The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-04-16
blood curdle to think of what uo,,,
her fate! would b,

The nelghbors separated ;nto -.
bands, each taking some n.u. llte
route, with lanterns and r st;"s.
search for the lost child; and Ea %
Chase went with Mr.. Hathaw..aa 'a.'
the "Rattlesnake Woods" 80 .. NO
from the fact that wears AGO tbo,e osls
omous reptiles made their nests sm ssa'
the wild masses Of rocks which ~l
piled together in fantastic shana wee
these woods. 'p'' 10
1t was a lonely place, upon tho s;a
a mountain. where people &c dom c.si
to 90, but it could be reached hv v ta
path from the mill, and Mr.. Hath Sool'
knew that little Betscy had alway slonsas,
to stray into the wildernesses and I ICY
into the mysterious caverns amona lux %
ROOFS. 'ne
Perhaps there are fairies ,;v;,.
there" little Betscy had said, solernIEs s
''or dear little SQUIRRELS or raccoons
should like a raccoon to make petotn
Before they had gone very far. ths,
came to the marks of tiny footsteps ~
liberated here and there by the dr;, ri Wv.
snow which had piled itself over the%s
With cry of joy they followed m ths
clue, which, failing them ever anI I
anon, was still pretty steady, curvna
its way here and there, around ,hss
trunks of huge trees, and over piles NJ
Jagged rocks, until suddenly it stonns1
at the mouth of black and yawn;ns
aperture in the rocks, where littlahS
of Betscy's scarlet hood tluttered on .
brambly, low-growing bush.
The two men stopped and looked At
each other. with pale faces.
"She is there" said Mr.. Hathaw,r
hoarscly. "Giye me the lantern. Twill
follow her.
"Stop,' said Farmer Chase; 9TH.
opening is so low and narrow that you
cannot pass.
"Wherever my little one has gonen
exclaimed the bereayed father. Il will
20, also.
But as he was snatching the lantern
away Farmer Chase pointed to some.
thing wedged up against the sideot
the jagged rocks u whitening bone.
Man, are you mad?" he cried. As
sure as you are alive that is the den Of
The very bear that Hunter Gabriel saw.'
"All the more reason that should
follow my little Betsey," persisted Nj.
Hathaway, resolutely.
"Let me fire into it, first" ssia
Farmer Chase. "If the creature should
be there I'd.
But Mr.. Hathaway struck the barrel
OF the gun aside.
land suppose little Betsey shouldbe
there, also!' he exclaimed, gasping for
breath. ....-.-
But the gun went off with prodig.
ious report, which echoed among the
hills and rocks. The trigger had
struck against a branch OF a tree, thus
producing the very signal upon which
they had agreed in case little Betsy
should be found alive and well. And
before the echoes had ceased to boom
back and forth there came the sound n
a shrill, childish cry inside: ~s...@
Papa! Papa!' p I,..t..
And then, also. there was low,
mutfied sound like the growing Of some
animal. .-4s @
| Flinging himself on his chest, and
pushing the lantern in front Of him,
Mr.. Hathaway made his way into the
lair of the wild beast. 81 '' 81
1t was only for short distance thst il
was so narrow, and then it became
rocky chamber of considerable size
with its uneven floor strewn with dry
vines, and two young cubs crouchiue
| in the corner, while little Betsey VA
coiled up between them, her yellow
curls ningling with the reddish. brown
of their fur. ~.s--
Little Retsey!' cried MI. Haths
way, in a breathless pause. How on
earth came you here?' ial. T.
"It was SO cold and dark said lit
tic Betsey. simply; land crawlsd in
to get warm, and l Rugged up against
the dear little bearies, and we have al
been asleep together: Papa. can't
take one of 'em home with me!"
Mr.. Hathaway, as can easily "
imaoined. lost no time in reScuing bis
little darling out of the hideous cavern,
with its strange companionship Of wld
beasts, who were, luckily, too young
to harm the confding child who hao
invaded their haunt; and, as they car
RED her down the mountan-slde
wrapped in the shaws which F.rne'
Chase had brought, they met HUME! e
Gabriel sliding over the snow, wltl
. something thrown over his shoulder.
He said: t.sl
"Have you found your child?
"Yes-yes!' they both answered
joyfully. ,,, =;
$50 have I found something" ss 8.
he, displaying the head and claws o.
huge wild animal. II found this eea
, on Rocky Peak, and I've killed her;
1t was the very she.bear in wnos
, den little Betsey had sought relu y
= and if it had not been for Hunter !, y 9
! briefs trusty knife. little Betsey
+ bones would soon have mingled VII
the rest that strewed the cavern noo
= So little Betsey Hathaway was lou ~,
toward midnight of that bitter Deco"
Der night.
, IL didn't mean to fire OF that slRn'
. gum" said Farmer Chase, WIN u.
a chuckle; "but it was sll rlgnt' az
! all. wasn't it?"- Golden Days. 77
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