The National tribune., 1901-12-12

His weakness and timidity may be at
tributed to his early training, for he had
been a petted and favored child.
Dismissing his little school, he went
again to his treaSurc-house, and when
alone bowed on his knees produced the
yellow bit OF faded cambric which he al
ways carried near his heart and the min
iature and murmured:
Bessie, Bessie, l am coming home, l
am coming to you, and, oh, the joy, the
happiness that will be ours, is too great
for this world"
Then he counted his furs and Deltries
and noted the value of each. a look Of
sadness came over his face as he mur-
INJURED:
1T is not quite enough. Next Winter
will more than double them, and will
have sufficient to go home like a gentle
man. | will purchase new clothes, and
look young again, as when | left. | am
not old; no, am not old. Why, ] am a
young man. 1t would not do for Bessie,
young and beautiful, to wed u man with
gray hair and wrinkles"
Carefully the educator put back the
furs one by one, as with a pencil he
added their value on a piece Of birch
bark.
''One Winter more, and there will be
enough to purchase my passage, and L
will 20 home. 1t has been long time
since | was home, but | will go now.
There will be no more disappointment.
The scholars are here, their parents will
pay me, and | will 90 home"
His school term would close in June,
and then it was his intention to take his
furs to st. Louis and sell them to the
dealer for money; the money he would
conceal in the earth until he had suf-
cient to 90 home.
So certain was he Of the success of his
plans. that he was almost happy, and a
genuine smile came nearer to the sur
face Of that thin, cadayerOus face than
had appeared upon it in years.
Poor Van Loon was to be bitterly re
minded of the story Of the milk-maid
counting her chickens before they were
hatched. Great events were even then
about to occur, calculated to upset all
his splendidIy-iaid ,,lans, and once more
plunge him IN the darkest despair.
As it is often darkest just before dawn,
so the calm often precedes the storm. In
the affairs of this world we can count on
nothing certain save that we suffer and
die, and the brave are always prepared
to meet all calanhties as they come bow
to the will of the inevitable, and murmur
not.
While the pioneers of the BOOne's Lick
country were living in fancied security,
Mr.. Van Loon, looking forward to the
furs 10 market, and George McNair lurk-
ing in the forest awaiting his fathers re-
turn with his pardon from the Sheriff,
those dusky foes, who had so long hovered
on the north apparently peaceful and con-
tented, suddenly moved down upon the
white settlement.
During the Winter the savages re-
mained in their wigwam villages living
on the product of the Summers hunt and
labor of the women. But as soon as it
was warm enough for them to leave their
homes, they began TO rob and murder the
settlers of the frontier.
In the month Of May a band of Iowas
slipped away from their reservation. and.
while the settlers Of the Boone's Lick
country we're busly engaged in plowing
fields and cutting trees, crept upon the
unprotected settlement.
Their first appearance was Mt the home
of Mr.. Hamsey, WHO lived two or three
miles from the home of Mr.. McNair. 1t
was lovely May morn. Mr. Ramsey
was grinding his ax in the front yard and
his three smaller children were playing
near him. The two older boys had gone
TO yoke the oxen to commence the days
plowlng, and the mother was in the coty-
lot milking. There was not a breath of
suspicion of danger. True, the birds
which usually filed the May day morning
with music, were silent, as if frightened