The Santa Fe weekly gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.T. [i.e. N.M.]) 1851-1854, 1853-01-08

The gorge OF the mountain into which
he was about to enter formed the work
of centuries) by the attrition of the
stream he had been playing in; and
walking on level that bordered 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, composed of
rocks and crags, freted by decay and
storm into fantastic forms and positions,
A few scattered bushes and trees sought
nourishment from the earth that had
fallen from the level above, and excep-
ting their assistance, and the unseen
surface of the rock, this natural part
seemed inaccessible but to bird and
beast. About an eighth of a mile from
the entrance cataract closed the gorge,
throwing up its white vail of mist in
seeming guardianship of the spirit wa
ters. The verdant boughs hanging over
the bank cast deep gloom upon the
bed below, while so lofty was the dis
tance, they seemed to grow up to the
sky. Blue patches of water were to be
seen peeping between them.
Hannah soon missed her boy, but as
he had often wandered TO the fields
where his father was At work, she CON
cluded he must be there, and checked
coming fears with the liope that he would
return at the hour of dinner. When it
came, neither Josiah nor any of his men
knew where he was. The agitated mo-
th4r exclaimed,
'He's lost! he's lost! and my poor boy
will starve in the woodSp
Gathering courage, she hastily sum-
moned the family around her, and des-
patched them all, but her husband, to
search in different directions in the
neighboring forest. To her husband she
said,
'Scour every field you call your own,
and you can't find him, join me in the
gorge
'He wouldn't go in the gorge, Han
nah.'
'He woulL. go anywhere
She knew not why, but PRESENT.
ment that her boy had followed the
course of the stream dwelt strongly upon
her mind.
q 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 thoughtto her
self the dreadful birds are tearing my
child to pieces; and frantic, she hasten
ed on, making the walls of the ravine
echo back with her screams for her off
spring.
The only answer was the eternal thun.
der of the cataract, as if in mockery Of
her woe, as it threw its cold spray upon
her hot and throbbing temples.
She strained her eyes along the dizzy
height that peeped through the mist till
she could no longer see, and her eyes
filled with tears.
Who but mother can tell the feel
ings of a mothers heart? Fear came
thick and fast upon the reeling brain ol
Hannah.
%, my boy-my brave boy will die!'
and wringing her hands in agony, she
sunk at her husbands feet.
The pain of 'hope deferred had slrai.
ned her heart-stringS to the utmost ten
sion, and it seemed as if the rude hand
of despair had broken them all.
The terrified husband threw water
upon her pale face, and strived by al
the arts he knew to win her back to life
At last she opened her languid eyes
stared wildly around and rose tremling
to her feet. As she stood like a heart
broken Niobe, 'all tears a fragment Of
rock came tumblng down the opposite
bank, She looked up. She was her
self again; for half up the ascent stooc
her own dear boy.
But even when the glad cry was is
suing from her lips, it turned into a note
of horror.
20, mercy-mercyp
The crag on which the boy stood pro
iected from the rock in such way al
to hang abouttwelve feet over the bank
Right below the edge of this crag
partly concealed by some bushes, crou'
ched a panther. The bold youth wa
aware Of the proximity of his parents
and the presence of his dangerous enc
my at about the same time.
He had rolled down the stone in exul