The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-04-01
CHAPTER 1.
A LIFE aLoRIousLY srAKEp |

CHAPTER |.
A LIFE GLoRIoUsLY sTAKED
Towards the close Of a beautiful
day in June, 1867, man aud woman,
mounted upon fleet horses, came gal
Looping over one Of the great plains of
the West, and drew ieiu in the shade
of clump of cotton woods upon the
bauk of a beautiful river. They had
ridden far and rapidly. Their steeds
we're painting, aud covered with sweet
and foam.
awe must give the horses breath
ing spell" said the former, slipping
to the ground; aud his companion
nodded a graceful assent, as she fol-
lowed his example.
The couple were evidently father
aud daughter.
The man was in the prime Of life,
hale and hearty, with large frame,
which was sinewy and athletic, with
out ceasing to be refined aud pre-
possessing. He had the keen, shrewd
look peculiar to the advance guards
of civilization, and there was an hon.
est, frank expression on his sun
Drowned face that proclaimed his in.
tegri'y and courage.
In her way, his daughter was
equally picturesque and attractive.
In the early flush of womanhood
with a pure, sweet, aud tender face,
with eyes darkly glowing, with coral.
tinted lips, and cheeks softly flushed
with the hue Of the rose, with ambe
curls floating behind her, she wa
graceful as a gazellc, as light hearted
as bird, as lovely as a flower, and
as spirited as au untamed antelope.
The stream by which the couple
had halted was Wood river, branch
of tho Platte, in Nebraska. at a point
fifty miles northwest Of Fort Kear'
ny.
"Are you tired, Miriam p asked
the hunter, George Dane, with faith
erly solicitudc.
"Tired, father p rejoincd the
mailon, with a happy laugh. ooh
no. How could l be tired after O
day like this2 Every minute has been
filled with pleasure and excitement
[ fell as fresh as yonder bird"
The father smiled understaudin ly
with \ look full Of the fondest aifeC
tion.
81 can guess the cause Of your
lightness of heart" said he, smilingly
The return, now daily expected, o
certain Hubert Earle, from the
mines of Idaho, may account, | sus'
pect, for your present gladness."
A heightened color appeared or
Miriam's face, for the name mention
ed was that Of her lover. She an
swered the glance of her father, how
ever, with a frankncss that nttesteC
his entire sympathy with her, auC
said
"True, father, my heart has beel
unusually light for several days past
How could it be otherwise, since
know that Hubert is coming p
Mr.. Dane did not reply. He wa
looking with kindliug eyes, over tn
fair flower. dotted plain and his mex
remark showed how widely hi
thoughts had strayed.
81 wonder what mother has bee
doing without us all day, Miriam
She must be lonely, with no one I
speak to or share her meals,
shouldn't wonder if We could see ou
homo from this point" and his fac
lighted up with a soulful glow. "Ou
cottage is not more than seven mile
distant; let me see2"
He drew from his coat a pocket
glass, adjusted it to his sight, point
ing it in a northerly direction, an
gazed through it long and earnestly
towards his rauche upon CAREY
Fork.
ayes. sec it," he said, at las
with a long, deep, and joyful inspiri
ton, as if the sight refreshed him
every nerve. "There is our cottog
as pam 40 udys Cdu eNSH oNN ~
vines you planted before the windoV
Miriam. And there Oh the grap'
vine bench, under the big elm, si
your mother, busy at her sewinl
Bless her She does not imagine v
are locking at her. Look, Miriam.
He yielded the instrument 10 h
: daughter, who obeyed his injunction
her lovely face glowing with smile
as she regarded the distant home
scene.
, "Dear mother p she murmeve'
at is a treat to her to be able to 5
out under the trees without fear
) molestatioh. There are no hosti
> Indians hereabouts now-are the
. father 2"
"No. Red Knife, as you have a
ready heard, was killed yesterday |
a settler, and his band has retreats
: towards the mountains. l will co..
a iess, Miriam, that during all the tin
we have been iu the West. / have q
felt so lighthearted and care-free
since we received the news of r.
Knife's death. You have just Sc,