New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-06-09
NUN BER 80


oxen from the field.
The moment he entered the shanty he went .
M to the bed which contained his sick children,
and satisfied that the fever was abatng, he
looked round for his supper, surprised that 1t
was not, as usual, ready for him upon the table
No water" he cried, 90 in the cask, and sup
per not ready After working all dag in the
burning sun, n man wants to have things made
comfortable for him at night. Mrs. winches-
ter, are you here Where is my wife" IL
':Merciful goodness p" exclaimed the old
woman, turning as pale as DEATH sis she not
back from the wels"
"The we'll! !" cried Steel, grasping her arm
" How long has she been gone:"
'This half hour, or more"
| Steel made no answer : his cheek was as pale |
as her own--and, taking his gun from the beam
to which it was slung, he carefully loaded it
with a ball, and, without saying word, left |
the house.
Day still fingered upon the open prairie, hut
the moment he entered the bush it was deep
night He had crossed the plain with rapid
strides, but as he approached the swamp his
step became slow and cautious The well was
in the centre Of jungle, from the front OF which
Richard had cleared away the brush 10 facih-
tate their access 10 the water; as he drew near
the spot, his ears were chilled by a low, deep
growing. and the crunching Of teeth, as if some
wild animal was devouring the bones of its prey
The dreadful truth, with all its shocking, heart
revolving reality, flashed upon the yeoman, and
for moment paralyzed him. The precincts OF
the well were within range Of his rifle, and
dropping down upon his hand and knees, and
+ nerving his arm for clear aim, he directed his
, gaze TO the spot from whence the fatal sounds
proceeded A little on one side Of the we'll,
r pair of luminous eyes glared like green lamIs
i at the edge Of the dark wood, and the horrid
e sounds which curdled the blood Of the yeoman
d became more distinctly audible.
v Slowly Steel raised his rife to his shoulder.
y and setting his teeth, and holding his breath,
e. he steadily aimed at space between these glow
d ing balls Of fire. The sharp report Of the rf"
le awoke the far echoes of the forest. The deer
Al leaped up from his lair, the wolf howled and
N fed into the depths of the wood, and the pan
ther, for such it was, sprang several feet int
E. the air, then fell across the mangled remains o
is his victim.
lie Richard Steel rose from the ground; the per
if spiration was streaming from his brow; hi
he limbs trembled and shook, his lips moved con
Ill yulsively, and he pressed his hands upon hi
heaving breast to keep down the violent throb
be biugs Of his agitated heart 1t was not fea
to that chained him to the spot, and hindered hin
i. from approaching his dead enemy. Il was hor
or ror He dared not look upon the mangled re
ad mains of his wife the dear partner of his JOY
TO and sorrows-the companion uf his boyhood
he the love Of his youth--the friend and counselo
ne of his middle age--the beloved mother of h
ed children How could he recognize in tina
on crushed and defled heap his poor jane Th
en- pang was too great for agonzed mind to beal
i'd Sense and sight alike forsook him, and, staggei
a. ing q few PAGES forward. he fell insensible acro'
nd the path.
Alarmed bv the report of the rifle, AtkiI
all and his sons proceeded with torches to the spo
N followed by Abigail, who, unconscious OF II
ted extent of the calamity, was yet sufhcien'y COZ
on- vinced that something dreadful had occurre
not When the full horrors of the scene were pr
~ l. g &l,at trra al-ny
a their .rief burst forth in tears and lamentation
his Atkins alone retained his presence OF mn
he Dragging the pauth,r from the manged 7
sit. mains of the unfortunate Mrs. Steel, he bee
ing oned to one Of his sons, and suggested to h
ling the propriety of instantly buryIpg the dist
tent llred and mutiated body before the feelings
ire her husband and children we're agonized by
the sight.
hat First removing the insensible husband to
fore own dwelling, Atkins and his sons returned
as the fatal spot, and conveying the body to
the edge of the prairie, they selected quite lCT'
,use spot beneath the wde-spt eading boughS o.
self magnificent chesnut tree and wrapping all II
her remained of the wife of Richard Steel in she
they committed it to the earth in solemn siieb,
ked nor were prayers or tears wanting In that lol
,pty ly hour to consecrate the nameless grave VIII
for the English mother slept.
Annie and Richard recovered to mourn til
said irreparable loss-to feel that their mothers
cam had been sacllnced TO her maternai love. III
as it ever does, sottened the deep anguish OF
ried bereaved husband. During the ensuing 81
mu- mer. their little colony was Joined by ha
st - band of British and American pioneers.
,tion little settlement grew populous village,
Richard Steel died wealthy man. and
his buried by the side Of his wife, in the centr
arty the village churchyard-tha spot naVlng
ions chosen for the first temple in which the {
tal- grants met to worship in His own house the
lin it of their fathers.