The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-05-07
WHOLE No. 2,OO4

posite shore, had seen some game in our
wild woods, killed it, and his canoe had
long since carried him away. In the
gathering darkness l grouped my way
back through the familiar little path.
and reached my own door. alone should
pass the threshold in the future: their
| feet were still; the busy feet that had
toied for me, followed me, and ha'l been
ever near me. | was to go on my rugged
path alone! Heart-sick and overcome, |
stopped at the door, and, leaning my
head against it, sobbed in unccontrolla-
bic despair. Tired out at length had
grown quiet, and was just about to lift
| the latch, when faint moan, rs of an
animal in pain, and close to me, startled
me; then a death-like silence reigued.
| | knew had not been mistaken. |
felt that must forget myself and help
the poor creature in distress. at sVery
good for strength to know that some one
needs you to be strong No longer hest
| L
struck light and went in the direction
whence the moan had reached my ears.
| thought of the shot had heard. 1t
was quite possible a poor wounded deer
was lying in the bushes. Yes. could
see his kin--unmistakably fawn
spotted dun color. 1t lay quite still
| perhaps that moan had been its dying
gasp and so came quite close to it.
leaned over, paralyzed with horror, saw
my mothers face, only young and very
| beautiful, as she must have looked when
girl. Deathly pale, dead, possibly, she
| lay-matted hair all about her face, and
clothed in doeskin. Just then she stirred
| it was not death. All wonder ceased
within me, every feeling fled before the
thought that this Icing, whatever, who
ever she was might be saved to live.
l dragged her u few steps into the
house, laid her on my hemlock boughS,
untouched by me since the sickness Wis
tied us. Then l found wound in the
poor creatures side, bound it up, bathed
her head, and, in the quiet, now again |
felt startled at seeing my mother image.
young and fair before me: and when at
last her great eyes opened, it must he
that sister lost to me till now, and sent
back in this sad hour to take my moth
er's place. LEANED forward in an access
of tenderness, to welcome her, when a
look of fright, an animal-like wild terror
took possession of her face, and n low
sort of snarl broke from her human lips.
The start she gave caused fresh flow
of blood and dimness passed over her
eyes. Again staunched the wound and
prepared nourishment it case she wax
ened. Too busted in these ways for fur
Their speculation, only with strange
weight at my heart and WEAKNESS Of
body, suddenly | felt the CLEAN Of eyes
watching me. Strange eyes. No human
expression about them: stealthy ouk
in them now. Gently as | could | ap-
preached her side. She trcmbled and
tried to hide her head when offered her
my carefully prepared food. | moved
away and studiously avoided an appear
ance of watching her; yet was intense
ly conscious of her every movement
could see her eying with u wretched
furnishing look, raw venison steak that
had been forgotten and lay on the table
before her. Stealthily, like beast OF
prey, her feeble hand stole toward it. and
in moment she had torn it in pieces
and devoured it.
Horror filled my heart. Could this
creature be human? | sat still in the
corner where, myself unseen, could
watch and restrain her if necessary, and
soon-weakness having overcome her,
after this last etlnrt-shc lay tossing IN
an uneasy sleep.
oh, | was so weary and ST. very lonely.
The dreadful night was almost atan end.
| went to her side, threw myself on the
bed beside her, and put my arms about
her neck. Again her wonderful eyes
opened full in my face. | fixed thom
with my own. I caressed her, called her
by the endearing names of old, and he
sought her to be gentle and to love ne.
| told her she was my own, the only crca-
ture left to me TO love and care for. One
short second it seemed as if a soul looked
out Of her glorious deer-like eyes: then
with a groan, as if she gave the struggle
over, and with that low, fearful growl,
again she fastened her white teeth in my
hand.
Shriekins with the pain, tainted.
When | came to myself dawn was struC-
Cling in at the window; leaf shadows
hickered on the floor. A fearful pain in
my hand reused me at length, and 4 con
Stunning thirst drove me into the woods
toward the spring to allay it. | strug-
gled through the underbrush, and there
close to the water, discerned confused
mass. There lay my poor sister, dead,
her head pillowed on Il wildcat OF the
woods shot by the same hand, probably.
that had wounded her fatally.