Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-05-07

kle 50, nor iooh 50 VIII auu pahtitOa-hAS
and she had never heard mans teeth
grind and crate as did his then.
"Johnl" she finally uttered, "what is
the matter Z"
lie glared at her and then at the chill
dren, but spoke not a word.
"Do you not want something to eat
John?"
He glared again from her TO the two
children, and then iorned TO the door and
went out.
Don', Lo afraid, Andy" the mother
said, as the little ones clung to her dress
John is a good man, he won't hurt you.
He's only sick now"
"But he looked at me so, mama. o,
how sick he must be-"
Before Susan could make any reply
to her boy the door opened, and Arm
strong re-entered the cabin. He had
long hunting knife in his right hand,
while in his left he carried a piece of
rope, or halter cord He stopped near
the threshold, and glared around the
room-there was but one room in the
rlace. His eyes were wild and burning;
his lips bloodless and compressed, and
his hair standing up like quilts over his
huge bare head.
"Ye're afeard o me, ell ?" he whisper
ed, in a shuddering, shiveribg tone, at
the same time throwing the cord upon
the floor, and grasping his knife more
firmly.
" No, no, John" uttered Susan, as
plainly as she could speak, with her heart
humping and beating as though it would
burst its bonds Il am not afraid, for l
know you would not harm me. You
love me too well for that, don't you, good
John ?"
Love ye ?" he echoed, with n sharp
grating hiss. "If loved ye less I might
let ye stay in this cussed world. But
I'm agoin' to send you out of il, Susan
Winter-you and yer children! I've
got to do it. Ye must die die! die J"
There were specks of white froth upon
.ha r,adman's hlnndless lins and his whole
face had aesurned a look perfectly Satan
ic. Susan Winter had been at first al
most powerless-but when she first real
ised that her little ones were in imminent
danger, her mothers love begot moth
er's fortitude.
The terrible truth flashed upon her
that Armstrong was laboring under fit
of mania potu! She had heard of
| such a thing, and she knew how danger
5 GUS it was. She knew that the rum ma
MAC would turn his direct hate upon those
4 whom he had loved best when SOBER
r She clasped her children to her side, and
r shrank away into the extreme corner Of
the room.
R e" Ye must diel' the maniac growled.
f i've been commanded to kill yep
il" No, no, John! Oh! you could not
II kill Us r'
r /" Not kill ye! Why, what cussed
e shame to see sich varrnints as you liv-
+ in! You'd kill me quick enough, Wild
e cat Don't | know how you've plotted
It against me? Don't | know how you've
held knife at my throat? Git out, you
&c she-devil! Give me the whelps. III
.e take their heads off first, and then of
comes yourn"
i. As Armstrong ceased speaking, be ad
Is vanced towards the frightened group
re Susan cast her eyes about, but there wal
no way Of escape. There was but ont
n door, and though the maniac had left tha
to open, yet he was between them and it,
1n The windows, three in number, wert
p- small, and set high from the floor, ant
ed were guarded by small cross-bars at that
TO keep wild animals out. Nor was Their
yn any weapon at hand with which TO defent
he herself But Of defence she could no
hn think, for John Armstrong was one Of th
he most powerful men in the country.
.ry Mercy y she shrieked, as the rayin
man strobe up.
aid - Devil !' he hissed, from between h
hn tightly set teeth. AS he spoke he aine,
ter blow at her breast, but though sh
i'm lodged, and received the stroke u pom be
ey shoulder, yet it sent her reeling to ii
! floor.
,ou But the brave woman thought not
pain then. The cries Of her ehildre
snt sounding shrill and loud, mingled vii
all the curses Of the madman, aroused eyei
m. spark Of courage a mother can feel, an
- she was quickly on her feet. She look,
n a pom the scene before her, and while
the cry Of more than mortal anguish bur
uld from her lips, she staggered few ste
the forward and stopped.
1hn The maniac was by the open doc
san where be had Grst stood, while little Lu'