Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-02-24
MARTHA WARREN.

H.
wears old boy to his breast for amoments and
then sbouldering the sack of corn which wa:
N be converted into meal at the rude mill
forty miles away, trudged on through the
wilderness
Martha Warren stood at the door of the
log cottage, gazing out after the retreatine
form of her husband Anangle of the dense
sbrubbery hid him from her view, but still
she did not return to the solitary kitchen
Il looked so dark and lonesome there. she
shrank from entering, or perhaps the grand
sabimity of the view spread out before hel
attracted her attention and thrilled her SOU
With that nameiess, unexpected something
that we all see when standing thus face to
face with the works of His fingers.
The finest and most satisfactory view OF
the White Mountains is that which presents
itself from what is now the town oc BethIe-
BEN, on the road to Littleton and Franco
MA. Mt Washington, the king amcng
princes, is there seen in its proper place :
the centre ofthe 'rock- ribbed" range-tow
eIlUst UluC pIOdCudDfS-
Far up in wild clearing, close by the tur.
bid waters of the Ammonoosoc, was the cot
tage situated-a place Wild and arie enough
for the nest of an eagle, but near to the
heart of Martha Warren as the home where
she had spent the happy days of her young
Wifehood. When she had turned from many
{. patrician suitor, in the fair old town of
Portsmouth, to join her fortunes with the
fah and perfect understanding of the trials
tina, lay before her. She would walk in no
path of roses for years to come; much of
life must be spent in the eternal solitudes,
where silence was broken only by the wild
winds of the forest, the sEriek of the river,
the sharp rocks, or the dismal howl of the
red mouthed wolf afar in the wilderness.
Tie necessary absence of her husband she
dreaded most 1t was so very gloomy to
close up her lonely 6reside, with the con-
sciousness that there was no human being
nearer to her than the settlement of Lord S
Hill, ten miles away through the painless
woods
There was little to fear from the Indians,
although 4 few of the scattered tribes yet
rOamea over these primeval hunting grounds.
They we're mostly disposed to be friendly. and
Mrs. Warren's kind heart naturally promp
led her to many acts of friendship towards
them, and an Indian never forgets benefit
The purple mist cleared away from the scar
red forehead of the dominant old mountain;
the yeilow san peeped over the rocky wall,
and Martha turned away to the performance
Of her simple domestic3eties The day was
a long one, but it was towards evening, and
the cleaning comes much sooner in these
sOGtudes than any other places The sun
light faded out Of the uEglazed eiadows,
though it would illuminate the distant noun
tains for sometime yet; and Martha vent
ont IN the scanty garden to inhale the odor
Of the sweet pinks on the meag1e reet she
badbrOught from her old home.
The spicy perfume carried her back in
memory those days awayin the past spent
With kind friends, and cheered by bright
young hopes. But though the thought Of
home aud kindred made her sad, not for a
moment did she regret she had chosen it
Absorbed in thought she had not observed
the absence of Charlie, her little boy; now
she saw with vague uheasiness that he had
leit the bed of peppermint where he had
Teen playing, and was pot to be seen. She
called MS name, but only echo and the roar
of the swollen river replied. She few back
70 the house, the faint hope remaining that
ne might have returned thither for his pet
Kitten; but no, the kitten was mewing at
lAe window, but no signs of Charlie.
With frantic haste she searched the clear
as' but without success Her next thought
vas the river! Black as the night, save
Shere II vas fiecked with spots of white
loau-lt flowed but few rods before her.
Nne hurried down the brink, calling out,
Charley, Charleyl''
The ehild's voice at some little distance
replied She followed the sound, and to
ner sorrow saw the boy-his golden hair
and rosy cheeks clearly defined against the
purple twilight sky-standing on the very
e4se OF the huge, detached rock, some ten
'eet from the shore, out in the sweeping
current Of the river!
lbs rock, called by the settlers ''The Pull
f'r was good situation for casting fish
na lines, and Mark Warren had bridged the
aa'Fo" ehasm between it and the shore
With couple of hewn logs.
Alured by some clusters of flaming fire
W." "eea growing on the side of the Pulpit,
marley had passed over, and now stood
ole'e' regardless of danger, holding out the
NO'Ai treasures to his mother. Martha few
y's, tue trail bridge, and the next instant
L''l her child in her arms. joyful because
sue hadtound him uninjured, and mentally
1'0'lng that the logs should be removed
prevent further accident, she turned to
.s''aee her steps, but the sight that met her
'es iroze her with horror to the spot.
confronting her on the bridge, not six feet
,'S'ant' Was an enormous wolf, gaunt and
Oony with hunger, his eyes blazing like live
: through the mist and gloom, his hot
e''ia breath scorching the very air she
breathed.
low growl of intense satisfaction stirred
Ie ar, answered by the growl of fifty more
"a nis Kind, belonging to the mack in anoth-