wouldn't 60 in the gorge,
Hannah.
He would 50 anywhere
She knew not why, but a PRESENT..
mcnt that the boy had followed the
course Of the stream dwelt strongly
upon her mind.
i can'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 dreadful birds are
tearing my child to pieces; and fran.
tic, she FASTENED on, making the
walls of the ravine echo back with
her screams for her offspring.
The only answer was the eternal
thuiider OF the cataract, as if in
mockery of her woe, rs it threw it's
cold spray upon her hot and throb-
bing temples.
She trained her eyes along the
dizzy height, that peercd through the
mist, till she could no longer sec, and
her eyes filed with tears.
Who but mother can tell the feel
lngs of n mothers heart? 2 Fear
came thick and fast upon the reeling
brain of Hannah.
'oh, my boy--my brave boy will
die and wringing her hands in ago.
ny, she sank at her husbands feet.
The pain of 'hope DEFERRED had
strained her heart strings to the ut.
most tension, and it seemed as if the
rude :, hand Of despair had broken
them all.
The terrified husband threw water