North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-04-29
TUNKHANNOCK, PA. WEDNESDAY, April, 90 1863

| his intention OF paying visit to the dwelling
OF his parents, then residing at a distance Of
over hundred miles. He then formally
stated his hopes of becoming united to Eva
on his return, and begged Mr.. Hilton to use
his influence with his daughter in persuading
her to accept him. The latter replied that
he would do so, but, at the same time, should
she express any aversion to the match, he
would not attempt to force her against her
will
Lawrence had easily seen that Eva had
felt the same indifference towards him as
ever, and had taken this plan as the most
probable means of influencing her feelings in
his behalf; so, her father being now so fee
bic as to be scarce able to provide their most
necessary wants, and that he would necessa-
rily advert to the circumstances of how
much better would be their situation by re-
| quiring son-in-law, who could perform the
most labOrious duties of their clearing, her
love for the aged parents would induce her
! to listen to the proposal more readily from
them than if he himself addressed her on
the subject. And, doubtless, such would
have been the case; for she dearly loved
her parents, and would scarcely have shrunk
from any sacrifice by which they might have
been benefited. But a circumstance shortly
after occurred, and before Mr. Hilton had
mentioned Lawrence's offer to Eva, which
changed the current Of affairs, and effectual
| ly crushed all hope of union between them.
| Eva had gone out into the woods to gather
some herbs, and had rambled TO a considera-
| be distance from the settlement, when, Just
as she was about to retrace her steps home
WARD, an Indian sprang from thick bush
behind her and seized her in his arms be-
fore she was scarce aware Of his presence
Placing one hand upon her mouth, to pre-
vent the piercing cries she instantly uttered
| for help, he raised her from the ground, and
began to walk rapidly in an opposite direc-
ton from her home. Giving up all hope of
assistance, she offered one silent prayer for
mercy, and then lost all consciousness other
situation. When she recovered, she was re-
| cllning upon the ground, with her head rest
| ing upon the arm Of a noble looking young
stranger, dressed in the garb of hunter
whose rifle and bear skin cap were lying on
| the ground al short distance. A little to
the right lay the bodies of two Indians, now
stretched motionless; one Of whom had the
small round hole of rifle bullet in the mid
lie Of his forehead, and the other, who was
the one who had borne Eva away, was dread
fully cut and stabbed, as with the blade of a
hunting knife. The circumstance occasion
ing this scene may be thus stated:
The young stranger was a resident of
distant settlement; and was now on hunt
ing excursion, in company with two com
panions, from whom, in the ardor of their
chase after some deer, he had become sepa-
rated and he was on his way toward point
which they had mutually agreed upon as
place of meeting, should circumstances arise
to part them, when he saw an Indian with
Eva unconscious in his arms, and another
advancing to meet him, a few yards distant.
Instantly raising his rife to his shoulder,
he shot the latter through the brain, and
sprang towards the other, who seeing his
companion fall, instantly dropped Eva to the
ground, and turned to confront his foe. A
short struggle ensued between them, from
which the hunter escaped unhhrt; for, chanc-
ing to seize the Indians uplifted hand, in
which cleaned the blade ola tomahawk he
had released from his belt, he delt him sue
cession of severe stabs with long hunting
knife, and thus saved Eva from fate worse
than death.
He accompanied his fair companion to her
home and having collected all the male in
habitants of the village together, with the
two hunters, his companions, whom he had
again met, they started in pursuit of the rest
of the Indians, who it was considered, might
have accompanied the two who were killed
but after q search of two days they again re-
turned without having succeeded in discov-
ering any others of the tribe.
- From this time the young stranger, whose
name was Hargrave, became a constant visit
or at the house of Mr.. Hilton, and soon won
the love of the fair Eva who loved him not
less for his courageous daring in her behalf,
than the after evidence of his manly bearing
and great goodness of heart. From the first
he seemed to take kind interest in the well
fare Of their family, assisting her aged father
with an almost filal attention, and unasked,
performing the greater portion of the labor
Of their clearing, with untiring assiduity.-
Before the return of Lawrence, he drew an
avowal Of reciprocal attachment from the
lips of Eva, and gained the consent of her
father to-a speedy union; Mr.. Hilton having
already spoken of the hopes of Kerrit to his
daughter, and received from her an assur-
ance that she could not love him. Hargrave
was to proceed to the home of his parents,