The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-03-11
for several hours, and finally ended in a

y 4
the time in trembling apprehension les
something might direct their thoughts t.
her, and she and her darling Ada become
fresh victims of their now liquor madened
passions. But as time wore on, and their
potations grew deeper, and their carousa!
more drunken, if not less boisterous, a
wild hope sprung up in her breast, that
through their final inebriatiou she might
proYidentiaIly efecther escape; and from
hat moment she became more intensely ex-
cited than ever, and listened with a still
more wildly palpitating heart, hushing the
very murmurs of her poor child by looks
and whispers of terror that it seemed in
stinctively to comprehend. i.zasaL
/ At last, just as the bright sun was set
ting, the long wished for moment seomed
/ to arrive, the drunken sounds having
gradually died away to silence; and she
reasoned that her foes were no no lenger
in a condition to prevent her escape,
which pcradventure she might effect, pro.
vided she could Immediately get free of
her bonds. VI JL
But bow was this to be done, Her hands
were corded behind her back, and her
body made fast to the tree. She tried to
work herself loose, but her efforts only
served to tighten the cords and give her
pain; and she was on the very point of ut
tering shrek of despair, when she re-
rembered in time that the sound of her
voice NIGH fall upon the obtuse senses of
her drunken foes, and mech anically arouse
them to action. ran
But stay! another strange wild hope
enters her heart! Can she make use of
Adal Can she venture the poor child to
the fearful risk of returning alone to
the boat, aud procuring knife! 1t is
thought as trying as death itself, though
less fearful than long aud hopeless cap
tivity, and it seems to be their only saliva
ton. Time is passing, her captors have
become still, and something must be done!
Shall she risk the only alternative in her
power! Something seems to urge her to
do so; and finally, wrought up to pitch
of desperation and madness, she explains
to the trembling little or eature what she
needs of her, and gises her directions how
to proceed. .
Aud that innocent little thing compre-
hended her, and finally sat out on her
fearful mission. OH what trial was
that to the tender nerves of that poor
mother! and from the moment Of her de.
parture, till that of her return, the brief
suspense was to her an age of horror. But
the child went, and returned in safety,
and brought back knife, which she had
very stealtbiiy taken from the very side
of the murderers OF her father and uncle,
and which was even yet red with their
blood.
The poor captive shuddered as she
looked upon the fearful weapon, and yet
she experienced faint CLEAN of JOY, at
the thought that it would be the means
of setting her free, and thus, under God,
the saving of herself and child.
Little Ada, by her mothers direction,
soon cut the binding cords; and the mo-
mcnt Mrs. Marston found herself at lib
erty, she caught the heroic little girl in
her arms, covered her sweet face with
kisses, and then. with almost bursting
heart, knelt upon the ground, and poured
forth fervept prayer of thanksgiving to
the Great Unseen. 1dt GoI ls9
Strengthened by this, she arose and
prepared TO act but the thought of wha
was before her, and the still slender thread
upon which her own life and that of her
child depended, brought back sinking
of the heart. and trembling of every
nerve. What was to be done now! She
was alone in the great wilderness-a weak
feeble woman-far from home and friends,
and surrounded by dangers of every i'm
aginable description. Gould she escape
on foot with her ehiIdl Impossible! they
would either starve or fall prey to wild
beasts or Indians. What course then!-
for they must escape. Tbore was the
boat--bpt then there lay the murdegvfs
of her husband and lis brother, and what
could sue do with them! Should she in
turn murder them, while they slept their
drunke sleepl A cold icy shudder crept
through her veins at the bare thought! =
But then her child mast bo saved! and to
save that, by any means, was Imperative.
ly her duty.
We will not follow her thoughts. F.
nough that she at last, carrying the child
in her arms, resolutcly but cautiously, re-
turned to the fearful scene, where still lay
the. dead bodies Of her friends, and, al
most beside them, but upon some bales
and boxes, nearly on level with the gun
vale, their now drunken murderers.. 9
With the knife firmly olasped in her
hand, that widowed mother reached the
boat; she entered ii; she stood over her
foes; they were in her power she raised
the knife; should she strike, She hesita-
ted---tFe u ble led--grew faint of heartr-her
hand fell. She thought of her child, and
the arm was again neryed, and again
raised, but again fell poweEless." me2
Hal another thought She hurried
forward, placed the child near the bow.u
and warned it not to speak or stir; and
then seizing an. oar, pushed the boat frou
o,d of if ID riftin.Yf omo flxa