The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-06-21

ing open the door, found that it was moth
ing but the moaning of the wind among
the surrounding trees.
Toward morning, the second eldest
child, as though dreaming, exclaimed in
its sleep:
"Mamma! papa's coming. and Dash,
too"' And then, awakening from its
slumber, it commenced to cry, and beg
though it were only few grains of corn.
With torn and bleeding heart, Mrs.
Thorp, while tears of anguish rolled down
her own pinched and pallid features, en-
deavore6 to console and quiet the little
sufferer with the hopeful promise that
papa would soon come now. The other
two shortly reused up, and impelled by
starvation, joined their complaints and en-
treaties with those Of the first.
Morning at length dawned without a
single cloud, while soft pleasant air
stirred through the forest, and the little
birds sung blithely But all had the same
effect upon Mrs. Thorp. The bright sun
only rendered her inward gloom the deep
er-the wind brought to her no sound of
her husbands coming-and the carols of
the birds fell upon her ears like discordant
music. Noon came, but with it no sign of
the absent one; and Mrs. Thorp now be-
gan to dispair, believing it to be her fate,
and that of her children, to be starved to
death III the wilderness. But a single
glance into the pale, bloodless faces Of her
children, re-animated he: own sinking
! frame, and her mothers heart again grew
strong within her.
10, of uha hat
| Basil remembered having seen IL crack
in one of the logs Of which the cabin was
| built, were diligently but unsuccessfully
searched for. Still Mrs. Thorp's resolu-
ton was not to be overturned and seizing
knife, she ripped open the bed, which
was filled with straw. Carefully did she
and Basil examine every stalk of this straw
for the few stray grains of wheat that it
might chance TO contain and during the
course of the afternoon they succeeded in
| obtaining 4 small quantity of the precious
treasure. After boiling this, Mrs. Thorp,
with a mothers solicitude for the relief of
! her children, reserved but a few grains
for herself, and divided the remainder into
! equal proportions for her little ones. But
| this partial relief seemed to render their
hunger more acute; and, after listening
for the better part of the night to their
childish and pitiful entreaties for more,
she resumed at daylight the task of search
ing the rest of the straw.
This finished, she boiled and divided
the wheat obtained as before. There was
now no other source that she could see
from which she might obtain sustenance
and with her heart fairly breaking, she
went to the cabin door, and gazed vacantly
away into the forest, not so much IN the
expectation of seeing her husband, as from
the habit she had acquired within the last
few days.
As she at last turned her eycs somewhat
upward, doubtless to invoke the aid o
Heaven, she beheld a large bird, thai
proved to be a wild turkey, flying over
= Like flash happy thought struck her
est, she watched The bird till it settled
among the boughs Of tree at some littl
distance from the cabin.
In former years Mr.. Thorp had instruct
ed his wife in the use of the rife; and un
der his tuition she had attained considcra
bic skill and precision. And now tairl,
bounding with delight to where, upon tn
horns of stag, rested a rifle and powder
horn, she grasped the former, but foun,
to her chagrin that it was empty. Reach
, ing down the horn, she opened it, and
e forming a cup-like hollow with her hand
poured into the latter what powder it con
tanned There was, however, only suiicien
= for a small charge; and again the anxiou
? mother saw disappointment staring her
the face.
But soon she settled upon her course
and setting aside little of the powder ft
n priming, she determined to make the T,
S mainder do for the load. In order als'
e that none of it should be lost, she thor
/ oughly cleaned out the barrel of the riff,
l. which she finally loaded with extrem
|, care, we'll patching she ball to increase il
y force. She now primed the piece, exam
G lining the flint narrowly; and then, sinkin
s upon her knees, she put up low but fe
IS vent prayer to Heaven, which she firm
h believed had sent the wild turkey tn;
r way.
s :.God keep you, my little ones?' she e:
h claimed, as, stepping over the thresho
IT of her humble home, she started on h
y mission, either to lose the last chance
&c preserving her children, or to save the
IS at least for time.
,r Taking a direct cut across the clearin
At she soon came in sight of the turkey b.
r. in her eagerness she had neglected Il
l. necessary precautions, and before she b;