Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-12-25

ture that concerns an orphan boy, the son
of one Henry Udolf, a Swede.' Henry
Udolf the Swede !? said / i know the
grave of Henry Udolf the Swede. on the
Rio Colorado The same,' replied my
companion, It's of his son would tell
you
We FASTENED to bury the body, we
burned the tule bedding within the cabin,
that we might purify it with fire, and then
lighting our pipes, called eagerly for
this strange story; aud eus he narrated
it,
Two days ago, was wandering near
nightfall along the opposite bank of the
river, when / saw near the shore of this
island a man waist deep in the water
With a pole he seemed to be dragging
the rivers bed, and changing his position
from time 10 time be continued his labors
until, in the decreasing light, he was lost
to my view. | thought little of the cir
cumstance until on the following evening
| observed him in the same place and
similarly occupied. My curiosity was
now excited, and, proceeding to the spot
where my skiff was moored, fastened
to the lower end of the island. Having
often hunted here | knew of path thro'
the tangled underground that would
quickly lead me to the scene Of his oper-
ations. Hidden by the brushwood soon
gained position so close that | could
distinctly hear his labored breathings.-
He had in his hand long boat hook
which bad evidently fixed upon some
thing, which dragging heavily, he at
length brought to the waters edge.
AT this moment he suddenly dropped
his boat hook, and facing round towards
the shore exclaimed in voice full of ter
ror and defiance, Whats that you sayF
But l had said nothing, and save the
sound of his own voice and movements,
everything around was as silent as death.
Again he stopped, and, picking up some
thing, looked at it for a moment in the
moonlight, and then hurled it into the
thicket. 1t fell almost close TO me, and
| involuntarily exclaimed aloud, "A hu-
man skullr Then again his hollow, IN
earthly voice rang out in the solitude,
Whats that you say" and then listening
for a moment he added, The boy seems
laxative tonight From that moment
believed him TO be a murderer. He
then gathered something up from the
river, and wading into deep water flung
il from him, and as be returned 10 shore
mutteringly exclaimed: Now, with head
and body far apart, talk to me further
if you can
The hot blood was now rushing thro'
my veins. | could endure it no longer.
SO springing over the intervening brush
wood, in a momert | was at his side
His glazed eyes shone by the bright
moonlight and glared on me in mortal
terror while with voice like that of
doomed man he cried, Man or demon
have mercy upon me?
Instead of being stalwart and strong,
l found him a heart broken, conscience
stricken, bowed down man. | assured
him would show mercy, but insisted
that he should at once clear up the mys-
terry of his movements.
with weak and tottering steps, that
gave too certain evidence that his days
were nearly numbered, he guided me to
his cabin, IN throwing himself upon
the tule pallet and pointing me to the
seat beside him, he gave me the following
narrative:
''My real name is Douglas: l am
English by birth, and from my earliest
recollection / labored with my father in
the Northern collieries. In l845 sailed
for America, but in the spring of 1850
settled in Texas; there lived for four
years, but at length determined to strike
overland for California.
''In company with a Swede named
Rawne ] travelled across the high prai
ries of Texas into New Mexico, as far
as Santa Fe on the Rio Grande.
"Here we made the acquaintance of
one Henry Udolf, a Swede, who with his
wife and child--a little boy six years of
age--were preparing to start for Cali
fornia. Udolf had money, and in addi-
ton to bis teams and rolling stock, some
fifty head of cattle.
sit was soon arranged that we should
join them, and we engaged ourselves for
six months.
Crossing the New Mexican Cordller-
as we reached the banks of the Rio
Colorado in the territory of Utah. Here
Udolf was taken i'll and in two days died.
We buried him and raised head board
by his grave on which we inscribed his