The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-25
CHAPrER II

MIDNIGHT DEPARTURE
4 little before mdnig0 az OF the day the s.of.
opens; party Of eight persona four OF either SEX ver
slowly and silently moving across mall opening 10 me
right bank Of the Nsumee where = ciumsiy butt barge
OF mddlIg 2e. 10 shoe. Seven OF tnis
pary Of eight were laden with different household Ar
DINERS OF similar character WHICH bad been prosiousy
brought on To the ooRt nom their dwepg aud peing
wan collected on board and having 9th them al iney
inen ded taxing from her deserted they forth with
Iocsed the boat and pushed middle Of the
stream, where for the time being allowed 10 Goat
quietly down on the bosom OF The current.
his party as the reader has doubtless copiectured
consisted OF young hero, Eoen sIsnorth, and his
sther mo.hei sster, uncle and aunt and Mabel Duncan
Ravirs fosted short distasce the stream, Eden
ed The boat should be brought 10 anchor some he
dss nee from The Shore and that enc should remain On
the watch TIL mOrDingwhen, should there be no signs
hatian,s above which, their to effect their
safety, our voysgers neglected to do at first. II
~ take shame 10 my self said Eden . Whisper for
wss not deemed prudent to speak loud tome, lest
lurhh envy might hear the souDo, and 80 be attract
to their place Of corcesment: take shame 70 my
sell that did ride Major spocrds and give MIN
Warning so that be might convey he news 10 the nex
and ,bus spread the evil nanss and put all on their
guard"
III ought to have been DONE Edec" replied his father
land Y i can be done without too great risE, We
mustn't neglect II In the morning"
.if you think best, father, attend 70 tonigb"
mo, my son, no; you've done enough to need rest.
the bare grouEd Go and lie 90 Al once and trust
your uIcie Ames TO watch the boat"
Eden did not require much urging 10 induce Eim 70
seek rest Ter the night; and rpeaki,g few quoting
words 10 his mother sister aunt and Aable-a OF whom
were more or lees nervous and rxcitedhe threw him
self down on loose pile Of bedding, and Vas soon fast
asleep.
Not so the Others who were not faigued ~ Eden,
and upon whom the exciting aews proc uced enec.
calculated TO bapsh sleep Tor several hours AZ the re-
ques Of David Stanwovth the a,her of Eden who had
been for years an invalid and whose constitution
broken and impaired TO render him unable 70 bear
any great fatigue they all repaired TO their pces Of rest
where they conversed in whispers for long time con-
ecturink as 10 the future and ng Of
the past till each WAS prepared 10 hear Indian 10
every sound, or see one in every shadow, or In every
But as the night wo slowly away without presenting
IN tangible shape the objects Of their fears they all at
last gradually yielded to the requirements Of nature and
even Peleg White the most frightened OF the party,
fell into dose and began 70 dream
suddenly he started up with Wild, terrified shrek,
and dropping Gown his knees, and clasping hs head
with biz hands began to beg Tor his life In most pitul
manner His shrek 81 oused ell pares, and waS echoed
by the females who fully believed the Indians were upon
them and Tor lew min utes scene OF tho widest con-
"FooI p cried Amos s,snforsh, Peees guardian. who
reached him hrs-and who. Selling him by the collar OF
biz hunting rhri erked him to bis feet aud sboos him
Til all the teeth in his head ratified "Fool coward
what dye mean by making oil this here fuss for nohink
By this tine Pc,eg had become fairy awakened; and
a. be feared his guardian in anger almost much
did the iayaees themselves be sunk away without utter
But further sleep any parties after this was
out Of the question: and Eden Anoh-who at the nrst
sound Of alarm, had started up and grasped his rifle
ready 10 sell bis e dearly in defence Of those he loved
now turned his whole attention TO quoting the nervous
excitement OF the femalcs-sl OF whom, except Mabel
Dupcan were still trembling from their late fright and
spprehensons for the future
"Come, moiher--come, sunt--and you, Carrie am
astonshed you should permit such cowardly sskanapes
leleg White 10 brighten all out Of your Let
me entrest you 70 lie do~n and get what rest you
can for really do not think there any danger do
not think the Indians have reached this quarter yet
We ,hould have heard something Of them"
From what I've heard OF them, they generally move
abou. pretty quiet" replied the father.
