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TOWANDA:
COcbicsban ittorninn, March 28, 1859.
THE DAYS OF CHILDHOOD
ET c. h. SYCAIIT
The pleasant days of Childhood,
How swiftly have they down.
Like young flowers in the wildwocd,
When Autumn winds have Wotan ;
They're gone. they're gone forever,
They will no more reitirrl7`
Though Memory holds them in the heart
Like ashes an the
The happy days of Childhood,
r".
When i:.nocence and glee
With gentle fingers, tuned the hest
To Tousle wild and free:
They're'cone, they're gone forever,
like' rivers to the ma s.
Their dancing wares 013 , 7 and mirth
Will ne'er return again.
The hay days of Childhood,
Ere evil thoughts came near,
Whein M. the heart no sin was found,
And on the cheek no tear :
They re gone. they're gone Lrever,
Like footprint , on the shore,
Washed out by Time's relentless waves
They will return no more.
The Pleasant. happy. holy days,
Life's only blossom time.
Where are your hods whichl , rotaing gEve
Of flowers in Summer's prime I
Though gone. though gone lore ver,
Ye haunt the heart and brain,
And Memory keeps ye to anoint
Life's alter years of pain.
BORDER BULLETS.
THE - TRAPPER'S STORY.
BY C. W. HOLDEN.
" ANT so. - said Ito the old Trapper, as we sat
cosily over a cheerful wood fire after. partaking of
an abundant-supper. " you who have been tea a.
it were upon real clangers and lulled to sleep., for
years. tit s portedrous winds do not profess to be in ,
UheraNe to attacks of fear I How- singular that
nu. the boldest among bold hunters, the hardiest
rat hardy!trappers, should plead guilty to such wo
rm-dr weakness."
•l can't say yotingster." answered the old man
Ten complacently. as he filled another pipe with
genuine Cavendish ; - I can't say I'm ashamed to
that I have been afeared It certainly is a
r,;•-al.ry Of a brave man to teardang.er: a rash man
may unnecessarily courtit. For 'rev Oar. I have ne
ver fe:t meimed to throw away my hfe fooliahly, tut
have yet ventor it earelesLs!y white it was endan
•-;:s.d. when I knew it was my duty to do s.o.—
'1 gain Ire been unknowingly drawn in'o curious
scrapes, almostintims..-4Ne to :et out of. an.l
or-two cases felt as it 1 tvou;a• rather be at home
a•tder my liutialo skin in cof.er. tliote!h there
mi . 4,htp't be as much glory in it. Dia I ever tell you
a singular affair Of rat.ie tha: happened—, bu•
I know I haven't told you tht,: so ti to:: will dram
your chair up a litt,e elckier, and, lay another log cu
the fire, 111 try and interest you for an hoar or two,'
1 reeled no second bidding. The lest waqsonn
Gazing away at us, and as, in the tntenm, the t. 1.1
mm's pipe had been newty replenished. prepara
tory to one,of hie long I 0. :ecr my !ow chair
1.;) his side as he coaimeneeti.
‘•I :lever kept a lag book or almanac in all my
life," sinl the old man quietly. and so I can't be
evpeeted to rzire yon du . es and fi.zi-es of months.
or days. or yews,' ke an accounnun's clerk. I can
only say such aril such thirizs happened. and the
only marks by wh.ch I can even tell that they
really took place. are scored on my breast and
arras so plainly that I can't think I dreamed them.
A smart cut of the 'annum,' knife acrix..s the breast
bone eau•l be scratched otl with a penknife like a
I•' v, of ink, dor ran a lunge in the ribs be effaced
I ke a pencil mark beneath India rubber. • I carry
.th me no schoolboy recollections.---my Memories
as of my manhood's prime.
It was a fine autumnal morning, of sometwen
ty. pas thirty. yearA ago. when I started out
very early to try my hand upon some of the deer
MI which these for e sts abounded. There had
been a siitzht fall of snow the night previoms,
tilting the branches of the trees and the undetbfush
nth as parity, and 1 knew that one brought up in
the settlements could hope to bring down halt a
, lozert antlered borks before sundown, it he tried.
