Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1853-08-10
Original 5tutg.
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Written for the Spirit Of the Age.
THE LONELY HU T;
A Tale of Indian Schemes
AND THE EVILS OF THE FIRE WATER.
BY wM. NJ. TURNER.
CHAPTER ".

CHAglEH lN.
The wagon and its occupants were IN the
middle Of the dark and lonely wood, and moth
ing could be heard from them except the
slight jngling Of the harness, as the horses
impatienty and restlessly shook their heads /;
and even this was drowned to distant ears
by the bowling storm which had now set in
with all its fury. The mother and daughter
still beaved up psobs of anguish, which sound
ed strangely discordant with the hoarse and
nasal notes which issued from the olfactory
Of the intoxicated and sleeping piece of hu-
manity that lay in the wagon, enticed by
the willy god Bacchus to come within reach
of the arms Of Morpheus. The fears of the
females about the savages were being quie-
ted, and even the volatile and devil may care
Biddy, was fixing herself for a comfortable
snooze, whea all at once her drowsiness was
dispelled, and Somnus took immediate de-
parture from that inhospitable land. Biddy,
for want Of better precaution, had kept the
reins in her hands, and the least motion OF
the horses would arouse her.
Suddenly she felt the reins slacken, and
then be as quickly drawn taut. She straight
ened up, and with sleepy what are ye
about Milky, my darling? 7? was again about
to try aud gain little sleep, when hOr ears
were saluted with the awe-inspirng and
blood.thirsty warwhoop, which seemed to is
sue from the Internal throats of legion of
savages Instantly the horses were seized
and jerked violently backward, and in a
much less shorter space than is taken to re-
cord it, innumerable lights were glanciEg to
and fro, thro' the entire wood, apparently.
Directly the glare, from the numerous torch
es, spread its light over the road, betrayng
the position Of the wagon, and with another
wild whOop of demon-like satisfaction, the
whole horde of Indians with one single i'm.
pulse sped toward that spot with the speed
Of lightning.
Biddy, as soon as the horses were SC
roughly used, arose, and creeping with the
cautiousness of q cat out on the tongue, bu.
ried knife up to the hilt in the side of q
savage who was standing in front of one ol
the horses, and about toinhcta death wound
on the animal. He had already put one Of
them in such a condition, by cutting the ju
gular vein, and he was rapidly sinking. The
and fatal, that the red skin had not time t
utter a cry before he was in the throes o
death Bddy had gotten in the wagon a
gain, satisfied that her arm had done its duty
but so soon as the light shone on the wagon
she seized the gun and again ran out on th'
tongue, and sheltering herself behind thC
beast that was not injured, she levelled tn,
trusty irelock on the advancing Indians, will
the determination of an Amazon. Begor
ra, and you had better be coming to
halt, sure ye had. It's my own self, Bidd
McCarrol, that tells ye 50. So clare out
you nasty, sneaking ripscillious varmints
red nggas, and the dell himself don't knoV
what for eff you don't some Of yell be al
ter swallowing dose of ofmedicine which yeI
not like, by jabers.'
1t was very evident that the savages wer
astOnshed, and twas equally true that the
did not understand word that they ha
hoard but actions speak louder than words, fo
they seemingly knew the purport Of Biddy'
speech, as they came to dead halt. ID
rectly the whole body stopped, the olde
chiefs gathered around two athletic youn
warriors and engaged in apparently earnes
conversation. AS soon as the confab VIZ
ended, the two young warriors immediatel
turned about and sprang forward at IL
same time toward the wagon. When the
had gotten within fifteen PAGES of their oil
ject, one of them suddenly halted, drew
tomahawk from his belt, and whirling it
round his head several times, threw it wi
all his might at the head Of the brave Iri
Bddy, who just had time to stoop and Il
whirring hatchet passed over her head, bar
ly missing it, and shavinga part ofthe horse
name buried itself deep in the front of t
WAGON! That was the last act he ever d
of his own accord, for Bildy, cooking h
gun, arose quickly and sent ball throu
his body. lie sprang some feet in the q
as the echo of the gun ran through the woo
and fell fOrward-a corpse The 9th
when he saw what destruction Biddy's g
carried with it, instantly made hasty
treat toward the rest of the horde who h
stood astonished spectators of Biddy's col
age, but was overtaken by the contents
the other barrel of Biddy's faithful pei
and was soon gone whence there is no
turning
Nothing could exceed the rage of the So
ages, at the death of another of their brav
warriors. Immediately score ofbows we
bent and the shaft drawn back even to t
ear, to drive it through the heart Of the bc
perpetralor Of these acts Of courage, a
pointed with murdorous intent. Sur,
Bddy was in a tight place now Bat
what stays the savage hand ? what eau
them to grow pale and peer into the prev,
ing darkness beyond tue wagon ? The
sounding clatter of horses feet as if be
laid down as fast as possible, echoed fl
down the path, and soon a we'll dischar.
fire from the approaching party. threw
ror, death and dismay into the serried ra
of the Indians and before the smoke CO
we'll clear away, two young men sped sv
ly by the wagon and charged CALAMITY
the terror-stricken savages
God be praised, fervently eiacul;
the mother, who during all this time
stillin speechless terror Our prayers |
not been left unanswered. Alcora,