American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-02
LITTLE ARTHUR.

NEARLY opposite the beautiful village
of New Milford, in the western portion OF
Connecticut, and situated about a fourth
of mile from the west bank of the Hou
satOnic river, is an old Indian cemetery
half hidden from the river by numerous
trees and underbrush. There is nothing
to indicate that the ashes of past genera
tiOns rest here unless it be that occasion
ally an arrow head or broken Ratchet is
turned out by the plowman in the ad
joining fields, reminding the present gen
Grafton that this was once the abode OF
the savages.
The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs
Norris and three children. Arthur, the
oldest, boy of about eight years, was a
delicate child and for this reason proba-
bly, was petted rather more than boy
eight years old likes to be. He often used
to sit on his mothers lap while she told
| him stories of her childhood DAYS. One
afternoon he was amusing himself on the
bank of the river with his hook and line,
when he was surprised by two Indians
whom he had frequently seen at his faith
er's house, and whom he had no reason to
suppose were otherwise than friendly
! They accosted him in a friendly manner,
and informed him that they could show
him where much larger and finer fish
could be caught, only a little distance
down the stream; unsuspectingly Ar
thur followed them to a place remote from
any habitation, where they commenced
digging, saying they would find angle
worms there.
AS Arthur employed himself in picking
them up, he noticed the Indians con-
tinued to dig with much energy, and as
they met his look of inquiry IA sinister
glance passed between them, which was
observed by the keen-eyed little lad, and
it gave him at once an intuitive sense of
some danger that threatened him. In an
instant he was upon his feet, fleeing like
frightened deer before his pursuers, but
the Indians, being fleet runners, soon
brought him back. Then, after divesting
him of his clothing, they tied his hands
and feet and thrust him into the cavity
they had made, threatening to take his
life Immediately if he made any noise.
They buried him up to the neck, leav-
ing his head exposed, and thus tn ey left
him, believing he would perish with hun
ger or be destroyed by the wolves or
panthers that in those days inhabited the
forests.
As the shades of evening fell around
the beautiful little cottage where Arthur's
parents resided, they began to wonder at
the absence of their child, until at length
they became thoroughly alarmed, and
spread the news of his strange absence
could give any tidings of little Arthur,
and many We're the conjectures as to what
had befallen him
Meanwhile, Arthur's courage did not
desert him. He had been taught by
Christian parents to believe in God, and
he felt that He would protect him, or if
he must die there in that lonely place he
would go to Heaven to dwell forever
more; and some day his dear friends
would meet him there. As his little
heart beat loudly with the thought
of how his mother would feel,
with a look of sweet resignation
his lips moved in silent prayer Sud
denly IA new hope seemed to take posses
sion of his mind, for he discovered that
ne cord which bound his feet was loose,
and that he could even then move his feet
up and down the narrow cavity. Think
ing that some advantage might be gained
by this motion, he continued it, and,
though his hands were tied and the damp
earth had chilled him through and
through, yet hravely and earnestly did
the little lad work through the dark,
lonely hours of that night, and as he
worked the pit beneath his feet gradually
filled
1t was nearly the break of day when he
had succeeded in filling the pit sufficient
" to free himself from it. One moment
he looked about him, and to his great
Joy discovered a hollow tree in the dis
lance, with an aperture just large enough
to admit his body; into this he crawled
and Immediately sank down, overcome
with fatigue, and tired nature sought re-
lief in sleep. When he awoke the sun
was high in the heavens, and, feeling very
hungry, he ventured to look cautiously
out through the opening, hoping to see
some friendly face or some avenue of es-
cape from his still perilous position. But
he only saw a group of Indians lolling
beneath the trees in the edge Of the grove,
smoking and talking, while occasionally
their voices fell upon his ears. As he
contemplated his unpleasant situation he
felt how hopeless it was to attempt to
reach home should he make the effort;
and as he sat down in the dark recess that
afforded him shelter, he tried hard to be
brave and hopeful until night should
again drop her mantle over the earth,
when he would attempt to reach his
home.
The Indians mt that time greatly out
numbered the whites, and were appar
emily friendly, though often they gave oc-
casion to be looked upon with distrust.
As soon as they heard little Arthur was
lost they pretended to aid in the search
for him. They would go in the direction
where they knew he was or had been left,
where they would be likely To find him,
and would report on their return that they
had searched thoroughly and found him
not. Many of the settlers, however, had
but little confidence in them or their pre-
tended search, and the same ground that
they said they had searched was searched
again by the whites. Arthur had heard
voices calling and once heard his name,
but was afraid To- answer, being fearful OF
betraving himself into the hands of his
enemies
1t was nearly shutdown on the day fol
lowing his capture 10y the Indians when
he distinctly heard voices calling
"Arthuru not far from his place of
concealment. Cautiously looking forth,
his eyes met those of his beloved father,
who was standing within n few feet of his
hiding place. He gave little scream of
Joy and the next instant was clasped in
his fathers arms, who, together with
some OF their neighhorS, had been search
ing for him all that day, and had by a mer-
cilul Providence been directed at last to
the very spot where Arthur had been con-
cealed. AT first he was SO overcome with
Joy that he could not give utterance TO
single word Then, taking his friends 10
the place where he had been nearly buried
| alive he told them of what the Indians