Demoine courier., 1855-09-20
MISCELLANY.
THE
INDIANS MEN
naI No t."
py MRS. CAROLINE A. souLE.

90 gVTs-
was late in the month Of November.
bTfhe day had been cold ard gusiy, with
occasional da.hes Of rain, and the ever.
ing, whiclrs SET in early. promised to be
one Of gloom aud tempest. The wind
went rushing abuu, with tha, low. mourn
ful howl Which is known only in the
autumn time, flashing The naked boughs
OF The old iores, trees with lis furious
su.ges, whirling the dead leaves which
lay heaped in The dark ravines in'n the
ma.eslrom eddies. and driving every thing
before il with violence that made them
only too glad TO flee. The clouds, which
had hung in scattered masses while the
iivid sun seht its Struggling beams amorg
them, gathered themselves into a single
mighty one and shrouded the heavens as
with a pail. threatening every moment TO
burst into DIR. nching floods.
God pity the homeless tonight ex.
claimed ayeung man in an emphatic
.one. as pushing open The rude doof CT
his log cabin, he dragged in the old back
log that was 10 warm The rough hearth
stone and irradia.e the blown rafiers
through the long aud cherries hours oil
the storm. God pity them and help
them too, for a cold weary time they II
have. irust no one wanders 10 night
in this wilderness; though Yes, one there
should be. I'll do what, l car to give them
a beacon light" and even while he spoke,
he planted The huge, kno,ty slick into a
bed OF crimson Goals, and flleG the space
between il and the iron fire holders with
a generous armful Of light, dry klndllng,
which soon burst into a brilliant blaze,
not only catering ligh, and heat ACROSS
the dim apartment. but sending a stream
of moonllke ray 8 through the tinny win
dows. tina, went dancing like a thing Of
life through the ou,er darkness ill II was
lost in HE MIS- Of the uuracked Tor
est.
.rhore." said lie warm hearted woods
man, as he watched the sky bound sparks
and The contiguous glcw. live done my
part towards leading them TO a home, II
any there eabroad and wandering, and
now III erjoy it..myseli;" and he drew
his seat To the homely board on ahicb
smoked a hunters fdrt--steaks from the
Wild deer. a stew Ct birds which he had
sho, lille standing in the door OF the cab
in. and cakes of powdered carn, nicaly
baked and Drowned on a clean corner 81
the rough hearth. A rel.sliiog meal n
was, toa, Cor the hands If The gentle aud
loving wife had cooked tall, ard honest,
sturdy toll had awakened that keen zesl
Tor food which The idle never know.
"A supper ii, % / n.y. sa: h, as e
returned IL his cosey place before tho fire.
Nv shan't starre yet awhile. Mols-
no, while there are birds IN t.e trees and
game in the woods. aud strength m these
brawny arms. Only keeo a warm hope
IA your heart lr,ie wife. aad our home
will yet be a oonny spot" And then he
folded his hands on his bosom aud bent
his head, aud seemed TO be reading bright
~fancies in the warm freight. And when
her light evening chores were done up,
his wife drew her seal close beside. aud
as we are all wont on such nights, when
The hearlhsione beams, the two warmed
their young memories and strengthened
the pinions Of hope. Aud the evening
sped on. wildly aud awfuily without. bu,
calmly on beautifully within. by the side
Of the blazing FIRE, whose streaming light
was the only .tar that cleaned in tina,
dim old forest.
We'll keep The fire up all night. and
DIS briph, as we can too" said The brave
pioneer. as. ere he leaped into. the bed,
instead Of raking The Goals. he threw on
a fresh bundle oil splints; otis too awful a
nigh. for me TO sleep sound. and may
as we'll tend il as moi. God help them
tina; roam, il any there be, AND guide
them ihis way. |. shall never be said
tia: | darkened my fire in a nightl like
this"
0hce or twice did he rouse himself
from The slumber that in spite Of his awe
Of The storm would steal over his senses,
and renew the blaze tha, was dying a.
way, but as the rain ceased its dashins
and fell only on the rough roof with
lullaby tone, and the wind hushed ils
howls and only moaned in a weary Ike
way, he suffered himself to sink in tina
calm. deep sleep which only tc
those who have labored with hands ;ha
were clean sad hearts tina, were pure.
An hour or two passed on. anc $ dll h,
slept. and the blazing brands died in III,
aches, aad The old back log. cleft with 'h'
evenings flame, dropped slowly lis Grim
son fakes, gi,ing out nc longer a brill
ant fash, bu, oply a steady ruddy glare
Just then footsore, wearied and sick
there leaned against The rough door
poor Indian hunler, a brave and RICH
roya al descendant Of those red men who
ere the pioneer girdled his trees, wa
king Of this wide OLD wood. Many
long. weary mile had lie travelled sine
dawn, and when the dark nigh, sstin 5,
stormy and cold, he had drawn his tori
bIanke, about him and sought only TO in'
in he grove some hollow in which to III
down and chant The death hymn that Ia,
rung all day IN his ears. long time h
wandered. ~en:angling himself yet deep
er in .he intricate windings Of The dens
old wood. But JUS. when his fee. lag
ged most and his heart was sorest.
, l.-- f>- H. ,~~I-.~s. Ca ~ ~. c.s