Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-24

! uOp6N NOulu SUOu IcuuC6 leT 10 lik'
state. Judge of my astonishment whel
/ saw this incarnate fend take larg,
carving knife and go to the grindstone t,
whet Its edge; l saw her pour water OF
the turning machine, and watched he
working away with the dangerous in
strument, until the cold sweat covered
every part of my body, in despite of my
determination to defend myself to the
last Her task finished, she walked tC
her reeling sons and said, There, that
II soon settle him Boys, kill yon-
and then for the watch ?
II turned, cooked my gun-locks,
silently touching my faithful companion,
and lay ready to start up and shoot the
first who might attempt my life. The
moment was fast approaching, and that
night might have been my last in this
world, had not Providence made pro-
vision for my rescue. All was ready.
The internal hag was advancing slowly,
probably contemplating the best way Of
dispatching me while her sons should be
engaged with the Indian. l was several
times on the eve Of rising and shooting
her on the spot, but she was not to be
punished thus. The door was suddenly
opened, and there entered two stout
travellers, each with long rife on his
shoulder. l bounded up on my feet,
and making them most heartily vel
come, told them how well it was for NE
that they should have arrived at that
moment The tale was told in a minute.
The drunken sons were secured, and the
woman, in spite of her defence and
voeiferatiOns, shared the same fate.
The Indian fairly danced with JOY, and
gave US to understand that, as he could
not sleep for pain, he would watch over
Us. You may suppose We slept much
less than We talked. The two strapgers
gave me an account Of their once having
been themselves in a similar situation.
Day came fair and rosy, and with it the
punishment of our captives.
"They were quite sobered. Their feet
were unbound, but their arms were still
securely tied. We marched them TO the
woods of the road, and having used
them as regulators were wont to use such
delinquents, we set fire to the cabin,
gave all the skins and implements to the
young Indian warrior, and proceeded.
well pleased, towards the settlements"
One unfortunate business venture fol-
lowed another until hardly anything was
left him but his sick wife, his gun, his
dog and his skill in drawing, with his
knowledge Of dancing, fencing, etc.
Still his courage did not for moment
desert him. Foiled in one place he left
it for another. From Kentucky he went
to Cincinnati, where he was for a time
curator Of the Museum, and thence
down the Mississippi to Natchez and
New Orleans. His diary during this
time gives Us most graphic sketches Of
every phase Of Western life, with ac-
counts more or less detailed Of notabili-
ties with whom be was noE and then |
thrown in contact.
During the vicissitudes through which |
he passed he was nobly sustained by his |
self-saerifcing wife, who secured
position as goVeruess in one or another
Of the families of wealthy Southern
planters able to remunerate her well for
her valuable services. Audubon had
al the while been prosecuting the sub
which was to enable him to
bring out his great work on ornithology,
and, after securing three hundred names
in this country, determined to 60 10
England and take further subscriptions
and get the plates under way, and he
accordingly sailed from New Orleans for
Liverpool, il April, 1926.
In May, 1929, Audubon returned to
this country, and, after spending some
weeks on the New Jersey coast, and in
the great pine swamp in Northumber-
land county, Penn, he went South to see
his Vife, from whom he had so long been
Ee spent three months with |
her at Bayou Sara, and on January l, |
1880, they started for New Orleans,
whence they went North to Washington,
and thence to New York, to sail again
for liverpool. During the year follow
ing, important work was done in getting
the 0rnithology brought to public no
tice, and in pushing forward the work |
upon it.
On September 3, 1881, Audubon
again landed in New York, and soon
after went to Florida, where he had |
determined TO spend the winter. The |
Live 0akers," Deer Hunting, "The |
"The Touters, etc. furnish |
the material for graphic and thrilling |
sketches.
In August Of the following year, with |
his wife and two sons, he made a journey |
n to the State of Maine, thence through |
New Brunswick to Labrador, where he
spent a summer; and in April of 1884,
be returned to London with his wife and |
sons, where his work on Birds of |
America was published. Ia 1888 he
settle in New York where he fully ex-
pected to spend the remainder of his |
days. As he had commenced work on
his drawings of the quadrupeds of North |
America, he found that it would be |
for him to visit the great
Western prairies, and accordingly in |
March 1843, he left New York on an
expedition up the Yellowstone river,
which occupied him for eight months.
When he returned from this expedition /
be had nearly reached his SEVENTEEN /
year, yet he began to work again with I
his usual energy and diligence. The
interval Of about three years" Mr.. /
Buchanan writes, (which passed be
tween the time Of Audubon's return
from the West, and the period when his
mind began TO fail, was a short and swift |
twilight to his adventurous life. After
1916, his mind entirely failed him, and
FOR the last few years of his life his eve
lost it brightness, and he had to be led
to his daily walks by the hand of ser
want This continued until the Monday
before his death On Monday morning
be declined to eat his breakfast, and was
unabled to take his morning walk.
Mrs. Audubon had him put to bed, aud /
he lay without any apparent suffering,
but refusing TO receive any nourishment,
until i've o'clock on Thursday morning. /
January 27th, 1851, when, says the
widow, "a deep pallor oyerspread his
The other members of
his family were Immediately sent for to !