Nebraska advertiser., 1865-07-06

age, fact which was fully substantlated
by the events as they transpired. If
such was the case, it is also very evident
that the heroine was a woman of fine
senslbilities and tender heart.
Il was at the close of a warm summer
day, that John Merrill returned from
4he fields where he had been at work.
and after eating a moderate supper,
lighted his pipe and took seat outside
The door Mrs Merrill remained with
in the cabin until the work was compile
led and the table prepared for an early
breakfast on the morrow, when she took
her knitting and seated herself at lit
tie distance from her husband. To her
surprise he remained reserved and moo
dy, not speaking useless spoken too, and
/ putting away at his pipe with great en-
ergy. The woman's heart in Mary's
breast told her that all was not right, ,and
she set about learning the cause of her
/ husbands strange reserve.
You have worked too, hard to-day,
john she began.
No; haven't done as much as | gen.
orally do
Then you fell sick-what is the mat
ter?'
Nothing feel quite we'll in body,
better than l have for long time be-
FORE
Then what can be the reason for your
silence and gloom? l haven't seen you
look so blue and downcast in year.
To tell the truth Mary, believe I'm
getteDg notional. l have had strange
thoughts all day thoughts@~which |
couldn't get out of my head, though
lried hard enough
What were those thoughts John q
You know I'm not such a bad confdant !
i know you are not so I'll tell you
what l have been thinking. only you
must promise that YOU won't let il worry
you in the least. You will, wont you 2
Did you ever know me worried very
easily, John g
i can't say that l ever did, though I
should be very sorry if you should feel
as uneasy as l have to-day
'Pshaw John, you know I've twice
The spunk you havep
John Merrill smiled, but il was a sort
of sickly smile, for the conversation had
brought up all the strange feelings he had
entertained during the day. He clear
ed his throat once or twice, and tLen be-
gan.
Did you never think, Mary, that we
were much exposed to an attack from the
Indians, here 3
i suspose they are as likely to come
here as anywhere, for they have the
sanction of the British to burn and mur-
der anywhere they please, provided it is
on rebel territory, and suppose we are
rebels, ar'nt we?'
The tories and Britons call us rebels,
and am proud of the name from their
lips = was the rejoinder.
And so you have been borrowing
trouble about the Indians q the heroine
asked.
No, Mary, not that The thought
has haunted me all day, that we were
marked for the next victims, and so
strongly has the idea taken bold upon
my fancy. that / have been unable TO
drive it away
IF they come, John, they will come,
but don't let US borrow trouble in ad-
vance. You know we have lived here
50 long ;r Po~ee ~--4 L-rr;----, 49,
would seem hard indeed to spoil it all by
living in constant apprehension.
That's fact, Mary, and Will Try
and put away this idea. though will be
hard to rid my brain of what has clung
to me so closely during the day.
After this John Merrill endeavored
to appear more cheerful, but it cost him
a great effort, and at an early hour they
made preparations to retire. The
hound was chained in his kennel, to
give the alarm Should anything be NOV
ing without, and the doors and windows
securely fastened. The house was con-
strucled of logs. and The door and shut
ters of oaken plRnks, hewn from the
timber and well ironed in their places.
There, if there are Indians about,
John cmplacenlly uttered, they'll find
il hard work TO get in
/ In fancied security they retired, and
had slept some hours, when the baying
of the hound awoke them.
'Somethi ng is around the house, ex-
claimed John, as he became sufficiently
awake to comprehend the matter, III
look out and see what il is.
John was man of iron nerve anc
courage, but be had no thought Of saw