The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-03-11

the Ohio shore, became much attract,
to long line of beautifully howert
shnubbery, which so ovcrhung the strea
that branch might easily be broken
passing; and with infantile gec she claI
ped her hands, and cxcla!med-
2 'Oh, papa, do get little Ada some pre-
.pty fowers!'' aos $50
! The boat was not far from the lant
and the current set in close to the banl
so that it was an easy matter to compl
with her wish; and the fond father, gi'
ing directions to this effect, and himse
taking an oar. was about to push in tt
wards the tbicket, when the mother, wit
what seemed to be premonition of dar
ger, quickly intcrposcd, saying, oagcrl
and earnestly
NAY, William, do not think of such
thing, but keep further out in the stream
From some cause [ am heightened
feel that danger turks in every thicket
and know VIC cannot be too cautious. ;"
Pooh, Mary, you are too easily a
larmed," replied her husband; "no on
would be more cautious than |, If ] tho
there was danger; but there is none here
surely; and little Ada might as we'll bav,
a bunch of flowers to please her"
so saying, and without needing tht
rcnonstranccs of bis more timid con-
panicn, be, assisted by his brother, turn
ed the boat up alongside the shrubbery
and both were in the act of plucking q
towering branch-thc little girl, mean
while, in her mothers trembling arms,
clarpiug her tiny hands with delight
when suddenly two sharp reports, almos;
blended into one, rung ont upon the still
air. and the brothers fell back togther,
the one shot through the heart and the
other through the brain.
At the same instant there was series
of terrific yells, a rustlipg among the
bushes, aud two hideously painted sava-
ges came leaping into the boat. First
making sure of their victims, by plung-
Ing their knives several times into
their bodies, they next tore off their
scalps, and tauutingly shook the CORY
trophies, in the very face Of the now Pc
trifed and horror stricken wife and moth
er, who stood like a statue of marble, as
motionless and seemingly as cold, her
eyes glaring wildly, and the little girl
clinsiDg to her in terror she could not
comprehend. Then attaching each his
scalp to bis girale, they made a flourish
Of fhcir 70, l. Il l,a of
mother, rather as it seemed with the in
tention Of terrifying than Of striking her
But finding her unmoYed-for she was
still raralyzed with horror-one of them
rudely snatched the child from her arms,
aud made as if to dash out its brains on
the gunwa!e Of the boat. This be might
ind ecd have done-for his tasilisk eyes
were cleaning with 6cndish maiice-hut
the other interposed, aud said something
in their native tongue; when, turning to
the still imuovcablc mother, be struck
her blow with his fist, knocking her
down, and threw the shricking child upon
her.
The two Indians now proceeded to Sc
cure the boat. by working itup under the
overlapping bushes, and SO disposing Of
them as to completely conceal it from the
view Of any party passing up or down the
river, or looking out from the opposite
shore.
By the time this was completed, poor
Mrs. Marston bad in some degree recov-
cred the use of her faculties, and had be-
gun to tcmoau her hard fate in low, cho-
king sobs, the while strainiDg her tremb-
ling child as tightly to Der anguished bo-
som, as if she thought that her M aternal
arm could shield it from the merciless
foes. 1e ~ .a
One Of the Indians now advanced to
her side, and rudely pushing her with his
foot. made signs that she must get up
and follow him ashore. She undcrst ood
and compiled with his desire-for she
had new some little hope that her child
would be spared to hcr--and with a moth
er's undyipg love, she felt that she would
struggle through anything, en-
durc everything, for its sweet sake.
We may not dwell upon her feelings,
for none but a mother so suddenly and
terribly afflicted, and SO hopelessii pias
could compreL1 lend the bitter anguish of
hccl heart,
At little distance back from the riy-
er, the Indian bound his prisoner to a
sapiing, leaving the child free beside her,
and then returned to bis companion, and
assisted him ia securing their captured
spoil.
They now seemed disposed to be mer-
ry-tbose grim, inhuman monsters-as
they gloated over their not Invaluable
prize-stripping the dead of their gar
ments, securing their weapons md anu
milton, and reyeling, like hungry beasts,
in the palatable edibles which their ex-
plorations exposed-chattin glibly in
their native tongue, and now and then
laughing merily, but cautiously, as here
and there they fell upon what they con-
sidered a prize of more than usual value
the last Of these being no other than a
Notwithstanding keg, which they were