I tilled my horn to its utmost capacity, pocleted
two extra dims, and double rity number of
and tektite the sun bad shown his :ace before my
door, was caiefidly piclinz my way aloug the bush•
e that skirted le rear of my hut. But I could not
find any intimation of the presence of a deer. arid
the sun was high in the heavens before even the
foot print of a rabbit had greeted my eyf.. Clvi•
lazed members of humanity would hare cursed and
raved: I did no such thing. I changed my ecitir4e
to a section where at all seasons deer most aboutull,
well knowing that success would repay the trouble
of reaching so distant a spot. ibis favonte bruiting
ground amine was about twenty er7ht miles from
my but which ini;lht render nary my atrenne
from home one night at !east. •But with no tiers of
todrave me home. 1 cared nothing for its
r . .-. - tsumk., and resolutely bent my, energies to the
:ask of n.naihi'afirg space as speedily as
• 1%1 ? step in those days, youngster, was as tirrn and
rlast;r. as buoyant and graceful, as the fantastic en:-
1:a res' of young maidenhood in the giddy mares
of the dance: while my bound was as aerial as the
Przht of an offending fairy before the bet pursuit
:err:fie. Oberon, and ere the • tam had half-way
descended the dark cloods which would escort him
twrisaNe world : I jabil mashed my aekina
-,:is la as hoar a s i )/enslid buck %vas at my feet.
r'u't the .iscrees of deata, and the work of a kw
rn•nottq more tendered me the posse of as fine
a !meal of retton as eiet graced the boani of a
ioag Then I was supremely happy. and white
leasorq and &Lobo!. dad the bona of the table
m4.1 - 1o; t suit as IN: aecss myself included.
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=ZENO
"Of course you know the effects of a full hearty
meal- oespecially of venison—upon a stomach de
plorably wan with abstinence tram animal..food;
and you can imagine how cosily I sat over the
mains of the feast and cogitated upon my probable
prospect of reaching home that night, which at first
seemed not improbable. But as the sun was last
disappearing, an.] I did not much relish a forced
march without the blessing of sunlight, judgment
taught me to stay in the sorest till morning. This
I did not much dread, as I saw no indications of an
approaching storm; and accordingly resigned my
self quietly to an evident desire for sleep now man
ifest In my corporeal functions. Insensibly there
stole over ire that opiate sjumberwhich is the pre
cursor of a suspension of nature's faculties and I
gradually faded away into a deep sleep : as quiet.
ly as tho..gh at my own fire-side.
" How long I slept I know not, but when I open
ed my eyes the forest before me loomed up in all
the destiny of total darkness, and my vision in vain
tried to pierce the surrounding gloom. It seemed
as though the black.
,shades of midnight brooded
over the whole scene in the intensity - of darkening
horror, and hemined me in from retreat on every
side. I instantly realized a peculiar sensation about
my feet, not belonging to the awakening from -a
common sleep, and at the same moment a tingling
thrill of the veins of my hands warned me of some
reaction in the atmosphere. Simulta r neous with this
dirstovery, was my sudden eprisin4 to a sitting p o s.
lure, and as I spread my hands b eiJe me, prepa
ratory to rising. I found my arms imbedded to the
elbows in the chill embraces of 'the newly-Callen
snow. I Will not say that I was horror-struck, but
the warm blood rushed threinah my veins in rapid
pulsations. and instantly awoke me to a sense of
my horrible situation. There was I, more than a
score of miles. from my own threshold—that dear
thresh - old, whose humble pleasures I had never
sufficiently realized when in full possession and
peaceful security—and before me a sheet of the
pure white of nature; whose simple folds would
perhaps ere the rising of the sun, enshrine me in a,
shroud, whaste majestic beauty would hardly atone
for the sacrifice of a cherished life, and leave me
to tt alter or rot in the vary Mg, changes of a western
winter. And then, benumbed and chilled with
cold, which reigned supreme in the air aronnd,
pierced to the hone of my every limb with the ter
',dile power of the triumphant element. I bent my
knee humbly before' that God who had protected
the through many equally imminent perils, and
invoked of Him aid to my weary body, that I might
safely reach some sheltered spot, ere I consigned
my immortal part to his care. And then rising, re
freshed_from my communication with His invisible
spirit, I calmly betook myself to the task of unfold
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trig the intricacies of the path, covered as it was
withihe evening snow. .
