The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-02-12

iGl sourd that deem il the fatal plunge whicl
must dotm Us 70 destruction. Now the win,
will come with iitful ard mournfil cadence
so like tho human voice that we, for an in
! etant, believe it the vail of sn agonized be
ing, ard again il will sweep by with a rush
ing aound like troop CT enraged monster,
bent on a missicn OF death. Sometimes al
Unseen, low dropping branch will softly
touch the shoulder, coEgesiing the warm
current of life vilh The idea that a spectral
hard has suddenly arrested cur progress
nrt agaiu blecl; cEd blasted tree, with ore
cr 80 sere brahche5 p-otruding from lis
side, nil, for ar !nstGrl, still the pulsstion
o. The hcagt rs We behold in it frightful
pheutom, stretching forth its arms to grasp
our shrinking form.
al Ehis aud more must one feel and fear
in lonely midnight pilgrimage through the
forest; and all this She mother endured as
sho pur5uaG her almost hopeless enterprise.
Size had Travelled far, very far, for the dark
ress OF The night aud the intricacies efthe
road had scarcely lesscrei the speed With
which she commenced her walk, and she had
beer many hours on tho way Wca-ress
was beginning 70 cyettako--hOpe vas derart-
ing rom he7 heart aud dispsir chilling ali
her eacrgios--vhcn she discovered afar eff
through the trees, light. 1t was but fee
Gle g'irTmer, YET Oh how il rradiated the
path Of the wanderer! The instant she dis
covered !. lopa aprang back to the heart
ard strength iryigcrated her frame. The
icir, acd EiT eff way seemed tto light Of re-
turring happiness, end she watched it as Gag
a-ly cs the mariner watches the star that
guides Kim over oceans stormy waves.
She ncv hastencd forward with rcdoubled
energT, and though her step sometimes fpl.
tered, ard he7 Eeert sank within her as the
light disappeared behind some intervening
object shc stil! Kept her eye steadily On the
beacon and soon gaired position where it
shore brightly before he's aud sho could ap-
preach without losing sight Of it again. IA
she drew near, she gazeG rpor the scene
which jhct light roToalod with mingled feel
inSs of Gs5crishr.eEt, Eopo, ard fear. There
was large FIRE built OF tire dried branches
Of trees, and around il lsy the dusl,y forms
o. tve ossiz Indians reposing on the ground.
Their appearance Was scvago ard fearful in
tho eztrGEe. each wish his painted features
lighted by the fi:ful glare Of the FIRE, ard his
tomahavk end scalping kni.o cleaning at
his side, Nesr then ve.o implements of
hunting, end a:crrd the frs Ley the scatter.
"a bones end fragments of rude and hasty
repsst.
The whole scene 7-as ealaulatsd t. strike
terror to thu herrt ri the delicate being who
gazed upon it. BIT sh, sccrceiy saw the
rude savcge1 CT their implements of death.
Il =, thet whole scul vas absorbed in ccntem-
yet 1o1..;i,o,7 T7''cIn Of tine scene We have not
- ~ &C., "''l -, yiy-tod bor ,4,,,,
ticn with thrilling and H. H.. neF "''en'
Bound to trae was the form of her husbsSifits.;,
ard at his feet, on the cold ground, lay her
child. The father'a face was covered by its
dress, and its form was motionless, AS if
chilled By the cold hand Of death.
How felt the fond wife and mother when
thai sight Of ho.Tor met her eye? Reprcss-
ing, by y mighty Effort. tho shrek of agony
that arose to her lips and conquering, by
the strength Of 3 hc-oc soul, the almest ir-
resistble desire to rlah forward and clasp
those der ores to her aching heart she
stood gazing upon the cccre with feelings
that carnot Re de,c-ibed She sav, with
sudden throb Of joy that her husband lived,
but her heart grew cold aga,a as she watch
cd the motiGrl2sa fars, OF her child. She
logged to fly 70 his side, and cscertsin the
truth, fc- hc ouarerse that p-ey.d upon her
w2s terrible: but 'Gain her rcsciute mind
restrained he:, ard she began to deliberate
u?on the situation cfhe- husband, and de-
viGc means for releasing him.
The vivid light cat by the fire upon all
things near it enabled the wife to note the
scene distinctly. She sew, With thankful
heart, thct the nayagcs all slept and that she
could reach the eide of her husband without
pG5sirg near enough to awaken them, but
she also saw that he was bound with strong
deer thongs, which she could not hope, in
her wearied state, TO uniasten and she look
ell about for something with which to sever
them. There was nothing, save their knives,
which the Indians wore at their sides Look
ing more irtently, che saw that one of them
had s'ipred fror: its place, and lay on the
ground by it, owrer, 20 near that his hand
almost touched the hilt, 4 pang of intense
fear shot through her frame when she thought
ofapproaching Of the terrific form of the saw
age, bat another look upon the pale face of
the prisoner reassured her, and she determn-
ell to rescue him, or perish in the attempt
She could not approach the Indians without
revealing herself to the eyes other husband
and size feared in that case, that an exclGma-
ton cfsurpree would follow her appearance
and arouse the foe frcDr their slumber
After pordering mouent upon the best
mQde Of proceeding, shc determined to steal
sohly to the back OF tie tree, place her hand
upon the lips of the captive, whisper few
words of e2plsustion, and inplorc him not
by the slightest murmur to frustrStc her
plans.
With a throhbng heart sSc commenced
her perious undertaking. Noiseessly she
made her way to the trsc, and accomp plished
her purpose, There was no time for delay,
one moment the mother turned to look upon
her child, yearning to clasp it to her bosom
hu, rot daring to lift the cloth that conceal
ed its features, and assure herself whether OF
not IL lived. A little while before she would
have given worlds to be able to do this, bu,
now she felt that to behold it wrapped in the
| slumber of death would urnerye her arm
and render her unfit for the further prosscu
| tion Of her task.
With frmnes' which would have don,
homer to stole, size conquered tro pror,pt
in : of netursl lovo Srd hazte-od evay
With q ssor as noiselarl ss the f'llirg dew
she glided toward the slunuerinr savfrcs
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