The Ohio organ, of the temperance reform. (Cincinnati, [Ohio]) 1853-1854, 1853-11-11

was doubtless the Saule ielloW InaC
had ESCAPED at the time had been |
fired on. He had discovered my re-
treat and was about to revenge him
self in a singular manner.
The wind was blowing fresh to-
ward me, and il the grass had been
set on fire, no power on earth could
have saved me, for the fleetest horse
could not run fast enough to escape
its deyouring flames. Aterrible dread
Of that kind Of death came over me.
| stood like one fascinated, and gazed
at the preparations Of the savage
He stood in the middle Of the open
space he had made, with blazing
torch in his hand. Innumerable
thoughts rushed through my mind In
an instant Of time. was never so
completely paralyzed and stuPefed
before in my life. The power OF
thought seemed to be the only power
left me, and that was stimulated to an
unnatural degree. The past, present,
and future were reviewed and specu-
lated upon in that brief and broken
fragment of time in which the savage
stood waiting for the brand to burn
more brightly before he thrust it in
the grass.
sYee NV DESTINY was to be burned.
Some hunter or traveller would find
my body charred or blackened; and
others, after a time, would pass my
bones bleaching in the sun,
4 shuddered; my eyes felt hot; my
throat dry, and l imagined that | felt
the flames creeping over me. II 1t
had been a danger that l could have
battled with, or if | could have seen
any chance of escape depending upon
my own exertions, it would have been
different; but now all that could do
was to stand and stare the most dread
full of all deaths in the face.
you must remember that all these
ideas and reflections run through my
mind in the shortest appreciabIe space
of time; for you must know that the
sudden prospects Of great danger,
from which there is noapparent mode
of escape, impart to the brain hor-
rible faculty of thought, Of which the
mind at ease can form no possible con-
ception.
i closed my eyes in prayer, and
commended my soul to God; but it
was impossible for me to close my
eyes against the one great and alb
sorbing idea in my mind-that Of be-
ing burnt up like vile reptile that
crawls in the weeds.
MY lips Enclosed, and, as they did
SO, my eyes rested upon my rusty
/ rife; it was the first time | had thought
Of it, for the distance was great be-
tween me and the enemy; but now
it looked like an old friend, the only
one that had the power to save me.
i embraced the thought that the
sight of my rifle called up-a species
of joy which is nearly overpowered
by an agonizing feeling.
'One chance still remained-a small
chance it was true, but still a chance;
and despair cannot paralyze and sub
due the heart. while even one faint
hope remains. lifted the instrument
/ upon which hung my destiny. As my
/ glance ran over the intervening dis
tance, | felt how desperate indeed was
my prospect of life, for hundred
good marksmen might try their skill
in vain, in aiming at an object SO far
off. Then | remembered that my
weapon was of uncommon calibre and
weight, and would throw a ball further
than any Ihad ever seen. recollect-
ed also that l had loaded it that very
day with uncommon care, and for a
long shot.
| The Indian moved the torch, and
was about to apply it to'the con. bus
tible material; there was no time to