The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-06-24

as though the woods were full of Indians,
peering out at her on either side, ready to
spring out upon her and take her life in
cold blood, but her husband laughed at
her fears, and said that she was as safe
there as in the cabin, and that, as far as
he was concerned, he gave little thought to
the savages while about his daily toll.
One day. late in September, he went to
his work at the mill in the morning, as
usual. The sky was overcast, giving
promise that rain would be falling before
nightfall. a solemn stiffness pervaded
the forest, like that which sometimes pre-
cedes storm and Mrs Foss, standing
IN the doorway, watching her husband as
he went down the hill and into the forest
to his work, felt boding Of evil that she
could not shake off To her it seemed as
though the very silence possessed a voice,
and was speaking to her, telling of more
terrible danger which was impending over
them. AS the day wore on, the sky, If
anything, assumed more lcaden hue, and
the clouds came down so low tba. they
seemed almost to touch the tops of the
trees which surrounded the little clearing.
With the passing hours and the increas,
ing gloom, the depression which had been
weighing upon the spirits of the rnillers
wife increased; and long before the hour
of noon came, she was firmly convinced,
in her own mind, that some terrible dam
ger threatened them, even if harm had
not already come to her husband while at
his work in the mill.
Filled with these gloomy thoughts, she
moved about the cabin, preparing the
r2o,t tide meal. In those days timepieces
were g costly luxury which but few pos
sessed; and, as the cabin was without one.
and the sun was not shining, she had to
rely upon herself to guess tue time when
the meal should be ready. But che had
done this too many times to greatly err
and, when at last the meal was in readi-
acss, she was ready to wager anything
II was but a few minutes from the meri-
dian, one way or the other. For few
moments she fingered about the table,
waiting .or the familiar step of her bus-
band 10 sound outside, and replying TO the
eager clamor of the children that they
might be allowed to 60 down to the mill
for their father. Then, with them still
clinging about her, she went to the door
way, and gazed anXiously toward the
river. She could see nothing of him, nor
hear a sound. save the dull roar of the
river breaking over the dam, and rushing
among the stones below, mingled with the
sighing of the wind through the tree-tops,
which told of the rain as plainly as the
leaden sky overhead. Far away in the
distant hills it seemed as though the rain
had already begun to fall, and, in little
time, would be there.
The children still clamored to be all
lowed to go to their father, but to this she
would not consent. The way was lonely
through the woods, and, to her, was al,
ways teeming with danger. She would
wait little longer, when he would sure
ly come. The day being overcast, and be
hard at work, the time might slip by fast
er than he was aware, and not imagine
that dinner time had come
Slowly the moments dragged themselves
along to the impatient woman, and, with
| the lapse Of each, her fears for the safety
of her husband increased. Surely some
harm must have come to him, for he had
| never been SO late 10 his meals before
and, unable longer to control her fears,
she bade the children follow her and
closing the cabin door, she took the path
| that led down towards the mill.
AS she crossed rhe edge of the clearing
and entered the forest, she thought that il
had never seemed so gloomy there before,
| and never SO filed with strange sounds as
those which seemed to salute her ears
from every side. Even the children
seemed impressed with the strange moan
ing of the tree>tops, and ceased their
childish prattle, ciinging about the skirts
of their mother, as sort of underlined
| dread crept over them, communicated in
part, perhaps, by the gloom which they
read upon the face of their parent
Deeper and deeper grew the gloom as
they plunged into the forest and approach
ed the mill. The moaning sounds that
filled the tree-tops were lost in the roar oi
the water over the dam, as they came
nigh the rivers bank. A turn in the
forest path showed them the mill q little
| way before them, the door standing open.
but no signs of life about it.
For moment Mrs. Foss paused, and
listened for any sound that might come
therefrom. But nothing met her ear save
the roar Of the wafer. The mill wasn'i
at work, or the groaning of the ponder
Gus wheels would have long ago saluted
her ears. The silent and deserted appear.
ance of the mill added to her fears, and
| she hesita.ed about stepping within the
doorway. Night not fearful scene
greet her eyes and chill the blood in hel
veinsa Pausing within few feet of the
open door, she called aloud to her hus.
| band.
There was no answer save the roar of
the water, which seemed to echo back
to drown her cry. Again it was repeat
ed, but with like result, and then, sum
moning all her courage, with her children