'The blew crescent of heaven. which bre a few
hours before had gleamed so brilliaetly above me,
was now completely shut out num view, and the
blinil,no pests of driven snow which, at measure
intervals. swept past with the accompaniment dt
monotonous wailing so, V 1 and MX11.1111111: i s .m
press-sons of momentary solemnity, smote the strnaga
of n 4 h‘sart as something terrible and overpower
ing in promise of ill. Involuntarily, and without
aim or p urpose, I wandered on, and ever and snon
to mite: fit m ilircet path rigs setpeitine tleat
kitty, and always strainine eagerly for c. e i apse
of that heaven which I ocneld not but tea: would
never again greet my eyes. And as Pon:abed from
my cheek the delicate flakes which rested there so
:entry that I scarcely acknowledged their pasitience,
I with mathematical precis-jolt computed the prof -
able number of hours ere 'I should lack :te strength
necessary to brush ofi trom my flesh tie feathery
fierce which should entomb my course.
" Anal then across me gra‘lually stole those in
tlesctihahle feelings, constantly tmpelhng the body
onward to deep sleep.- They seemed to encircle
my bead with promises of a benip slumber, whoc- ,
influences should quiet all my pains, and soothe
my fears and sorrows. Tempting me through the
wog:den-Kis power of nature. I could hardly resist
the dalliance of the universal pastkern. and nearly
relinquished mysel to its embrace: without a strug
gle. list then there came across rue the recollec
tions of old men and young warriors as well as wo
men, manhood as often as infancy. swallowed op
in the vortex of inexorable dea h through a mo•
merit's weakness, and I nerved myself to a contest
with the insidious adversary. Stem was the strug
gle, and I bad once nearly resigned myself to fate,
when a sudden suspicion of 'skylight met my *eye,
and for the time thwarted the deadly designs of the
tempter. Thck.e" who have never ventured the per
ils of a wintr3' storm, without, a hope of succor,
can only imagine very faintly the strength of mind
and tenacity of purpose requisite to a sale delivei
anee froth the dangers of I snow storm slumber.
with nothing to pillow the hea4 l but the drifting
flakes of white.
•Oh ! the hours of that kin.: night were length
ened into slow marches cf eternity, and expanded
into-an infinity of 'ime.—Daybreak seemed retro
gr, essing, and its at:yew:6e; entirely eclipsed. But
at hat it came;iad never beamed aght more invig
orating to my soul ; and yet in a measure proved
painful to me. for it served to show in vivid colors
the horror of my situation. The horizon seemed
muffled in the pale folds of wintry wearing to such
an extent that the'deep blue of heaven and tne
of the forest foliage were commingled in a for
of purest white. As far as my eye could
extend, desolation reried supreme. Aowelcome
cabin, no friendly hut, nee in perspective to break
the monotony 01 the landscape ; brume intermina
ble bank of driven mow, whose Barbee ins as
treacherous to the foot of man as the slight mat
that springs upon the lake after anyaziy bound
my straining vision.
" But I had no time for reflection.—The lethar
gic slumber. which bad threatened my system a
few boars before, might retain with reiltubled
twee, and it was absolutely neetneaty that I hand
slteltes from the ctivin sleet eru ... ...lehneaFty pierced
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t • . . . - -- - r A V
" REGAL:DLL:4S - OF DEN . UNCIA 1101.4 FE n'll ANT QC .LRTED. 4 •
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PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY, VAT TOW OA, ,I RADFORD COUNTY, PA. , BY E. O'REARA GOODRICH.
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my vitality. I must look around for means where
by the stem wilder could at least be avoided for
awhile. Alas! no cave, or cavity, or c-evice, off
eyed any hope; an unbroken level of pure white
occupied the whole scene. But onward I kept my
course, as steadily as though upon a hunting excur
sion in sunlight.—Tiehtening the belt of my hunt
irr-g•shirt, and gathering its folds securely about my
neck, I groped my way through the pitiless blasts
of wintry air, ever trusting in the goodness of God
for redemption from my tnals.
