Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1858-04-24

per OF provisions, with which W
had taken care to supply it; aud
also drew few candles and bo:
OF matches from my carpet bag, t.
show that had been provident.-
" A dreary place this sealns~to be
| Dora, hutatiIl much better protec
t 'lon against Tie storm than III:
wagon woul Id prove; so let's make
ourselves as comfortable as is pos
= albIe, and be thankful we are NJ
/ worse off" Dick soon came il,
with his arms full Of pine knots, anG
striking q blaze in the wide, old
fashioned fireplace, quickly gave
the room a more cheerful look
Seating ourselves Oh the buffalo
robes before the fire, we soon were
engaged with the contents Of our
basket, while Dick repeatedly came
in with pine-knoes and cones, that
we might keep up bright fire all
night. "No knowing master, what
might happen SO its best to have
a good lire; keep off varmints any
how" Night grew on apace, while
flash after flash Of vivid lightning
and Startling peals Of thunder burst
around lis; but glad Of q shelter
from the storm, father and I were
busiIy engaged cha~tering about
our excursion, while Dick was pay-
| ing attention To the wants Of tie
inner man, and ever and anon Drop
ping some observation full Of the
fun peculiar to the race.
AL at once a long, low, wall fell
upon the ear, like the cry of bu
man being in the death agony
" Oh my gracious, Master John
what's dat?o said poor Dick, his
eyes starting from his @aead, his
teeth chattering with fright II
spralIg to my feet, shocked dumb
for the moment, "Dora, " Dora, |
my child, it's nothing bat q wild |
cat, a panther it has that singular /
cry when hunting its food, Dick, |
YOU cd fool, stop your shivering, |
there's nothing TO fear, it won't !
come here where the fire is and !
haven't I my rifle and p1stsols with /
me 50 no more OF this nonsense" " ,
" Oh my blessed 'dee,ner, Master
John, that a;nt no painter, know
Here again the wall broke upon Us, |
clear, distinct, yet Iow-;s sound |
that fairly chilled the blood. Going
to the door, for it was still LIGHT |
enough to see for hundred yards |
Or SO quite plainly, | looked out IN
every direction, bat nothing could |
be seen and yet, every few min
utes, the cry burst upon us nearer
and still nearer; as it came up, we
could distinguish another sound ac-
it, that certainly no
animal could initiate, and that was
a noise like q whip-saw drawn rap
idly, and cutting through solid
body. n carer aud still! nearer came
the unealthly noise, until seemed
In the house, around the house, and
IN the very room with lis while
again, and again, q low fendish
augh would ring through the room
:Leezing the life current IN my veins.
Even father seemed shocked, while :
Dick was almost senseless from {
error; the fire burnt blue|y IN the
hearth, while ever and anon a sui |
>hurons glare would illuminate the /
rouse; but not 8 thing could the {
:ye distinguish to account for the /
errible sounds around us. Let y
IS 90 from this awful place, father, 8
ven if we have to spend the rest t
f the night out in the woods : any {
'lace is better than one so evil, So /
vclirsed, as this must be; some S
eu1ble crime has been done here, 4
, cause this" 4 bust IT nocking i
anghter here paralyzed my tongue Il
nd hastily flying from the house C
got into the wagon, while father h
nd Dick gathered the loose arti- I
les around, and hs,ddling. them IN, t;
oeedily attached the horses To- it, s
nd We drove off, still followed by f
le low. nournfnl wall and fendish a
Iugl1, until we had lett the enclos- II
re behind ps; even the horses ap Il
cared glad to leave a fearful place, o
ad though it was & Tretc|1ed road, 6
otted brislly forward. The storm So