New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-01-09
Running a saw.

Among the first settlers of the susquehanna val.
ley was one John Cutler who built the first house
near where the village Of U---'ner stands on the
opposite side of the river. He also built near by
saw mill. He was a farfarned lumber man, and en-
| ployed many hands whom he mustered in his own
valley and that Of the Delaware He superintended
steersnan, and acquired large property and pnr-
chased heavily ytmbered land on both sldes Of the
river belonging to the Dexter Patent. q gtf sossz
eaed hs deadsd se9g q e sgo tS iaa Ga e "a
friend and stay at the mill himself His wife had
died the winter previous, and he did not to leave
Lucy alone. Lacy was dark haired, sprighfy giri
Of fifteen and managed her fathers house wia order
and neatness bnt she missed her mother sadly, and
spent mnch Of her time in turnng over the leaves Of
tn,eworn Bible, on the little stand near her roth
saad h WITH sga reading marked park syhsd
her father did not leave her this sad spring hras:
And is it wonder that the old man found myner.
Gus pleasure in the same occupation There seemed
a strange spell in that old Bible, that drew him to-
Lucys side to listen to her clear, rich voice she
read therefrom; and the worldly old man forgot
business bere, and held sweet communion with the
spirit of his dead wifethat timewon Bible the link
between the1n II 2 E ~ & e ~ 5HT
1t was bright morning in May The hands had
all started down the river except one, and he had
gone to a place some twenty miles distant, and was
not expected tack till the next evening. Old John
took his diInerbasket, and bidding Lney not to be
lonesome set ont for the mill, about half mile dis
tant in the deep forest. Lncy had heart to cry as
so'h ds nc was SoHe Dut thc eFei-StoFm +lou StHb
by, and tying her hood, she too went forth into
the clearing" She wandered on stlessIy. The sun
shone brightly, and merry birds warbied in the bud
ding treetops, and half unc0nsciousy she entered TIE
forest and took the feet-path to the mill Lucy's
heart grew lighter she strolled along, STOPPING
to gather wild flowers that grew BY the way, OF
Raas,ng to listen to the universal hymns Of praise
that arose from all animated nature around her.
In the meantime, while Lney in this manner was
vending her way to the mill, Old John had stopped
the motion OF the machinery in order to 60 to the
rear OF the building and slabs left there
the previous night. In his absence, a huge black
bear entered the mill unobserved quietly devourei
John dinner, and Just quietly retreated, deposit
ing his great bulk for slunber upon the very log
in the midst of which the glittering saw had been
just suspended in its operations ~. ,.-.s,
As Lucy came in sight Of the mill, she was sur
prised that it was not going and looking about for
her father, she caught glimpse Of the object lying
on the half-sawed log on the frame. She fastened
forward, thinking her father might have been taken
suddenly i'll, and laid down there. On her ap
pToach, however, she discovered the bear apparently
asleep. Where her father? The thought was
horror to her. His rifle on the hooks aganstth
ceiling Of the log house she had left. But she neither
tainted nor screamed. thought struck her and she
darted towards the mill. The next moment by exert
ing all her strength she able to hoist the big
! gate, and the saw instantly started off with great
speed. Brun started up at the noise. He shook him
self violently, and uttered warning growl. On
dashed the SAW, however, at furious rate. The bear
looked straight at the glitterng blade. He, too.
showed his teeth Then raising himself on his hind
legs, he awaited the advancing foe. The saw came
| on-on-on; and the bear, at last with desperate
valor. sprang forward, and clasped his great paws
around its cleaning blade An instant and all was
over The bear fell apart in two pieces. Alarmed at
the sudden starting Of the mill, Old John rushed in
lust iu time to receive the ainting form of Lucy.