Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-03-01
TWO MISSIVES



frontier cabin with only daughter,
girl of seventeen. Of a sunny DISPOSE
ton. two merry, tight eyes and pair
of rosy cheeks. Very saturaliy, Daniel
Brinsley adored his daughter Alice
and feared that some young fellow
would take her away from him. When
the expected trouble came 1t came all
of a sudden. Walter Greer, young
man engaged in buying skins for a
Dutchman in Albany, then still a from
tier settlement. made some purchases
of Brinsley, saw Alice and fell despef-
ately in love with her. Before leaving,
he proposed to take her away with
him as his wife.
Alice was as much struck with the
handsome fur trader as he was with
her, but she would not leave her ia
Their. Greer used every argument TO
induce her to alter her decision, but
when he found her Interchangeable went
back to Albany with heavy heart. Ii
was not long. however, before he came
again. pleading his suit. Alice still de-
clined to leave her father to life Of
loneliness. but it was plain that she
was weakening. Greer left her encour-
aged to hope that she would at last
consent and went northward In search
of furs. That night he bivouacked in
the forest about three miles from the
Brinsley cabin. Gathering wood, he
made fire. cooked his supper and,
having eaten it, lighted his red clay
Powhatan pipe. With his'back resting
against the trunk of tree he smoked
and thought OF Alice. The freight on
the leaves above tiiekered merrily, re
Winding him of her eyes. The smoke
wreaths brought to his recollection the
thick coils of her hair. Indeed, in ev-
erything about him that was visible in
the freight lurked the features of the
girl he loved.
Suddenly he heard something strike
the tree above his head. then the
sound of a distant rife. while against
his cheek futtered bit of paper. Seiz-
ing it, he found that IT hung by string
to q bullet hole In the tree. Unfasten-
ing the paper. he took it to the fire
light TO examine it. On one side was
written:
II you ever come near my cabin again
to decoy my daughter away l viii give
you a bullet of the same caiiber as the
one to which this is attached.
DANIEL BRINSLEY.
This was n bitter interruption 10 the
lovers dreams. He knew that Brins-
ley could see him by the freight. him
self unseen. Therefore. without show
ing any especial emotion, he folded the
note and put it in his pocket.
Four years passed without the Brins-
leys seeing anything of Walter Greer,
He never returned to Albany, and no
trapper or fur dealer reported having
met him after he left the Brinsleys.
There was secret between Brinsley
and his daughter. fer the father adj
United TO her that he had seen Greer
once after he left the cabin. He would
not explain when or where, and Alice
could not help suspectlng that her IA
Their had been instrumental in her low
er's disappearance. Brinsley not only
endured this suspicion from his daugll-
ter, but saw that she was pining
for her lover and reproached himself
for sending Walter Greer from her.
Indeed, whenever stranger stopped
at the house the father would hope
that Alice might fancy him and be con
soled. But love cannot be so easily re-
placed, and Alice took no interest in
any of their visitors.
When the Indian troubles which oc-
CURED in that region in 1880 came on.
the Brinsleys were In very exposed
position. Brinsley had dealt with the
Indians for years and had a great
many friends among them. Relying
upon this fact, he neglected to 60 for
safety to the settlements or to put his
cabin into a condition for defense, de
claring that IL he was to be attacked
some of his friends among the redskins
would give him warning.
One evening after supper he was sit
ting in his cabin while Alice was put
ting away the dishes. Suddenly win
dow pane was shattered and an arrow
buried in the woodwork opposite.
"A warning" said the trapper. Il
told you that in case of danger
would be advised"
1T may be an attack" said Alice
with whitened cheeks. Going to the
arrow, she examined it A thong Of
deerskin hung from 1t, to which was
tied bit of paper. The girl seized It
and read:
If you ever come near my cabin again
to decoy my daughter away ] will give
you bullet of the same caliber as the
one to which this is attached.
Father
Brinsley drew near and read the
identical note he had shot to Greer.
Alice, turning the paper, saw writing ON
the other side, either in red ink or
h1n1d.