The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-06-15

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here" and scrambling up she tool, up the
sick woman as she would young child
and tenderly let her down INTO the hole
" | doren't kindlc up the FIRE, or d
make some broth to keep the LIE in YOU,
but III Tx you some wine, I've got little
LETT yet, and you'll need it no more than
you do this minute aud she soon came
down again with bottle and a glass. and
also, an old fashioned tin lantern and a
couple of candles.
" But the baby, mother, Perhaps it
will cry, and then they'll find out where
we are, said the terrified creature as she
choked down the draupht.
"Pd smother it first" said the cd
woman, as she fastened to the bed where
the little one slept, better than have its
brains dashed out" but when she brought
it down, she said to its mother, I'll give it
some laudanum, it's so small drop will
keep it asleep but l must first make all
things quiet up stairs, and returning again
to the room which served as parlor, kitchen
and all, she proceeded to make up the
beds, straighten the chairs, lock the trunks.
draw the curtains, and give the place the
look of house that had been deserted
some days. Then she dressed herself
warmly and was just going to let herself
down and drop the trap door, (she had
already cut the strap by which it was
lifted when a sudden thought made her
shiver.
One moment she stood irresolute, then
unlocking the little desk which she had
taken from her sons trunk, and which
contained his deeds and notes, she took
from it small vial, filed to the brim
with white powder. Then going to a
dry goods' boz, which set upon one end
and formed their cupbord, she seized the
whiskey jug, for in those days of which
we write, that was considered one Of the
necessities of frontier existence. 1t was
full. She poured out a glass, and then
emptied the contents Of the vial into the
jug, and shook it till she was satisfied the
powder and liquor were thoroughly mixed.
She placed it upon the table, with the
glass beside it, and then mutterinq I" It's
in self defence. If I don't kill them they
will kill me, the red varmints." she crept
hurriedly into the cellar, and letting down
the trap-door, and lighting candle pro-
ceeded to administer an opiate to the babe
who had just awakened 1t was soon
lulled to sleep and folded closely to her
bosom, for she was determined to sufocate
it rather than risk it in the hands of the
Indians
A half hour of torturing suspense and
anxiety followed, and then the war whoop
burst upon their ears, and the cabin door
was violently broken open. There we're
six stalwart braves, and as they rushed in
yelling and leaping, and brandishing their
tomahawks, it seemed to the women below
as though hell had lost some of its fends.
They had three captives with them, young
Nick E .monds and his wife and three.
year old, boy. Two of them hastened to
bind the feet Of the poor creatures, whom
they had that night made homeless and
who had spared the scalping knife only
that other and deeper pains might be in-
ficted upon them, while the others rushed
to the bed whereon they supposed new
victims lay.
They were empty OF course, and mad.
dened that their prey should have escaped
them, they struck light for they had
brought off Nick's match safe and his
wife's winter stock of candles, and com.
menced the work of destruction. The
feather beds and pillows we're ripped up
with their bunting knifes, and their con.
tents scattered. The chests and trunks
were broken open, and after selecting such
things as they thought would please
favorite squaw, they strung the others into
rags. The dishes were swept from the
shelves, and the tin pan and basins Glove
in twain with the hatchets. The little
furniture of which the young wife was so
proud, and which she had brought hundreds
of miles, was rutnlessly split up and fire
kindled with its splinters. The arm Of
one of the most ipfuriated of the red men
was raised to cleave the table, when his
eye caught sight Of the jug of whiskey and
the glass. In q moment he had drained
the latter, and poured it full again and
drank it down. The rest followed him,
and stayed not their lips from the glass
till the last drop was shaken from tho Jug.
Then tightening anew the withes with
which thev had honnd tbair o,,,,;,.,. H..