Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-09-16
QUEEN ESTHER'S ROCK.
CONCLCSION.


CONCLUSION.
The flood gates of feeling SO long confined,
now gaveway, and the poor girl wept aloud
In the bitterness of her soul. I could say
nothing to soothe her, for it required pow
erful effort to suppress the rebellous outbreak
ing OF my own o'er mastered heart, and
knew that every moment of our lives might
yet depend upon our GOODNESS and selfposses-
sion. All soon became quiet again; poor
Rosstte had ceased weeping; little Annie had
forgotten all her childish cares, and the keen
demands of hunger alleviated in balmy sleep;
and myself was just entering the territory
of dreams, when was startled with the sound
OF half smothered voices. sHisti hear you
that7" whispered Rosette. "AIas my foolish
grief has betrayed us we shall be murdered,
and all for me-" tried all I could to calm
ed audibly in loudness, though it did not ap-
Pear to nae that the speakers were any nearer
than at first; large clump of birch trees rose
directly before us, and I thought the sound
proceeded from behind that. They did not
speak loud enough for me to learn the subject
of their conversation but could distingui n
their different intonations, and 1 thought If
the human voice was criterion, by which to
Judge the heart, there was at least one william
among them. Rosette grasped my arm, Gas
live" exclaimed she, while CLEAN of joy
shot across her pale features, Gas live, that
voice is Marcus Winners, my cousin Marcus,
oh we shall have protector now, and who
knows but he can tell something of our
dear ssBut," interrupted, els he not the
one who sought your love, Rosette, and whom
you rejccted?'' Sand what of that, he is the
son of my fathers own brother, and "But
dare you trust him you know how many have
turned Tories" ssMatty," she replied re-
proachfully, ssI thought you were too well
acquainted with the noble blood Of the Will
mers, to suppose it tainted with Toryism, but
he shalt answer You this charge. Marcus
Marcus Wilmer" she shouted at the top of
her feeble voice. Three darkly painted sava-
ges came Immediately before us. "Hal cried
the foremost, my pretty Rosette, my sweet
cousin Wilmer; yes, Wilmer, for you have
not married .hat accursed scoundrel, as they
said l could not brook this; ssShe has
the honor, sir,' replied, sto be the wife of
my brother, Phillip Somers; and those who
audaciously call him scoundrel, would do well,
perhaps, to recollect that none better deserve
that appellation than such as under the show
Of savage coIors act part which the meanest
of that class would scorn." "Ah. fine
sprig of chivalry we have got here. Hark ye,
my Madam Quixotte, will take verbal chal-
lenge, or must employ a secretary Here
ycu, yechaw; but perhaps she would like her
brother for a second, aye her brother, if he be
indeed possessed of the hand which once
begged for on my knees, and be alive, and
Within hundred miles, she shall see him yes,
and he shall die-he shall die, Rosette, and
will see If witnessing his death will soften the
heart which my tears have failed to move.
Come, ladies you have confdingly selected
me for protector, and have right to the
hospitality of my dwelling" The taunting
wretch verv familiarly took the arm OF the
fainting r. sette, and, as resistance was vain,
I was obliged to follow along between the
other two. Inow lamented my rashness in
disclosing Rosette's marriage, but repentance
came 70 late, and felt that our prospects
were indeed Wretchcd.
We we're not permitted to pause again till
re had reached the summit Of long range Of
hills, ossslooking the little village Of Wilkes
Barre, and then phat magnificent scene was
spread out before us. The faithless enemy had
set fire to that devoted town, snd there was suf-
ncient wind to copusct The fed flames 10 ono
long unbroken chain, showing the exact length
Of the village. The intsnssness Of the light
made objects (Which from the distance We
might not have been able 70 80 st an in the
-day.time) distinctly visibles and Ieouio -
women and children running from honss 70
mousse IN the greatest apparent confusl6n. Our
oask companions seemed in an ecstacy u the
s'gat: and the hill was in few moments lIter-
ally swarming with Indians, assembled To Wit
ness the work of destruction. Their long pro-
srsctsd whoops, mingled with the Oft sepg,ated
names OF Brandt and Butler, pealed in sta1tling
echoes along the mountain's caverped recesses,