Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-01-11
The rnattres. was not without it's bur


 that of little girl who had scarcely lived out three years. The pretty white hands were folded over the breast. Long golden curls fell upon the pillow. The face which I could see with astounding clearness was wonderfully beautiful in it's aspect of innocence and wore life like smile, as if in answer to the radiant queen of the sky, who seemed to be smiling, too, as she looked steadfastly down upon the living and the dead.
 Tic mother forthwith proceeded to arrange the spreads upon the child, tucking them and smoothing them down as if she were only putting her little one to bed, although while heard no sob nor any expression of grief l could see that her breast was heaving with sorrow and her face was visited by tears.
 The two now knelt on either side, kissing their darling many times and weeping over her, though trying ap- parently to comfort one another in their mutual wretchedness, if perchance there might come in their hearts calm like that with which the moon was still sending down her beams to illumine the fearful scene.
 Then laying hold of the blanket they carried their darling to the grave, and by tho aid of the bridle-reins let the precious burden down into the place which they had so carefully prepared. Green boughs were scattered over her until they covered the beautiful form many inches deep, and then the clods were gently replaced, and a little mound was heaped, and the child transferred from her mothers bosom was sleeping at last in the bosom of the greater mother-Earth. The two sad mourners knelt again beside the grave, and seemed to be engaged in prayer, lifting their faces now and then to the sky as if in it's indefinite clear depths they saw the future hopes.
 All this-though I still thought it unreal-had awakened in me the keen est interest and sympathy. But my at- tention was now suddenly diverted to a line of figures in the distance, some- what beyond the spot where had seen the wagon when I first awoke. These were horsemen, who came sweeping on at rapid pace, as if engaged in eager pursuit From the manner in which they rode 1 knew they were Indians. An! 1 saw it all now and understood why these spectral visitors had so often looked back apprehensively in the direction from which they had approached. These pilgrims across the plains had seen signs of savases and had used night to push on beyond their reach, if haply they might bury their dead in peace and find safety for themselves. But the foe had dis covered their trail and followed them, | bent on massacre.
 I laid my hand instinctively on the rife under tho edge of my blanket that 1 might join in the defense, and was about to cry out in warning of the dan ger that l saw approaching, but instant ly bethought myself that this was un- reality; a mere vision, calling for no practical action, and 1 might better let these shadows work out their tragedy to the end. I again restrained the dog, who seemed agitated, whether because he saw what I was seeing, or out of sympathy with my emotion-I know not which.
 The two at the grave seemed uncon- scious of the threatened danger until their enemies were within few hun drcd yards, when the man sprang up and lifted the woman also to her feet. They turned toward the wagon as if to gain it's shelter and secure weapons for de- fense. It was too late. I saw flashes of fire and also flight of arrows, still without sound. however, to break the calm of the night.
 Both the man and woman staggered as if wounded. They stopped and turned face to face, throwing their arms about each other as if realizing that this was their last embrace. Another vol ley, and still clifging to each other in the agony of death, they fell together upon the grave of their child,
 Tho Indians were not long in com plcting their work. Then catching the horses and harnessing them into the wagon they hastened away, as though themselves in fear of pursuit. watched them until they disappeared, and then was alone with my thoughts and the brilliant night.
 realized that I had seen vision and though I turned myself resolutely tl rest my sleep for the remainder of the night was titful and disturbed. Wher
 finally awakened again the sun haC F risen, and under the influence of tha , great dispeller of illusions and in spite , of the vividness of the nights expert , ence l began to think that after all might have been only dreaming, espe
 clally when saw the space where haC , seen the burial and tho tragedy that fol f lowed was not open and clear but over I grown with brush and young trees. Nevertheless, yielding to a curiosit, , of which l was meanwhile almos t ashamed, soon made my way up int I the bushes. Parting these with m, a hands as went forward, and scanning
 the ground closely, shortly experienced l new shock of surprise. For thers, i, f the exact spot marked by the nigh f scene, was a little mound, and over i f the remains of two skeletons. v And now for retrospective fac l which gave to this weird experience o - the night personal significance. Whil !. l was yet a lad in my teens my brother
 twenty years older, had taken his youn l wife and only child and set out acros . the plainS in DllrSuit of fOrtune Tn