Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-09

creatures ilTlng; she was extremely fond OF
children; which is said to be very universal
! thing with old IN aids, (though always believed
/ it to be a gross slander upon the good long
| faced sisterhood) and the affectionate caresses
she used to lavish upon US, together with the
| fine creamed strawberries, and other little del
| icacies with which she used to treat US, made
| her smiling cottage most delightful retreat
for the little city cousins as She very attering-
ly denominated myself and sisters. 1t was
stated that in early life, she had been posses
| sed of uncommon intellectual powers, but the
| then distracted state of the country, forbade
| their Improvement by systematic education /;
nor could these faculties have been much i'm
| paired by age, for she was acknowledged by all
to be an unusually intelligent old lady. The
ever varying expression of her dark and still
lustrous eyes, spoke quick and deep sensibility;
| and though her general manner was quiet and
common place, there were yet some subjects,
| in dilating upon which, she astonished the list
| ener with rich, and almost overpowering flow
of eloqucnce. Great was the contrast between
| her and the helpless idiotic being by her side,
who sat from day to day, and from year to year,
| with her thin attenuated hands crossed me-
chanically upon her breast and her dim mex
pressiye eyes, always fastened upon vacancy.
Though Aunt Matty generally evaded any
question relative to her charge, it was pretty
well understood that Crazy Rose was related to
her by an early marriage with her favorite
brother, and that her insanity was caused by
the dread trials through which she passed, at
the time of the Wyoming massacre. Void as
were the features of this unfortunate, of any
thing like intelligence, there was still some
thing about them which fixed the eyes of the
beholder, and burdened the soul with kind of
indescribable sadness her long and almost
closed eye-lashes, were always suffused with
tears; though the unchanging muscles of the
face, gave no Indication of any internal work.
ings. In gazing upon her, one felt as if view
ing the remains of what had once been beau
tiful picture, which time had reft of all its
glowing colcrs, not leaving even Immortality
of expression.
ssWell, who may be, or may have been this
dreaded Queen Esther,'' L again enquired, ta-
king care, however, to speak the magic name
in a whisper, lest the same unearthly sound
should again greet my ear; 'syou have raised
my curiosity TO the highest pitch, and will
surely crafty me ?'' ssMy dear,' replied the
old lady, while an involuntary shudder ran
over her features, ssit is long and bloody sto-
ry it would wither the rose upon your cheek,
and drive the warm blood in frozen icicles to
your heart no, let it pass, Juliet, let it pass
untold.' But they say inherit my beloved
Aunt's fortitude. ssWhy, perhaps you may,
though heaven grant you may never have to
exercise it In the way have had to. OH l
see you are determined, and shall have to
give you the dreadful details, though it will be
at the expense of many heart-ache from both
of US, promise you.
'.My father had been for many years a resi-
dent OF that part of the beautiful valley of Wy
oming, now called Wike Barre. When he
emlgrated from Connecticut, he left myself
and eldest brother in care of his uncle, with
whom he was then engaged in trade, and whom
he expected, in few months, to remove near
to where he himself lived. a short time he
fore the dreadful disasters which am abopt to
relate, took place, we visited Wyoming. and
my brother purchased a small farm adjoining
my fathers, and on my return to Connecticut,
married my sweet young orphan friend Ro-
sette Wilmer. All how well did l love that
fair fricndless creature; indeed, she was just
such being as one would feel guilty in not
loving; artless and amiable, possessing an un-
common share of beauty, without particle of
vanity; soul, all generosity and devotion,
and a voice whose tones of kindness came forth
like the silver notes Of bugle, over calm
lake. She was certainly an almost perfect be-
ing, ard think was never happier than when
she was pronounced my brother Philips wife
knowledged the same.
In few days after the celebration of their
nuptials, We babe adieu to our many puritani-
cal friends, and started on horseback for Wy
oming. IT'S true we had heard slight rumors
of the disturbances among the Susquehanna
settlements but nothing for certainty, and
nothing at any rate sufficiently alarming to
warrant delay of our journey. Our route
was very circuitous one, making the dis
tance perhaps double what it now is. The road
or rather path, was most of the way extremely
narrow, SO that we could seldom ride abreast
and there were sometimes whole days in which
our eyes beheld nothing but the deep wilder
ness varied however with an occasional ope-
ming, or dingle, where the startled deer threw
his shrill breath upon the wind, and was an
swered by the disappointed whoop of the red
hunter.
must not here forget to mention circum-
stance, which, though slight in itself, has di-
rect reference to the after incidents of my
narrative. was always extremely fond of
oJ., {otrr