The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-12-13
THE PIONEERS DAUGHTER
BY UNKNOWN.

II was in the winter of III, memo
rable through all the annals OF Amer
ican his ory az that in which the SUI
ferlng army, under General Washing
tou, was encsnped at Valley Forge
Among tho brave and patriotic bunC
was Alfred Sydney, a lincal descend
ant of Sir Pnlip Sydney, Chamber
lain TO King Henry II, aud OF Alger
! non Sydney, who died OH the scafiold
martyr TO his princip e., I'll,
young wife OF Afro Sydney, whei
Ter husband went lOrih 10 night III,
battles OF the Revolution. was, with
their infsst child, received intu the
home of her childhood d-her father
Mr.. Vernon. being \ sturdy and in.
telligent pioneer in a then sparsel,
settled district in the State OF New
York. This home Is the s;cnc OF tbs
present sketch.
The dangerous proximity OF tho
frontier had induced Mr.. Vernon's
neighbor', few enough before, TO re.
move nearer the forts and strong
holds in possession Of tho army, until
he was left quite alone at distance
of ten miles from any settlement ;
but, eng {, less man. he was Ii,
Ito disturbed ny the circumstances
His wife being dead, himself, his
daughter. and the infant compri-ed
Tie household. Clara Sydney, inner
iling her fathers spirit of proud in.
dcprn lsnc', s ept qui tly IN thal
insulated home, dreaming moi Of red
coats or tehlping knives. and regret.
thug only the remoieness from any
point at which news regarding the
state OF the country was 10 be OBJ
tanned. Gladly would she pit alone
the long day with her helpless babe.
as often as she could prevail on her
father TO go 10 town for letters from
Alfred, or any lidings that might
affect him.
One day in Janusry, Mr.. Vernon
set of ally on ono Of these visits 10
the settlement but when the sun set,
aud the brief twilight settled into
night, Clara was sill alone. She
was neither timid nor apprehensive !;
yet she listened e'gerly for her
fathers fooieteps, or stood before the
little square window. her hand shad
iug her eyes from flic freight, look :
ing forth into the starry night; bu,
listened and looked in vain.
Supper visited, the small table was
neatly spread, the fragrant tea bnb-
blcd on the hearth. the vcnison steaks
we're ready, the light short cake in
the old bnhe-pan was browning
slightly, and still Clara waited Tor
her father, and waited in vain. AT
last, she was Obliged TO confess to
hersera feeling OF uneasiness. The
night, clear and still, was severely
cold, AMI without the light OF I he
moon. Her father might have been
belaied, aud lost his way; and, il so,
it must bc exceedingly difficult to
find il in the darkness. with the road
deeply buried in nnirackcd snow.
oyer whose crusted surface he walked
upon snow shoes.
She took down the diuner- horn
from where it depended by string
from nail on the end of the dresser
and, going without, blew il loud and
shrill full dozen times, hearkening
after each blast, till the echoe died
away in the surrounding forests, but
it called forth no response of hu-
man voice. Once, indeed, she
thought che heard call but fe "
moments listening convinced her that
it was only the distant baying of a
wild bcast-a sound not so unusnal in
that neighborhood as 10 excite alarm.
The unwonied noise breaking in
upon the's,iluess had awakened her
babe; and Mrs. Sydney re entered
the house in, haste 10 still its wild
crying. The little creature seemed
thoroughly frightened; aud tor the
next half hour, she carried il in heI
arms TO and FRO through tho room
trying Intellectually to still its crying
At last, when both were nearly ex-
hausied, the mother threw herselt
upon the bed, her infant still slaspct
TO her breast, where it shortly grew
quiet and fell asleep.
Clara was not deeply alarmed con
corning her father; he was no novice
in forest adventure /; had hunted ant
camped out on many wintry nigh
Ike this. Mr.. Vernon neve. wen
without his gun and plenty OF aminu
milton and that day he carried ava!
with him a small, sharp hatchet, sluni
u, his belt behind. lie had thus tht
means OF making q fire and of de
tending himself against wild beasts
AS to the other dangers peculiar 4
the period, she considered us she ha,
ever done.
The tnll clock at the head of the be
struck eleven while she lay ther
meditaiing. 1t could not have bee
long after this, that she fell into
state between waking and sleeping
such state as most persons, perhar
experience many times in their lii
in which the mind retains more o
\ less consciousness OF outward thing
I. though the bodily faculties SCENE
> bound as in fetiers Of iron. Her fir,
sensation was of suffering from coli
y which grew more and moro intens
!, every moment. She believed the I'll
i had burnt out and wished 10 rise an
!, replenish it, but felt that II was b'
yond her power. They were lyir
r on the outside Of the bed, but she WI
n glad to remember having drawn Il
coverlid snugly over her babe.
A In this state of helpless consclou
:, ness, suddenly there came to her q
10 the report ofa musket; and imme
lately following that succession
tho most horrible sounds that ev
/. rent the midnight air, sending di
i, may to the human hoart-the despe
ate shouting Off man, mingling wi
" fierce yelping of wolves, closing
: upon their prey in determined al
of iriesis ible attack.
a, The interrogation flashed aero
re- Claras mind, was not this pure