The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-03-25
A LIFE GLoRIOUsLY sTAKED !

LIFE GLORIOUSLT STAkED!
Towards the close of beautiful day
in June, 1867, man and woman,
mounted upon feet horses, came gal
Looping over one of the great plains of
the West, and drew rein i'll the shade
of a clump Of cotton-wOOds upon the
bank of a beautiful river. They had
ridden far and rapidly. Their steeds
were painting, and covered with sweat
and foam.
I'VE must give the horses a breathing
SPELL" said the former, slipping to the
ground; and his companion nodded a
graceful assent, rs she followed his ex-
ample.
The couple were evidently father and
daughter.
The man was in the prime of life,
hale and hearty, with large frame,
which was sinewy and athletic, without
ceasing 10 be refined and prepossesslDg.
He had the keen, shrewd look peculiar
10 the advance guards of civilization,
and there was an honest, frank express
sion on his suu-browned face that pre-
claimed his integrity and courage.
In her way, his daughter was equal
ly picturesque and attractive.
In the early flush of wOmanhood, with
a pure, ssret, and tender face, with
eyes darkly glowing, with coral tinted
lips, and checks softly flushed with the
hue IF the rose, with amber curls float
ing behind her. she was as graceful as n
gazellc, as light hearted as bird, as
lovely as a flower, aud as spirited as an
uutamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple had
halted was Wood river, branch of the
Platte in Nebraska, at point fifty
miles nor, Invest of Fort Kearney.
''Arc ,ou tired. Miriam ~ asked the
hunter, George Dane, with fatherly so
llcitUdG.
"Tired, father'" rejoined the maiden,
with happy laugh. "Oh, no. How
could | be tired after a day like this
Every minute has been filed with pleas
ure aud excitement. | feel as fresh as
youder bird"
The father smiled Understandings
with a look full of the fondest affection.
AZ can guess the cause of your light
ness of heart J" said he smilingly. The
return, now daily expected, of certain
HILBERT Earle, from the mines of Idaho
may account, suspect, for your present
gladness."
A heightened color appeared on Mlrl
ans face, for the name mentioned was
that of her lover. She answered the
glances of her father, however, with a
frankneSs that attested hi- entire sym,
pathy with her, and said:
"True, father, my heart has been unu
sually light for several days past. How
- L.. . I L h,i
Hubert is Cemingp
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He wa,
looking, with kindly eyes, over the fail
flewer.dotted plain; and his next re
mark showed how widely his thought
had strayed.
al wonder what mother has been do
ing without us all day, Miriam. Sh
must be lonely, with no one to speak t
or share her meals. Ishouldn't wonde
IL we could see our home from thi
point," and his face lighted up with
soulful glow. "Our cottage is not NOR
than seven miles distant; let me seer
He drew from his coat a pOcket-glass
adjusted il to his sight, pointing it in
northerly direction, and gazed throug
it long aHd earnestly, towards his ranch
upon Carrey's Fork.
.Yes, see it," he said, ut last, with
long, deep, and joyful inspiration, as
the sight refreshed him in every nerve
There is our cottage, as plain as day
| can even see the vines you planted be
fore the windows, Miriam. And there
on the grapevine bench, under the 0i
elm, sits your mother, busy at her sew
ing. Bless her! She does not imagln
we are looking at her. Look, Miriam.
He yielded the instrument TO hl
daughter, who Obeyed his injunction
her lovely face glowing with smiles
she regarded the distant hOme-scene.
Dear motherw she murmured. II
is treat to her to be able to sit out un
der the trees without fear of molesta
tion. There are no. hostile Indian
hereabOuts now-are there, fatheTT
''NO. Red Knife, as you have alread,
heard, was killed yesterday by settler
and his band has retreated towards tn
mountains. will confess, Miriam, tha
during all the time we have been in tn
West, | have not felt so light-heartet
and care-free as since we received new
of Red Knife's death. You have jus
seen how this joy bubbles over in me
Red Knife was a demon, Eather than
savage"
Miriam shudd cred, and Sher feature
even paled at the memory 6S the Indial
mentioned.