Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-01-27
Jnterestmp Storg.
A NIGHT OF TERROR,
BY CLARA AUGUSTA.

Night came slowly down over the rude
hut of James Moreland, the settler. The
Wild mountainous region about, and the
gathering gloom of the near darkness
combined to chill the heart of the lonely
woman in the wilderness cot. with a
strange dread fear.
Two years before had the sun of June
morning shone upon Ellen Harper's mar
rage with the man of her choice, and the
lamps in festive hall in the fine old CITY
OF Portsmouth had cleaned upon the
evenings revelry. Ellen was belle. and
no wonder that in honor of her peerless
beauty, and her husbands worth, the red
wine had flowed freely, and the song and
jest sparkled bright from the lips of
youth and loneliness.
But young Moreland was possessed of p
wild spirit of adventure and life in that
calm, quiet old city ill-6tted his adven.
turous nature and so it came about that
before the moons of the first year had
waxed and waned upon their bridal sky.
the happy couple found themselves esta.
-blished in log hut far up among the
White Mountains.
Ellen was very peaceful and contented
there, for she possessed the undivided
love Of her husband, and by-and-bv a
little blue,eyed babe came to cheer the
forest home.
But on this night vague and unde
lined sense of evil seemed to be about
her, and she arose frequen to gaze out
in the thickening gloom. James was
abroad upon the mountain in search of
venison. and she had not heard the re
port Of his rife Mr. tIlaIfs sss4ss hoar-Sit wae7
singular that he should remain awaTS
from her until after nightfall.
There were tribes of hostile Indians in
the vicinity F; there were wild animals in
every copse wood, and gorges OF death
on either side of the dangerous pathway
over the mountain. Her imagination
conJured up an hundred phantoms of evil
centering all around her husband until
her brow grew cold and clammy with
the sweat of fear, and her heart was
ready to- stop'its throbbing at the faint.
est sound of the homeless wind in the
forest depth.
Her child, four months old, little Ra.
chel, slept peacefully in her rough cradle
ripple of doubt or apprehension
disturbing the calm pulsations of her
heart, or troubling the smiling dimples
about her rosy mouth.
7" God bless the darling +, eiacnlated
Ellen Moreland, pressing a light kiss
upon the forehead of her child and then
taking up her knitting she sat down in
the light OF the pitch torch in the wide
stone fireplace and tried to work. II
was IN vain. She could not emnlov her
hands while her mind was in sncb . stata
Of perturbation, and rising ilnpatiently
she again opened the door and looked
forth. A dull, gray mist lay upon the
peak OF distant Hearsage, and far to the
west the klngly SUBMITS of the White
Mountains doomed soberly throuph tho
brooding atmosphere. There was an
omlnous stiffness over everything. but
far down In the dismal pine forest which
lay back of the cabin, there was low
indlstlnct murmur-that unfailino nracnr
sor OF a storm. What if her husband
had wandered far in pursuit of game and
night had overtaken him at so great .
distance from home, aud the harrow
track thitherward had become invisible
and unknown What if he was destined
to return to her nevermore
A nervous tremor shook her frame ona
she went back pale and trembling to the
side of her infant. " ~
Hank Was that the windq mr. The ory
of wild animal ''e =
Inc woman's heart hushed its beatino
and she bent low her ear to listen. Again
FAR away-yet distinctly heard she
Threw open The duor and stood breathless
waiting the recurrence of the sonnd An
she recognized it too we'll it was the
war.whoop of a squad of Indians their
terrible cry of victory over a nursnad
Zoe! And that foe She needed No othor
assurance than her dread fears to eon.
vince her that 1t was her husband.
Sne offered one wild prayer for aid
ana vnen returning to the room she left
sue LOOK her infant still in quiet sleen
ana wrapping it warmly in a blankat
carried 1t out into the dense thicket ~
the rear OF the hut for she knew anonah
OF Indian character to feel assured tie
whether they captured her husband ~
not they would be sure to destroy The
dwelling. stoy Tue
Commencing her child to God, she left
1T there and went toward the cabin
noplng-she could not understand whvY
that she might be able to do sometime
to save her husband.
one concealed herself in a bunch ofI
Wnortleoerry bushes, and hardly done 90
when she heard the tread Of mecca cas-, s;n cd
ieet upon the thick leaves, and almost
lelt the hot painting of savage breaths on
sae ar In the faint light which shone
from the open door Of her home, she saw