Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-28

thirst for blood, sacrificed his victim
with the most wanton and barbarous
cruelty.
As the anxious wife thought of
these things, her fears and lorebod-
ing became almost insupportabIe.-
flushing the infant to sleep, she car
ried it into the dwelling, and deposit
ed it in his cradle bed. She then
FASTENED forth again, and wandered
along the path that led to the forest,
anxiously looking forward the while
for her husband. She walked onward
for some time, fondly hoping to see
the object Of her search, but her hopes
were vain, and sending one more
searching glance around, and seeing
nothing but the gloomy shadows of
trees, she turned with heavy heart
to retrace her steps. AS she was
proceeding homeward, sudden fear
for her child, whom she had left alone,
crossed her mind, and caused her to
hasten forward. Drawing nearer to
the dwelling, this fear became SO i'll
IShoS1 bh"b IL ol44OuAICu lilliOSG " St
conviction Of some terrible calami-
ty. Flying, rather than walking, she
searched the house, and sprang to
the cradle-it was empty, and the
child nowhere to be seen With
frantic eagerness she rushed to the
back door of the dwelling, which she
had left closed, and which she now
found was open. She was just in
time to see party of Indians max
ing rapidly to the woods. Her heart
whispered the fearful assurance that
they bore away its treasure. Here
was a trying situation for a timid
and helpless woman-her husband
afar of-perhaps in peril-her child
her first born, md only one, torn
away by the rude hand of a savage
dread night approaching, and no
earthly arm to aid
Without pausing for reflection, the
mother flew along the path which the
Indians had taken Now and then
she caught glimpse Of their forms
as they moved rapidly through the
trees, but as the twilight deepened
and surrounding objects became more
indistinct, even that slight comfort
was denied her, and she traced her
| gloomy pathway without knowing
whether or not it would bring her
nearer the object of her pursuit. Yet
! she paused not moment in indecis-
ion, but FASTENED onward through
| the increasing darkness, unconscious
of the uncertainty of her search, and
the wildness Of her expedition She
had but one thought-one hope and
that was to be near her child-to
save it, if it could be saved, or perish
with it, if perish it must. Strong in
this determination, she pushed for
ward, ,thoughtless of fatigue, and fear
less Of peril As the night advanced,
the wind rose and sighed among the
trees with a mournful and heart-chill-
ing sound. The stars, that had hith.
erto shed faint light through the
branches, were now yelled in black
clouds, that seemed to presage a
storm and ever and anon the shrill
croaking of a night.bird, or the pro-
longed howl of some beast of prey,
was borne to the ear of the unhappy
wanderer, waking fearful thoughts,
and warning her Of the dangers by
which she was surrounded
Those who have never roamed in
forest at midnight, can scarcely real
ize how much that is terrifying is
connected with such a journey. At |
one time, the howl of the hungry
wolf will burst so Suddenly and clear
ly on the ear that we can scarcely
persuade ourselves the monster is
not close at our side-at another, the |
falling of decayed branch will pro-
duce such a loud and fearful sound, |
that we deem it the fatal plunge |
which must doom us to destruction. |
Now the wind will come with a fitful |
and moaning cadence, so like the hui
man voice, that we for an instant, be-
lieve it the wall of an agonized being
and again it will sweep by with a
rushing sound like troop of enrag-
ed monsters bent on mission of
death Sometimes an unseen, low
dropping branch will softly touch the
shoulder, congealing the warm cur
rent of life with the idea that spec
trail hand has suddenly arrested our
progress; and again a black and blast
ed tree, with one or two sere branch
es protruding from its side, will, for
an instant still the pulsatiou of the
heart, as we behold in it frightful
phantom, stretching forth its arms to
grasp our shrinking forms.
All this, and more, must one feel
and fear in lonely midnight pill
grimage through the forest and all
this the mother endured as she pur-
sued her almost hopeless enterprise.
She had travelled far, very far, for the
darkness of night, and the intricacies
of the wood, had scarcely lessened
the speed with which she commenc-
ed her walk, and she had been many
hours on the way. WEAKNESS was
beginning to overcome her-hope
was departing from her heart, and
despair chilling all her energies, when
she discovered afar off through the
trees, light. 1t was but a feeble
glimmer, yet oh how it irradiated
the path of the wanderer. The in
stant she beheld it, hope sprang back
to her heart, and strength invigorat-
ed her frame. That faint and far off
ray seemed the light of returning
happiness, and she watched it as ca
gerly as the mariner watches the star
which guides him over oceans stormy
waves. She now FASTENED onward
with redoubled energy, and though