Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-11-01

which he looked upon my innocent baby
nothing but the courage of despair ena-
bled me to walk into his presence.
went up to him calmly. trying to shape
my trembling lips into smile; then, nod
ding in ghastly friendliness to him, l en-
deavored to take my baby in my arms.
OF course l could not. knew it would
be useless. He was held as in a vise-the
great bony fingers of the monster tight
ened around him, and | Withdrew my
bold.
"Ugh!" growled the savge. "Big In
| jim mel!
Yes, of course!'' faltered, family.
big Injn me !" he repeated, fiercely.
| / started wildly, and clasped my hands
in terror, then went about, my wits wan-
dering, my head dizzy with fear and dread,
and put upon the table all the eatables
could find-everything that L had ever
known to tempt the appetite or fancy of a
savage. He looked upon me like de
mon in quiescent state, following me
| about with ferOcity that reminded me
of something terrible, knew not what.
Then pointing to the table, Iagain strove
to take the child in my arms. All in vain.
Looking with inefiablc scorn upon the
food prepared for him, and laying one
strong finger on his brawny breast, he
said again, with fierce dignity
ugh! Big Injin mel"
He strobe forward. Malcolm screamed
and put his little hands TO me. fell at the
monsters feet. l implored. begged of
him with streaming eyes. / besought him
to think how unworthy thing it was for
a great chieftain, the head, no doubt. of a
powerful nation, to torture poor help
less woman. implored him to wait till
my husband should come, and all the
treasures conceivable of blankets in
liveliest colors, of beads as glittering as his
own dreadful eyes, of trinkets as gaudy as
they were worthless, should be laid ut the
monsters feet.
For moment he paused and laid his
hand heavily upon the weapon in his belt.
But the thought of Draining me then and
there seemed too merciful. He kicked me
brutally aside, and trailing his filthy blan-
ket over my half unconscious vision, strobe
away, taking with him my little baby.
looked with terrible fascination upon the
powerful strides that widened the distance
between us, till away i'm the distance he
leaped upon his pony and disappeared in
cloud of dust.
Then became mercifhlly oblivious oi
everything. fell prone in the dust at my
doorway, and remained there till Charley
came.
He has told me of the horror that ap
palled him when he found me senseless
and his baby gone. For three days he wa:
kept upon this terrible rack of suspense
only when regained consciousness to be
plunged i'm deeper and more Overwhelm
ing grief.
7 For refused to be comforted!
What endure life with this terrible
| aatit, int In. ' "a,
better have resigned him to death and the
Il grave. | might with bursting hear
have given him into the arms of the gra
cious and bountitul Savior; but to thinh
. of him rs the prey of this swarthy fiend
to imagine him in the power of this mon
ster! The thought was uncomfortable. The
sooner i was maniac the better.
They hunted for him far and wide, send
ing hither and thither, upon this trail ant
that. Charley remained by my bedsid,
torn with conflicting agony.
1t was season of horror and despair
A month elapsed, and l was sinking into
/ rapid decline. Mamma was on her way
out to me, but felt she would never Sc,
me alive. / did strive for Charley's sakt
at this Late hour to live, but my health
already shattered, had received terribl,
| shock. Nothing but a miracle could saw
me. lay day after day in an apatheti
! stupor, from which they feared to arous
i me lest it should turn to frenzy.
/ Let me see if can recall that soft beau
i, tiful eventide; the very air was laden witt
, balm and healing. A gentle wind stirret
! the broad leaves of a gourd vine l hat
, planted in the early spring.
, An overwhelming sense of my unworth
{ iness assailed me. 1t seemed as If tn
. | trit If Grs1 haI ON
! | filed it with a premOnitiOn of somethin;
, sweet and holy and infinitely merciful.
were indeed destined to die then an,
5 there, could at least be perhaps forgiven
5 Charley" / said, striving to reach hi
$ bowed and grief-stricken head" Charley
have been a wicked, hardened, rebellion
$ creature. have sinned against God an,
, against you. have dared to doub
: his wisdom and mercy. Charley, tn
A.. good God has taken care of our little one
somewhere his little bones lie bleaching
. but, dearest and best, our baby is with tn
: blessed Savior"
"And you will live?'' said Charley, i'm
; ploringly.
Z "Ah. love- answered, :" that, think
] is impossible"
He bent his head again and a stron
4 tremor shook his frame.
Suddenly / thought heard faint foot
/ fall. 1t was like the ghost of a vanishe
| memory, but it stirred host of emotion
1 about my heart. The string was pulled
j the latch moved. Yes, it was, indeed, oil
e it ioas my pretty sad Young Indian squaw
; Her blanket, dirtier than ever, hung loost
t ly about her; in the pouch at her bac
nestled her baby. She glided in her oil
! noiseless way TO her familiar nook by tn
S fire, looking upon me with singular viii
yearning.
t "Chickaminny, papoosey, shake" sal
v the plaintive musical voice.
d / burst into torrent of merciful tear
For the first time the fountains of m
Il heart were unsealed. / stretched forth
V her my hands.
4 "Alas, poor mother.' said, g l am a
O unable to help your baby now; but Civ
h him to me. All babies seem near and des
i to me now.'
r She said again, sadly and tremblingl,
r - Chickaminny, papoosey, shake" an
v took from the pouch in the blanket a child
e a child, sadly thin and hunger-strickel
IS and oppressed with dirty swathes of III