- "At laSi, as I turned the sharp angle of a dump
of alders which skirted a swampy. piece of ground,
I thought I discerned afar off the outline of a rude
hut, though so enveloped in snow as hardly to be
discernible. At first I imagine' that my .feverish
thought had conjured up some spectral tenement
in the wilderness, and could scarcely believe my
eyes; but as I gazed more and more steadily upon
it, I saw that I was indeed in view of a rough hut
which offered me a shelter and protection. Gladly
I availed myself of the opportunity, and in half an
hour had reached the threshold.
'• Though the sleet struck fiercely upon my un
guarded face, and nearly blinded me with its vio
lence, I surveyed the premises carefully me I ven
tured to raise the wooden latch of the door. lap
peared :o be a common sort of lint, built of rough
unhewed logs, the crevices filled with day, which
time and exposure had hardened to the consisten
cy of stone, and precisely such a dwelling as could
be found in any part of the country west of the
Mississippi. My fears on that score being quiet•
ed, I carefully entered, and found' myself in an
apartment, some sixteen by twelve, lighted only
through some half dozen narrow chinks between
the logs, which bad been unfilled with the mud. At
the farther side of the room was a rude fire-place,
unoccupied by kitchcn utensils of any description,
while the only articles of furniture discernible were
two rough blocks of woof, evidently designed for
seats. and a coarse unpinned table, which fairly tot
tered when I placed my hand upon one cor
ner of the room there seemed a sort of teems which
might be filled with pots, kettles, provisions.or am -
wunition,but feeling disinclined to prosecute my tour
of exploration any farther, at least till alter a little
refreshment from sleep, I dist myself leisurely
down in a corner, and pillowing, my head on my
band, preparesi for rest. Not a living sold was near
to disturb the security of my slumber, and lulled to
sleep by the shrill winds which whistled backward
and torward around the corners, I was soon obliv
' ious to all around me.
' How longl slept thus I- know not : I was at
last aroused from a pleasant dream (wherein I had
i-ho; some half-a-dozen fine deer, and earned their
bodies home) by a confused murmur of voices.
which broke upon my ear in such discordant notes
as to awaken me fully to a Fen,e of my situation.
With remarkable presence of mind—alai that is a
quality easily learned in the backwoods. youngster
—1 lay pe-lectly quiet, and never even interrupted
the cadences of my breathing, so pecu
liar to a tired hunter. I instantly recognized two
veces in close, thought not very qu.e: conversa
tioon, and strained my ears to catch the word
u Inch should be spoken. Not a syllable of that
discourse could be wiered w ithcint my knowleibte,
not a sentence could be formed Without my cogni
zance thereof.
"I can't think him exactly a regulator, Dirk,
:hough what ran be doing here is rather ; zs yon
=ay, curious, - said a voice in very distinct tones.
• But don t you think it is the best way to step out.
side and let him more off When be waken!"
No ! answered Dick very reaolutely, and with i
an air of dcterrniamion which boded me no good,'
no. I tell you.—Wbether he be r e gulator. or spy,oc I
lix , t hunter. he has found our place, and the secret I
will be no longer a secret. He must be sna , ..„wted."-
" Dick Williams," said the other slowly, • • though
I care as little about spillinz blood as you do, I don't
like to co: a 111.1!7 ' .i throat when he has never offer
ed me harm. But if you think it necessary that
we stop his breath, why I will lend a hand most
willingly " 1
' - I took you to be a man of sense. Tim Gray,"
said Dick, "and am glad to find I'm rizht But
ha.lii't we better let-him sleep awhile longer, poor
fellow, her' got to go a long journey ; ' and the
radian laughed immoderately at his brutal humor.
-- Why. yes,'" said Tim, "when he wakes, or
before he fairly *pees his eyes, drop gently upon
him with one keen point. your knife right, and -,
will soon be over. But let's finish this tough piece
of a haunch, and bring out the old Monong a hela
which mast be dying with old age by this time"
And then was beard the low laugh and scurrilous
jft , t, as they plied their knives on the venison as
an incipient demonsaranon of the manner in which
they would cot me op.
