Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-22

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so much better up here already.
should have died if had stayed il
| SacTamentO.'
It's an unhealthy place, l know,
| said he; but il will be renovated il
time. By the way, you needn't b.
frightened, but / must tell you tina
thieves prowl about our camp
They've been going it for some time
and we can't catch them
Mrs. Wilder was somewhat star
tied.
'Oh, don't bc scared' said he
They're not dangerous. They ar,
the sneaking kind. They only piol
up things slyly, and get out OF camI
as soon as possible. They've bcel
seen, but always escaped. Joe Har
ris saw them one night last week
and says they're Indians 1t won
be good for them IL they're caught.
what would be done with them.
'Oh, they'd be hung, of course
We folks hate stealing; and it's Tho
only thing amy one has been huns
fOr3at Forrest HiD.'
Would they come into our tent?
asked Mrs. Wilder.
'Oh, mol They might reach ia al
the door, or under the canvas, tC
see what they could carry of, they
are mighty sly
If they come here, MOTHER put
in the little boy, I'lI kill them with
the axe.'
What could you do, Gcorgci
They're big men, you know
'Pd fight, them, anyhow, lie said
! Good, my. boy ? said the miner
You'll be the right kind of a man
when you grow up. But of course
| you're not very strong yet. Ii the
| robbers trouble you, just yell. That
! would do more good than your axe.
| IL would rouse the camp; and if you
| should be the means of getting them
! caught, Pd raise collection of five
hundred dollars for you before the
breath should be fairly out of their
bodies"
The miner stood talking with the
Wilders till the sun had set-thcn
he sauntered on.
IF l can do nything for you or the
children said he at parting, let me
know. My name is Tom Cook. l
live in that cabin over there, just
next to the one with the sign of
Choice Liquors. There is mess
of us-six'
Mrs. Wilder thanked him, and
when he had walked away she took
her handkerchief and wiped away
some tears that were gathered in her
eyes. The kind voice of that blunt,
honest man had touched some ten
der chord in her heart, and she Wcpt
-shC knew not why.
x-ga for. for. tho nffrlf Tho
moon had not risen till eleven, and
it was now away up in the bright
sky so, that it could look down into
the Fdeepest canon. The Wilders
had lain awake for hours talking
about the robbers, which seemed to
have made an unusual impression
on them, but at last dOzed off into
unconscious rest, and the whole
camp was raped III sleep.
The children slept soundly, but
Mrs. Wilder was restless, and awoke
frequently from half-feverished
dreams.
When l relate the singular cir
cumstanCes that occurred before the
morning, do not claim that they
were directed by the supernatural
agencies; nor do l aver that they
were not. l simply tell the story.
was between and 4 o'clock
when Mrs. Wilder seemed to fall in
to a deeper slumber than she had
enjoyed that night. But il was not
free from dreams. Thus far she had
dreamed only of the mysterious rob-
bers of which Tom Cook had told
her; now her visions wandered
away back over years. Again she
was on the Platte river; again she
saw her husband-so distinctly
building the ferry; again she bid
him good-by, and travelled on over
the prairies; again she saw the
Rocky Mountains loom up in the
distance.
But there tho dream made a di-
gression. Sears and Mallity did not
come now; but instead of them came
Abram Wilder. She flew to meet
him; but stopped, for her husband
wore such a strange look on his face.
He stood still, waved her of, then
pointed to the grass at her feet. She
looked down and saw a grave open;
saw her husband lying in it, with a
hastily wound on his head; saw two
men hastily filling the grave up
They were his hired men-Scars
and MallitY.
With a scream that must have
Wakened every sleeper at Forest
Hill, Mrs. Wilder started up from
her rude couch, now fully awake and
in the dim light she saw 4 shadOwy
figure standing a few feet from her;
with a hand still pointing ut the
earth, for it was the same figure she
had seen III her dream. 1t stood
perfectly motiOnless for u couple of
seconds, then vanished.
Within the same two seconds scvc-
raj shadows were described against
one of the slanting sides of the tent,
on which the moon was shining, and
they too, disappeared simultaneous
lv with the sound of retTCatin@ foot
steps without, while something fell
with clatter, inside the tent, aS
though it had actually dropped
through the canvass.
What's the mater, mother" ask
ed George, springing up and seizinS
his axe.
At the same time his little sister
cried out in her terror.
'Oh, it's the robbers! They'll Kill
usp and she added wall to the
general confusion.
? IIush, child!' said Mrs. Wilder,
who tremblcd so that she could
hardly speak; they've gone away
oh, they'll come back know
they WHIP
George hurried on his clothes, and
he rushed boldly out of the tent with
NJ n .
Miners bounded from their tents
and cabins on all sides, and hurried
to the scene. One or two of them
caught sight of two Indians making
off into the woods.
Mrs. Wilder struck 4 light with
tremulOus hands, and hastily attircd
herself.
What's the matter? Is that you,
sonnyH asked the first miner, hur-
rying up.
1t was Tom Cook.
yes, SIR replied George. The
robbers have been here. Mother
heard them, and heard them run
ning!away.'
Mrs. Wilder came out.
Were they here, Mrs. Wildcr?' he
asked; for he had learned her name
IN the evening.
'Oh-yes-some one was she an
swered, breathlessly. Tve had
such a terrible dreamn
Maybe you only imagined it,
then@ suggested Tom Cook; while
the miners were hurryiug up from
all directions.
No she didn't said George, ca
gerly. q heard themn
You bet she didn't exclaimed one
of the miners eXcitedly, for he had
caught the hurried conversation as
he came up. 4 saw them goiu' for
the woods; and they were derned
sneaking Indians. I'd swear it.
The crowd and the excitement in