"rnul they make an attack" said Eden. "and then
ahoct to night in this vicinity 1t IL quite likely they
would have attacked rome OF peighbors before this
and we should have heard their death signal
drawing his son ASIDE and speaking In low tone, which
reached DO ear bpt Edons feel strangely oppressed
with something IKE presenimeDt Of danger but keep
this TO yousel not word Of 70 the women folks or
sbsll have Bedsm again. There 10 Peieg
That boy ought to be gagged to keep him quiet and
L." my '"" comes 70 Is "''s0' '0'" 0'An' hin ''r
al never yet saw boaster that wss mot II heart .
coward" replied Eden "snd Peleg has often annoyed
by boasrg what he would do in he should ever
be so fortunate - to DO placed in position Of dapgern
This 10 very gloomy work, said the father sitting
here In this old boat the river dark night watch
ing for unknown foe. wonder how long Il 10 70 day.
break" 20
"The dawn cannot be far Of" replied Eden. "Look
yonder ever the tree tops, to the eastward think
see the bret streak OF day now.n
"Tbe sky looks reddnn I'm that direction but Pm NO.
sure ts morpirs said the other. what do you think
Amoe" be continued. addressing his brother, VINO vas
into the cs kness which the thick shadows OF the heavy
trees on the peartt bank rendered almost mpenersbe
"Ips rot the dawn, David, IL I'm judge, was the
answer, IN q low, cautious tone.
"wbs, do you think b. uncle ~ ssSed Eden.
al Fire ~ Was the laconc reply.
"Ha ~ said Eden, with a stArt; "ihen tho Indians
musi certainly be sbou,-perhap, have already begun
Choir and drop further down the stream ~
Hush lsten"' returned the uncle, In . whisper;
your cars are younger than mine, ard ough: 70 DO
An ,ered, holding MS breath TO catch the eight
cat sound Zach TOO turned BIZ eyes upon the
shore and srovo in vain 10 ontpfusn single object In
the awful blscknoss which, In thai drcctan seemed 20
rse like wal before them, u ~n starlight night,
BIT slightly hazy; and looking dre,y upward line OF
the heavens could be perceved and this line ard his
only, could BIO traced for distance either way
showing the Of ihs dark river, which made
opening in the grand old gloomy forest whose giant 49,,
and thick underground lined Ia banks eF- -, 80
From the position OF the bostbcng fair'- In ~. Az,
any the bank who "a ~. " oe ~ ~
TO the deeper earkness OF the CODED sborc sn, ~, sc
sme reason; sm I'D .csabe for any one on the boat
looking tnas ar on 10 see Ten feet into the gloomy
shadows OF the mighty fcres.
a., ne~ o.ry the sl1h, ripping Of tho water said
boen SnEth In the same cautious whisper.
. uoreht once or twice beard The swapping OF .
have besn only fancy"
her down the stream - again suggested the young mar
with no hule anxiety as he thought OF the precious
lives aboard the boat, which might poeehly fall sseyi
nee 70 on unseen enemy, even hen silently preparing 10
oeen the work Of dea,h. =
I'm OF that opirion,p answered tho urnle ttrorno
let US LII Of once y S''
Eden and HE uncle repaired 10 the windlsss ara ~srs
luSi ID The sct OF gviag turn when loud snr,es
rom enc OF the females, followed by some hall dozsp
others N quck Succession caused them 10 dcsst Ana
their rites IN fearful apprehension but ere new
had TINE 10 spring forward TO ascertain the eause az M
second sam three Of the terrified parties we're :, ,ns
sides, c'Islng to thtm with trembling earcrucss
Speak, Fsthsr--whMx n.y. taid Amos S,arfor,b N
bic half fainting wife
"ohNi replied her sis,crinaw, I'VE oil saw The bess
OF an naan come peepins over the side Of the bosi'
The above is all Of this beautiful and highly interesting
su,ofy uM WI 10 publithed IN our columns. We rive
tnis as sample. The continuation OF u can be fonnd
only 70 the New York Ledger The great family weekly
paper Tor which the n1ost popular writer's in the coan,Yy
contribute, and which can be found at a.. the stores
throughout tho city and country. where papers are sod
Remember 10 ask for the Now York Ledger OF jan ard
IN II you will set the confirmation OF the story rom wneve
leaves on here. you cannot get copy Il any new.
omce the publisher OF the Ledger viii mail you oopv
on me receipt Of I've cents Fanny Fern writes only fov
the New York Ledger; Syivanus Cobb Jr writes oulv
Tor Emersnn nnnnat only far "a .~.-rS