Year: 1867

The incident about to be related is one


of many similar ones which occurred dur


ing tho carly settlement Of America. Those


who sought home in the savage wilds,


which then covered the land, welded them


selves to life Of peril and hardship. The


dangers which continually threatened them


called forth all the heroic qualities Of their


nature, and their lives were marked by


many lofty deed of daring. and devotion.


Such deeds should not sink into oblivion,


for they belong to the history Of our coun-


try, and US such, should be recorded and


remembered.


We would present picture to the imag-


ination of the reader. There is a broad


and beautiful stream, with its deep, still


waters, flowing on between banks covered


by luxuriant foliage; and its bright surface


dotted here and there with fairy little isles,


where graceful shrubs and fragrant flowers
bud and blossom undisturbed in wild and


lonely lovcliness. Bright-plumcd birds, of
many varities, arc winging their way over


the quiet water, and the surrounding scene
echoes with their tuneful minstrelsy. On


the borders Of the river, at the edge of a
forest that stretches far away over hill and
dale, stands the rude but picturesque dwell
ing Of backwoodsman with the blue
smoke curling up from its lowly roof, and
its humble walls glancing out from the
green foliage that surrounds them. There
are some indications of taste and refinement
near the woodman's home, which gave
cheerful appearance to that otherwise wild
and lovely scene. A graceful vine curtains
the lowly window, and many bright flowers,
natives of distant soil, shed their grateful
perfume around. Near the door hangs a
cage, containing rare and beautiful bird,
whose song Of gladncss breaks swectly upon
the stiffness of that solitary place.


On low seat at the entrance of the
dwelling, is seen young woman, carcssing
an infant. She has lost the blooming love.
lincss of early youth-her cheek is pale,
and her brow wears that thoughtful expires.
sion which is imprinted by the touch of
care; yet she is still beautiful in form and
feature, and none may look upon her with
out admiration. As she bends over the
child in her arms, her eye fills with that
unutterable tenderness and love which are
only seen in the eye of mother and which
make the face of beautiful woman almost
angelic. Now and then she turns from the
child, to send an anxious glance towards
the forest, as if she watched for the ap-
proach of some one from that direction
She is momentarily expecting her husband.
He left his home at morn; the hour an
pointed for his return had passed away the
shadows of the trees are lcngthening in the
rays Of the setting sun, and yet he comes
not. The fond wife begins to tremble for
his safety--a fearful foreboding of evil steals
over her mind, and the dark dread Of some
approaching calamity haunts her imagina.
tion.


She has reason to fear; for that portion
Of country was, at this time, the theatre Of
mlny tragic scene. Some times the wood
man, in penetrating too far into the path
less recesses of the forest, lost his way, and
wandering for days in the dreary wilderness,
suffering many miseries, and perishing at
last by the pangs of hunger Sometimes
the willy red man, who yet lirked about
those lonely wilds, entrapped the white
hunter, and, from spirit of revenge, or the
thirst for blood, sacrificed his victim with
the most wanton and barbarous cruelty.


AS the anxious wife thought of these
things, her fears and forebodings became
almost insupportable. flushing the infant
to sleep, she carried it into the dwelling,
and deposited it in his cradle-bcd. She
then hastened forth again, and wandered
along the path that led to the forest, anxi-
ously looking forward the while for her hus-
band. She walked onward for some time,
fondly hoping to see the object of her search,
but her hopes were vain, and sending one
more searching glance. around, and seeing
nothing but the gloomy shadows Of the
trees, she turned with heavy heart to re-
trace her steps. As she was proceeding
homeward, q sudden fear for her child,
whom she had left alone, crossed her mind,
and caused her to hasten forward. Draw.
ing nearer to the dwelling, this fear became
so intense, that it amounted almost to
conviction Of some terrible calamity. Fly
ing, rather than walking, she searched the
house, and sprang to the cradle-it was
empty, and the child nowhere to be ~
With frantic eagerness she rushed to the
back door of the dwelling, which she had
left closed, and which sho now found was
open. She was just in time to see a party
Of Indians making rapidly to the woods
Her heart whispered the fearful assur-
ance that they bore away her treasure. Here
was trying situation for q timid and help
less woman-her husband afar off-perhaps
in peril-her child-her first born, and only
one, torn away by the rude haad Of savage