The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-27

came in their track herd OF deer
uttering cries that seemed almost hu
man in their intense agony. They ran
blindlv, for something more terrible
than wolves was behind them; they
struck the tree and were hurled back by
the shock, some Of them falling back
upon those below. The stampede
seemed to last for full ten minutes, and
when it was over and /, trembling with
fear, dared once more to emerge from
my refuge and look across the clearing,
| saw the woods at its edge already
burning-saw it lurid through the
smoke, and felt its terrible heat upon
nv face. | turned and fled in the way
of the deer and the wolves. NY shoes
were stripped from my feet, and my
tankles were torn and bloody. Fallen
trees lay in my way, but | clambred
over and crawled under them in my
desperate flight. was agonized with
terror and despair, and finally sank to
the ground with my boy in my arms.
must have tainted, for | knew
nothing of what passed until was
rudely shaken by the shoulder, and
heard Il wild, gibbering laugh. |
opened my eyes, and above me stood
NV mother with drawn knife in her
hand. The woods seemed all ablaze,
although the air was not so intolerablv
hot as it had been. The forest beyond
tne clearing must have been burning
at its edge and the strong wind carrying
the smoke upward and over our heads.
NV mother looked down upon me with
eyes blazing with that hated light OF
insanity.
"Ho, hoI said she, fine time OF q
Eight for mother and child 10 be run
sing through the woods Fine night
ihis Night-it is day Look at the
red Iight-'tis the light OF dawn lie
,Ju! t jour du .jugement est arrive And
The rocks are burning! Call on them
10 fall upon you! The clouds of thun-
der and the day Of doom The Lord is
,,oming, and the wheels Of his chariot
burn with his mighty driving Let US
20 up to meet him in mid-a Let us
eide on the smoke and thunder and
Sweep the stars from the heavens !
Come, you shall 90 with mel And
ahe seized Louis who had thrown him
1elf::upon me and.. was chDgrng in terror
10 my breast.
sprang to my feet and cried, Moth
er, mother what would vou do-would
you kill me and Louis?'
Kill you! yes! why wait? The
Lord calls and the devil drives. He
has let loose his imps against the world.
The trees fall crashing in the forest
for all heli's demons pull them down
with hooks Of fire. have seen them
as followed you. | have seen you all
the way. | rode over on wolf; twas
a loup gar0u, an old friend OF mine,
brought me over safely and kept me
from the deer. | will kill YOU; would
you burn to death? You shall 60 up
up higher than the moon, and beyond
the fire. Come, let US goI' aud again
she seized Louis while rbe knife gleam-
ed in the air
| sprang at her, aud with the strength
Of ten mothers IN my arms struggled
viii her Torn, worn and bleeding, as
| was, the thought Of my child and my
husband gave mr the strength Of a
giant | oyerpowerei the mad woman,
and forgetting that she was my mother
that she was anything hut the would
be murderess Uf my hoy--l seized her
by the throat when she was down roll
ing on the ground, and ! wouli have
sirangle,i her Her insanity had almost
made me mad fell, then what a
murderou- maniac feels.
But then thought my mother was
lying almost dea I, and powerles-, and
the fire would soon advance and perhaps
overwhelm u- all NJ hand was
stayed, and when my mother rose 10 her
feet her wildnes- wa gone, and IN IL
place had returned that calmuess-
almost imbeciltv-which had charaC.
terized her for the last few years. She
was ready and willing to DO everything
that | told her, but kept that knife fast
in my hand.
The wind had fallen, and Slight
rain was dropping among The leaves
overhead a. We went on tor an hour or
two longer, and then, Ovcrpowered with
exhaustion, and no longer greatly Tread.
ing the fire, We lay down in hollow
and fell asleep When we awOke it was
morning. wa. sick and completely
exhausted, and hardly knew that there
were men arouni us Yet there were,
and good, kind men, too, who gave
US food and drove u TO place OF shelter,
whence, As soon as we were able, We
went to Green Bay, wherr | soon re-
covered from the sickness and terror OF
that dreadful night. Ny mother cOn-
tinues in that same state Of lmbecillty
which the doctor say. will Soon become
complete dementia. Louis was not long
recovering, but rs yet have heard
nothing from my husband.
LUCILLE MRCHAND.