Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1864-12-15
NUMBER 20.

INTO the water stood there, contemplate
ing the scene, until the boat had drifted
upon the distant shore, and then | sat down
again. My only hope of escape was that
some one might come to the lake in search
Of me. But what if no one came? But
what if those who sought me did not find
this sunken hole? The thought was very
. unpleasant one. ! was thus engaged when
| noticed that my horse was uneasy. Some
thing had frightened him. At length he
gave heavy pull and freed himself from his
fastening, and in few seconds more ] had
seen the last Of him. ..al
! " had sat there half an hour, or more :;
and the sun was sinking 50 low that the
shadows fell entirely across the lake, when
4 | observed commotiOn in the water be-
fore me, and presently two large crocodies
made their appearance, looking very hun
cry, and betrayed an evident desire to eat
me up. | seized my rife and fired at the
nearest one, upon which they quickly dis
appeared The sun went down, and the
last CLEAN of daylight faded away. / sat
beside my dead heron, but dared not go to
sleep. When felt the drowsy spirit com
ing upon me, | started up and paced to and
fro across the narrow island But this
could not be kept up. Towards midnight,
as sat beside my bird, my head sank up
on its soft, feathery breast, and was
asleep before | knew it. | do not think |
slept long, however Something oppress-
ed me, and | awoke with suffocating SEN
sation, to find my nostrils inhaling a strong
sickening odor. The moon had risen, and
by its light | saw an enormous crocodile,
with its horrible jaws not six feet from me.
To cock a pistol and f1atten a ball against
his armor was but the work Of moment :;
and as Ileapcd to my feet with my rife in
my hand, the fellow turned and scrambled
for the water ..... ....-
{" slept more that night, and no more
crocodies visited me. When daylight came
again began to consider anew the chances
Of my being found by my friends If they
inquired for me at Manila they would GER
tainly learn which road | had taken from
the city, and if they followed that road as
far as had come, they might discover, by
the tracks Of my horse, where ] had turn
cd oil. Another thing, too, | considered
favorable they would go to the hostelrie
where had hired the horse, and they would
find that the animal had come home with
out me. This would certainly lead them
quickly to search for Inc. My first impulse,
upon finding the daylight upon me, was to
lire some signal guns but upon reflection
| concluded that | had better wait until
my people could have time to come out
from the city, for | had not powder enough
to load many times. Ami
. waited until the sun had been up two
hours, and then | discharged my rifle. |
was hungry and faint, and the dampncss Of
the night had helped to waste my strength.
By and by l-iired again,putting in much
powder as | thought would burn with pro-
! fiji. | had fired thus, at intervals of about
ten minutes, until had but one charge
left, and | was beginning to calculate anew
upon my chances, and to think of what
would be the result if was not found when
a most welcome sight broke upon my Wis
ion saw some of my men coming down
toward the lake | fired my last charge,
and as they thus gained a knowledge Of
my whereabouts, they hastened on and
were soon at the waters edge. / made
them understand where the Loaf was and
when they had found it, and | knew that
was safe, sank down, and was fairly
asleep when they reached me.
| my friends had followed me lust as |
had anticipated. They had found my horse
at the hostelrie, and having learned the di-
!
might not, however have discovered the
place where had turned off from the road,
had they not heard the report of my rife
where small quantity Of brandy and
very generous quantity of nourishing food
soon restored me to myself \ skillful tax
| idcrmist, whom found on the shore, pre-
pared the skin of my heron for me, and it
now holds place in my cabinet, by the
side Of the Java Rock Snake i
THE School HoUsE.-Teachcrs and par
rents should make it duty to see that the
circumstances under which children study
are such as shall leave a happy impression
upon their minds Young scholars will
gradually and unconsciously become like
what they most look upon,-Little children
are wonderfully suspectible for good or,
evil. ..r..s
Shabby school houses induce slovenly
habits. Unswept floors indicate cobweb- |
by brains. Ill-made benches not only warp
and dwarf the body, but, by reflex infu-
ence, the mind as well. Why are children
so often discouraged and even disgusted at
school Because the school house seems
prison. and the furniture as instruments of
torture.
No matter how old or questionable your
school housc--keep it clean. Hide its I
sombre walls with pictures, embower its
weather beaten exterior with flower vines,
and decorate its yard with shrubbery.-
Then the birds will come singing welcomes
to your children. Then the young immor-
tails that enter its door will be won by love
and heautV Thcy" will he rnchained ne If
by sweet magic, and their minds will be
awakened to learning and vrtuous instruc-
tion with links of gold frightening and
strengthening forever and ever.-Edst0a
Sentinel
SoLIrUDE.-More and greater sins are
committed when men are alone than when
they keep themselves in fellowship. When
Eve in Paradise walked alone, then came
the evil and deceived her Whoever is