"You can imagine that .my situation was very
precarious indeed. Here was I. alone, almost de
fenceless, and incapactaled from the we of my arms
by the certainty of instant death as soon as I mov
ed, and in a small .11301:11 with two murderous as
sassims, who were impelled to my murder by the
instinct of self preservation, and you cannot wren
der that I was =decided what to do. I knew they
b l id
would watch like stealthy tigers for m} prisin,
and that their knives were already uplift for the
destination of my heart ' Supp li cations w have
no.eliect upon such fi end., as they must ; and I
could . not bring myself to think of begging for my
IA of such scoundrels.. To anempta personal mo
m:liter with them would be, I at first thorght, the
height of folly—the extent of madams; but as I
passed over in my mind all the einamartanctst of
my visit here, corrjeenned the probable eallimfand
business of these Men, brought -to reolleetion the
rumors of uul;rrriterl massacres and., robberies
which had been committed on the Lamar Missies..
ippi for a tear years past and then doveta.dinisthetie
ticte, - and anraiiting this to be a secret retreat of
piratical marauders, cooclialed that I mail be
in the presence dream of the band. 1 saw , that
my only renstiong hope-. lay- in my broad kis*
hand and that Withrto attp - inani
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ding fairly face to fore to me, and armed and accou
tered to the very teeth with murderous intent, was
I afraid, but would. in case like this, have risked
my life without a murmur : but here in the limits
of this little room, with rough logs before, beside,
and behind me—no friendly tree whose trunk could
ationl me shelter from a stray ball—l owned the chan
ces looked somewhat against me. But I could de
lay no longer ; action was now the word—no cool,
careful reconnoitering watchfulness on my part, but
instant, certain anti sure intent of ofleiiiive warfare.
My first movement, of course, was to ascertain how
and where my antagonists were placed ; my sec
ond to survey the position of their rifles, and count
the chances of success in a hand to hand conflict. I
carelessly, to all seeming, drew the back of my
hand across my eyes, placing the fingers slightfy
apart, so that a quick glance between them would
give me sufficient information of the localities; and
then giving vent to a continuous moan, so peculiar.
ly applicable to a restless sleep, turned over on my
other side, bringing my opponents IT the move.
meat directly in trout of men. Ai the first intimation
of my waking. I saw, through my distended fin
gers, each ruffian grasp his knife resolutely and
with an air of tletermittation which boded 'me no
good,'but as my,arin fell listlessly to my Siale, and
my deep breathing indicated the most perfect sense
of secnrey, their hold relaxed, and they turned
again to the partially tilled nov.lc u Lich stood be
fore them.
" Nerved as my mind was to encounter unmov
ed the most saa:tling dangers which 'encompassed
me on every side.' I could plainly feel my pulse
vibrate with a quicker motion when their watch
fulness discovered my 'slightest motion. and the
blood rushed to my face in such overwhelming. pro
fusion as rendered the m fight of evening the on
ly safeguard.—Nly enemies were not six feet dis
tant and the least twinkling of my eye the small.'
est upward tendency of my body, and a knife would
reach my heart. "i'qany a calmer man than f,
yonnjsier, would have burst outright some of Lis
smaller veins by the compression in tlit it capacity.
"As the glances which hail so disturbed my
equanimity were removed from vicinity-, I
soon . :vain regAined my u'aal composure, and
then glanced with the rapidity ut lightning about
the mom. Lii a corner farthemst removed from my
adverairies as well as myself, stood their rifles—
my own lay: beside me.. That they were loaded I
well knew, as no hunter leaves his weapon, even
for a..mothens, unless by his side. .31ine was a:so
loaded. but as it lay some three feet from my arm,
and the least movement toward it void be the fqg.
nal for instant destruction, I deemed it better to be
a:one. And even had I resr-hed it, whereby should
I have been benefitteil ! It contained bat nos
charge, and. while shooting down one of my- ad
veriazies, could I suppose the other would stand
cooly by without lifting an arm in his defence?
