Year: 1862




of every grade and hue, and the traveller
had good cause 10 be suspicious of all he
met, was journeying on horseback through
the northern par, of Illinois, then butsparse-
ly settled My companion was an only
sister, just recov ering from lingering al
tack of fever We had buried our parents
and an only brother upon the other side of
the Father of Waters, and were now werd-
ing our way back 10 New England, the land
of our nativity.


One evening, just as the sun was setting,
we emerged upon broad prairie, stretch
ing beyond us as far as the eyes could
reach. Ten drearv miles had been iravers-
ed since we had seen house, and now the
little log cabin which greeted our sight was
as welcome as the oasis to The tired Arab.
Riding up to the door, an old woman of
most ferocious appearance answered my
summons, and in reply to my question of
how far il was 10 the next house, grunted
oct that it was twenty eight miles.


Here was dilemma Our horses were
already jaded, and my sister so fatigned
| that she could scarcely retain her seat III
the saddle To proceed was impossible. to
( remain there felt a strange presenilment
would be but courting dealh From
whispered consultation with my sister,
found that she shared my suspicious re-
specting The old woman and the character
OF the house. Finally of the two allerna-
| tives, we decided TO ask Tor lodgings. The
old woman made some excuses-said there
was but one bed in the house besides her
own, and she was mol prepared to take trav-
elers.


As ] was well armed-not without some
experience in hand to hand fighting and
could have bed for my sister, decided 10
remain in preference 10 venture across in
the night. AS we dismounied from onr
horses, Misunderstanding man, apparent
ly twenty five years old, came Ut from
ravine beyond the house, with gun upon
his shoulder and large hunting knile in
his belt. He did not look us in the face,
bot cast side-long gIances, indicating one
whose conscience was i'll al ease.


After a supper of venison and corn bread,
OF which my sister and myself partook
sparin2ly, notwithstanding our long fast, !
requested that my sister might be shown TO
bed As there was but one below, we
knew the bed must be in the loft, floor Of
which was laid in 'puncheons, leaving
many broad cracks. Ascending by a lad
der, | accom- panied my sister TO The room
above, aud having viewed the place, some-
what reassured descended 10 pass half an
hour with my hostess and her son


Upon engaging her in conversation. |
learned that she was formerly from Ten
nessee, that her husband had been killed
about year previous in a fight about a
claim, and that she was intending 10 return
the next month 20 her native State. As |
became more acquainted with her, my fears
subsidized and when | finally decided TO re-
tire TO the room above, Intending 10 sit up
and watch all night, forgot 10 take my
overcoat, in which were all my pistols aud
bowie knife.


My sister was still awake, and was re-
joiced 10 find that, like me her fears were
gone. Sealing myself upon chair wilhout
any back. ! leaned against the wall, and
was just dropping into a dose, when | was
/ started by hearing whispers al the foot of
/ the ladder. Cautiously rising 10 my feet
peered through wide crack. and dis
tiEctly saw the old woman sharpen ing the
huge hunting knife (which now looked doub-
lie its natural size. AT the same moment
the young man leaned against a stick OF
wood in the corner. causing il TO fall 10 the
| hearth.


Hush !" whispered the old woman, ''you
will wake them them up"


| la a moment, like a shot of electricity, a
full sense of our awful situation rushed
upon my mind. ! had evidently been
wheedled into confidence by the old bag,
that she might The more easily murder us
And my pistols o, horrors, they were be-
yond my reach, and | could see nothing,
save the chair, with which TO defend my
sell Had osen alone, | think should
not have lost my presence OF mind But
my sister, the cniy near relative had upon
earth the life of my sister hung upon my pro-
lection, and by one of those strange contra
dic,Ions in nature, when should have been
been most active, sank down on The chair
perfectly paralyzed


now distinctly heard the old woman as
cending the ladder, but 10 save my lie
could not move a muscle. Fortunately my
sister was asleep, aud in my dreadful ex
tremiiy ! was so base as TO hope that the
blow might be struck with unerrlng certain
ty, that she might awake TO consciousness
only in the land OF spirits.


On came the old woman-l saw the grizz-
Y head as it peered into the Iost-saw the
light in one hand and the horrible knife in
the other-saw her turn her glaring eyes
full upon me-saw the demoniac scowl
| upon her withered features still | could
NOT move. The agony of that moment if
melted out in ordinary proportions, would