New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-11-18
a. Night Of Terror.

from Ghs boston Olive Branch,
"a Night Of Terror.
Night came slowly down over the rude hut Of
James More1and the settler The wild, mountainous
region round about and the gathering gloom OF the
near darkness combined 20 chit the heart Of the
lonely woman in the wilderness cot, with strange,
dread fear.
Two years before had the sun Of June morning
shone upon Ellen Harpers marriage with the man OF
her choice ana the lamps in festive hail IN the line
old city Of Portsmouth had cleaned upon the eve
uing's reyelry. Ellen was belle, and no wonder
that id honor of herpeeres beauty and her husbands
worth the red wine had flowed freely, and the song
and Jest spaTkled bright from the lips Of youth and
loneliness.
Bot Young NIoreland was possessed OF wild spirit
Of adventure and life in thar calm, quiet old city i'll
fitted his adventurous nature and 50 it Came about
that before the moons OF the Fst year had Wxed ana
waned upon their bridal SKY the happy couple found
themselves established in log hut, lar up among the
White Mouutains
she possessed the undivided love Of her husband and
by-aad.by little biue-eyed babe came to cheer the
forest home,
But On this night vague, unde1ued sense Of evil
seemed to be about her, aud she arose frequently to
gaze out into the thickening gloom. james was
abroad upon the mountains ia search Of venison and
she had not heard the report Of his rife for many an
hour--it was singular that he should find no game
singular that be should remain away from her until
after nigbtalls
There were tribes Of hostile Indians in the vicinity;
there were wild fierce animals in every eopsewoodi
and gorges Of death either side Of the dangerous
pathway over the mountain. Her Imagination CON
iured up an hundred phantoms Of evil centerng all
around her husband, until her brow grew cold and
clammy With the sweat Of fear, and her heart was
ready to stop its throhbings at the alntest sound Of
Che homeless wind in the forest depth.
Her child The four months old little Rachel, slept
peacefully IN her rough cFadle-not ripple Of doubt
or apprehension disturbing the calm puisation OF her
heart troubling the smiling dmples about herrosy
mouth.
''God bless lie darling u calculated Ellen More
land, pressing light kiss upon the forehead of her
child and Then taking up her knitting she sat down
10 The light Of the pitch torch id the wide stone fire
place, and tried to work 1t was in vain. She could
not employ her hands while her mind was in such
state of perturbation, and rising impatiently she
again opened the door and looked forth. dull,
gray mist lay upon the peak Of distant Heasage, and
far to she west the kingly submits Of the White
Mountains doomed somberly through the broodng
atmosphere. There was an ominons stiffness over
everything, but far down in the dismal pine forest
which lay back Of the cabin, there was low, indis
fi1ct mnrrnur-that anfalng precursor Of storm
What if her husband had wandered ar In pursuit OF
game and night had oFertaken him at SO great dis
tanee from home that the narrow track thitherWard
hRd become invisible and unknoWn3 What if he
was destined to return to her nevermnrel
4 nervous tremor shock her frame, and she went
back pale and trembling to the side OF her infant.
Hank was that the wind or the cry OF wild ami
NAL
TheWomans heart hushed It's beating, and she bent
ainety heard she threw open the door, and stood
breathless waiting the recurrence Of the sound All
but she recognized it too we'll it was the Warwhoop
of squad Of Indians their terrible cry Of victory
over pursued foe Aud that foe She needed no
other assurance than her dread fears to convince her
that it was her husband
She offered one wild prayer for aid, and then re-
turning to the room abe had left she took her infant
still In a quiet sleep, and it wrapping warmly in
blanket carried II ont into the dense thieket in the
rear Of the hut for she knew enough Of Indian char
acter to feel assured that whether they captured her
husband or not they would be sure to destroy the
dwelling,
Commenting her child To God, she LEFT it there,
and went back toward she cabin, hopng--she could
not understand why--that she might be able to do
something for her husband.
She concealed herself ia a bunch Of whortleberry
bushes and had barely done so, when she heard the
tread Of m0ceasined feet upon the thick leages aud
almost felt the painting ot savage breaths the air
Ia the faint light which shene from the open door Of
her home, she sew her husband stricken down by q
blow from akllfully aimed tomahawk, and heard the
deep groan which burst from his lips as he fell.
She partially understood the Indian dialect from
having heard IT frequently spoken by the wandering
members OF different tribes who had from time to
time called at the cabin for food and drink and now
from the hasiy consultation among the red warriors
she gathered that they were to scalp her husband
murder his family and fire the house.
The leader OF the gang raised his soalping knife
over the unconscious victim but another Indian de.
tanned the blow Mrs, Aoreland plainly heard his
Stay brother; let us kill the squaw, and the
young papoose, ana then have the light OF the wig
wan to scalp him by
This speech met with favor, and with one stimuli
taneous rush they made for the house leaving one
their number to guard the captive,
Instantly, with the speed Of light Ellen Morelant
few from her covert and sprngiHg 60 tho entrance
the hut she closed noiselessly the heavy oaken sla
which served as door, and thrust a stout club o
wood through the great iron staple, which held i
arm. The sagages were as safe as though the wall
Of bastile shut them in, for the hut was built o
ponderous unhewn logs pinned together by stroni
bolts the only break ia the walls being the door fo
id those days ID that savage region windows were
species of comfort unknown,
But the Indian that had been left without TO quart
the captive saw the deed, and with fierce cry o
rage he hurled his tomahaWk at the brayeheafteC
Romanl Fortunately il missed aim and sank into
the door just over her shoulder With an effort a
great strength she Wresled it from the slab and stool
with itin Der baud awaiting the onslaught
With his hunting-kaite hfandshed aloft his eyes
glowing like living Goals, he spnng upon her, anG
buried the knife ia her side She closed her arms
about him-one desperate struggle aud the toma
hawk entered his own bFaiul One horrible yell ant
he sank backward upon the turf q corpse!
1.-THE meantime, the efforts Of the imprisoned saw
ages to break their bounds were never ceased for {
moment Frantic blows fell fast and furious npoI
the door, and Ellen knew that ia time, it would yielt
60 their assaults and set them at liberty. There VIA
but one way 70 avert ths-It was terrible alterna
tive, and for q moment her Womans heart shran
from its contemplation
But the thought Of her sleeping child and her mul
dered husband decided her, and she bad strength 70
the work. She drew from her pocket the tinaerbo
which every settler kept about the person in case
accident aud struck light to the dried leaves r0ua
about. Then invoking Gods pardon for the act, al
igntad pine torch and threw it upon the crispe
roof OF the hut. Ii was bat instant the flame
leaped up and danced merrIlg over tha inilamab