The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-12-25

trunk.
1he harvest moon had now risen in all i
sPlendor, shedding glorious flood Of lisl
over the scene. The river seemed one be-
OF liquid silver. The fog was rising, and th
distant hills stealing out through their haz
azure mantle, seemed like gho,tIy sentinel
or mountains in dream-land. The nearer for
ests' as they seemed to Chamber up the stec
hIll-s'des, we're here tipped with silver, her
wrapped IN impenetEable gl.o.n A liul
ridge which ran out into the river from ON
end of the cove, giving it its peculiar shape
was crowned by bris,lin. array of youn
forest trees that stood out with strange di,
tinctness against the clear blue skv.
"Be still bay" said the old man, in whs
per, as the youth moved uneasily in his 20
stion. They will be here soon" All wa
still indeed. The river did make low. rim
ping, splashlng noise among the bushes tha
hung down into its waves, and an owl in ,
Hc'shborlng tree sent forth his long and mel
aachaiF hooting, but all else was calm anc
noiSecSs
Curse that owl" muttcrcd the old man
forgetting his own iniunc,ons. lit was ius
that way he hooted this night FIVE wear:
ago"
The young man shuddcred, as the tale of
horror he had listened to was thu, brouoht f.
his mind and made him reflect how soon the
same tate might fall upon his siste; and hi,
bride
A moment more and the low splash Of oar,
Is heard; another, and the boat swept rapidly
around the projecting point which formed
the upper end Of the cove, Ia the briab,
moonlight every figure was plainly di>cerna,
bic. In the stern sat small Indian. steer
lng,and occasionally >peakin. to the two rirI,
IN the middle of the boat. who with terrified
c"untcnaces. lay claspcd in each Others arms
as II for protection. In front stool tall and
magnificent looking fcllowin all the war fin
cry of an Indian Chief, with scalp-luck ftath-
erS, paint, and silver bracelets. He. foo
handled an oar. while his rifle Law at hi,
feet
y. tho boat came near enough for them tc
distinguish the features of those on boarI. tb,
Old man started a> If an adder had bitten
him.
BY Heavens. It's the Black Wolf, thank
God, the hour is come, Don't move" he
whispered between his clcnched teeth, until
| say :hc word; then fire at the smaller H.
dian
4 The youth i.'lt excited ai>.. hui l., a strong
effort. Iurlling their emotions. the two Law
motionlr>> As statues. while the polished tubes
of their rifles CLEANED like fire in the moon
light.
Tho boat strikes the shore The Chief
steps out and orders the girls 10 follow him :
but insenslble with grief and fear they nci
Iher hear nor heed his command. The small
er Indian, enrased at their obstnarv. rises
with an oath. and stepping forward. clutches
Mary by the arm, as if TO pull her from her
seat. The hunter Tan contain himself no
longer. \ quick, clear report rings out upon
the air, and the smaller Indian. with a single
cry. leaps up and falls dead in the boat The
old hunter, taken hy surprise, fires hurriedlv,
and half smothcrcI groan from the Chirt.
as he springs back into the boat. tell. that he
is wounded, but not mortallv He srizeS an
oar and pushes the boat from the land. Quick
as thought, with bound like that of tigrcsS
robbed Of her young. and terrible shout of
vengeance. the hunter has sprung into the
boat, and grappled with his last and most
deadly enemy,
But the warrior, though wounded, is not
conquered. The long keen blade of an In
dian scalping knife CLEANS an instant in the
moonlisht-the next, il finds a sheath in the
hunters breast RQt there is no time for a
second bow-lhe hands of the Ayenger are
at the Chiettain's throat The crv of Blood
for blood" rings in his ears The boat rock :
with the terrible struggle. They tot,er, they
fall with heavy splash, and 20 down in the
terrible embrace of death. \ sullen wave. a
few bubbles, and the dark waters oi the uhi.,
roll over the Hunter and his Indian foe
Such was the Hunters Rerenye.
And we've their bodies never found" |
inquired, when the old man had tini.hcd his
story.
"leS, long years afterward, when the wa
ters were unusually low.in bed of driftwood.
which must have lain upon the bottom for
half century, two skeleton forms were found
10y fisherman, still locked in last embrace
They have been buried upon the summit of
the hill, where QEce stood the Hunters hut,
and there they rspase. side by side"
And the youag Huntcr-what as aIm? ?"
81 am he, and there is his Young bride, =
and he pointed with a smile to the gravhaired
matron, in the opposite chimney, orner.
l looked up and sas the eyes Of TIE old
couple filled with tears.
Gel Porters New Rife
We had the pleasure of visit, Yesterday,
from Col. David Looney, of Memphis Ten.
nessee, who showed us a new rifle. invented
hr Col. Porter Of Trnnesscn II is mn ol