Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-12-16

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Soon, two clearings wsso tsE1s1, abO01
. ailo from each Sthss, ~ ospasatsd y
q thick belt Of woods, UAsss bsAna1nis
boughs seemed laden with the very breath
of healing. Then, The bDUuy ans q
the tough bael.woodsmsa hSwuA -
split the logs Of ~ sight din0asns, -
kslA by stout pias q oak, they Wsse -
iousa Into the ssablancs Of Two dwo&I'
ingA The roofs vsss covered WITH lneOs
plssss a bari. Ori1css wsrs ct lor w.
dows, across whloh plisst willow osises
were fastened in disaosd laahioa - q.
NIT the light. Rode chinnsys wsee baiA1
With ample hrsplsossy with . alat a ~
dive granite for the hsarth. Ard tbsus
think Of Il 70 dwellsrs IN marble halls
the cabins wore ready for occupancy.
The elder brother, John Harpse, . naa
in middle age, had family q stslwast
boys growing up around him the youngss
brother, Eben, with whom our story haa
to do, had been bat . few years married,
and his family consisted only Of HE vile
and infant boy when be entered the vii
derness.
At the end Of thres years his Strong
arm had wrung rich rewards from TIE b.
fore INTENDED soil, and seldom does the
sun shine upon pleassnter spot then that
on which stood the log cabin OF Ebsn
Harper. A few graceful forest trees
threw their shadows in front, and wild
plum branches and tangles Of grape vine.
dropped over the clear waters Of little
spring that leaped from the face Of the
rocks like silver arrow, and fell culver.
ing into q messy basin.
Pennons of growing corn, beans, potato
and pumpkin vines, We'd with each other
in the little clearing, and field OF wheat
and another Of blue-dowered fax stood
side by side. Within the cabin the most
perfect order and cleanliness prevailed.
A rude dresser held the mugs and plates
of pewter and simple deal, snowy curtains
were looped back from the small Window,
shaded BY vines of clematis and golden
bitter-sweet. The floor was of stainless
Wilderness q low couch In one corner,
with sheets of homespun linen; Q clumsy
table, and q few three-legged stools
making up tho complement Of furniture.
The walls were neatly pspered with birch
bark; upon shelf Lay tho Holy Book,
and always in summer the cabin Wa
frightened by the presence of glowing
viid-fowers, with their rich perfume and
brilliant tints. At one end OF the room
was the wide Fireplace. where the great
logs roared and spsrkled, and Mary Har-
DER broiled the rich steak OF bear or veni-
SON, stepped tho fragrant chocolate root,
and watched the golden corn-cake turn to
an amber brown. Such was this simple
homo in the wilderness at the date We
would describe.
Little Phil, rosy boy nearly four years
old, with great blue eyes, and locks uks
tangled sunshine,-ever restless, ever Joy
ous-busy in his play from morn till night,
was at once very imp of mischief. and
the idol and autocrat Of the little house
hold.
One summer afternoon, when the long
shadows began 20 steal athwart the woods
Mary Harper left her boy asleep upon heI
bed. and went out TO call the COW. Hes
husband had gone ten miles TO . settle
meut, TO purchase salt She bad bad {
bright busy day, with Phil and her worl
for company.
She had arrayed the child in q new suit
- esarlet CLOTH cooked the supper nicely,
ar.A A.ss rii asleep when she stole from
IL cabin. The COW was not in her &C
customed place She had wandered into
the woods, and after some search Mrs
Harper found her browsing among the
tender shrubs. After much trouble the
animal was started for home, but when
they arrived there il was quite dark
Hastily lettering the COW, and milking
her NJ speedily a. possible, Mrs. Harpes
hurr. ed TO the house the fire was ost On
the hearth, save one feeble spark abe
blew IT up and lighted some splinters Of
resinou- wood, whose strong glare soon Il
Illuminated the cabin. She saw the dtshea
she had covered and set down 70 keep hel
husbands supper warm, had been 70.
moved they sat upon the table empty
every scrap Of eatable food was gonei She
Turned 70 the bed with a vague alarm
Alas little Phil was not there,-he VA
messing! The pillow was ekdamp where
his head had rested the light shawl she
had thrown ,ver him lay on the floor
What had become Of him. She searched
the hon-e from top 10 bottom; she went
out and called him by every tender name
her affection could suggest, but echo
alonc replied. Half distracted. che re.
turned TO the cabin. Something spark.
ling on the door attracted her attention
sbc lifted tit was a brilliant string Of
vampum, that had been dropped by tho
owner The poor mother fell back ss IL
IN srrow had struck her heart
"Tbs Ind ians have got bim-The In
dfsns !" she moansd, and the thought oil
tho dread Pequswkets. the hercest of the
northern tribes, and the terror Of all the
frontier settlements, chilled her blood
with horror.
"Oh, my boy" she kept saying over,
what shall / do My darling My
little Phil r
Since their residence in the wilderness
they had never been troubled by Indians
the few she had seen had been friendly,
the tribes having retreated TO q distant
territory on the approach Of the white
men.
She conjectured and rightly some
wandering party of ssvsges had, in her
absence. entered the cabin and stolen her
cb;ld Sba rsfiscted.-she mn II await her