And then, if they reached their arras before I re
covered my feet my death was plainly rinriced ore,
and my grave yawning beneath me. While lay
ing distracted and irresolute about the means which
I should-adopt to preserve my life, atter, alas, seem
ingly very near its termination, I was clain arons•
ed by -a renewal of the cons etrition that had so ab
ruptly terminated, and immediately recognize) the
voice of the one whom the other called Dick As
it appeared to relate to their business operations, I
listened most attentiviely.
" That neat load Bill Converse said, was to be
along in about tux Jays. I...nes a precious cargo,
and must be a better haul than the old scoundrel's
we took last. But I've hearn say that the owner
loves a fight as well as a femst, and means to come'
with something that we cant conveniently take.
If so, we'd want a few more of the boys. I've no
idea of risking myself without tliere's a good field
for making somethiag.7
Tbere - il be twelve of us besides Sam Sweet,
who's worth about eitht more." answered Bill.
" and if they get throngh us safe, they ought higo."
Said The, " keep under cover through
these passes. They know beter than to show the
white of an eye for thirty miles below here:'
" Well, if yen aint a fool, then Tin nobody,”
answered Bill contemptuously- " Flowll they get
over Bloody Run Bar without Ming setting pales,
and perhaps if they do use . ern, theyll fall over
board heads down. You don't s'pose we are going
to wait for 'em to get snugly Jhiskis in the cabin
afore we put our sights to our eyes ! - Bat come, let's
drink sneer en Derniel Bowser
erl shuddered with horror as I listened to the
diabolical plans of these hardened wretches, dis
played before me with so much tartness and of
frontery. Mulders were eanceeted, and massacres
planned with all the sang froid of hunting part
and, as I drank in the bloody recitatof their intents,
my blood no lamer rushed to my faceiathe blush
es of incipient feu, but in the boldness of ft4d
eons 41,141 ration. 31y hand sou at my trusty hen
ling-knife, my nerves braced themselves to amsgh
ty effort of strength, and I already looked Upon my
self almost as a frontier Redeemer, whose tars
eon of blood woolci be_ sanctified, and spirit of
murderous assault forgiven, or at least passed over.
as the searibmive justice which God himself.° often
metes but to those whose lives offend his laws. My
intentions were immediately resolved to certain
ties---my fears overshadowed by a spirit of daring
which courted intensity of danger : and the man
who had thrown himself - upon- that floor a corn.
moo. restless, trembling man of flesh and blood,
now clinched his bands in an :gamy of bineynes.,
which told a tale of deeds to he done, whose con
summation should chill the hearts of the ruffianly
murderers, and tear their vitality from the wantrith
of their bodies.
Steklettly I heard a shoat of laughter Item their
lips—a flood of terrible o:►:6-from mime teeftl
my bIeanWSWW DOW &Mk& The fumes of the h
qt were amending to the brain, sod I brassy an
estbrealt of violence ere lon, erhieliVottki result
in nothing less than a desperate reneontre I Inky -
Matey once iswejwilmic iilies s twas miseensin'
, thkd thrthiwg - every. intheis of urylthott with
one mighty effort. to the full mama, I heed my lieu
nog-knife from its sheath, and with a buena' su.tre
inendous ; so sudden, so °veil:ova ering, that tlw
startled desperadoes involuntarily r•lineked with one
accord," " Panther 1 rushed upon the one
nearest me, and closing my left ono around his
neck, drove my good quitting-knife deep into his
bosom with the terrible power of my right hand.—
As I drew the soiled blade fro.n the ghw , tly wound
in his bosom a torrent of deepest rel covered my
hands and face, and flowed down to my feet-,-a
stream' of guilty blood &temd at the shrine of of
fended innocence. The desperate man, whose life
had be= a continuous scene of indiscriminate war
fare fell upon the rude floor a pale and mutilated
corpsen
MI this was the work of a sin gl e mom.mt.
The remaining robber, so sudden was my descent
open them, was, for a second, paralysed and as
awarded. Before he could grasp my shoulder, or
emn d raw upon me his huge knife, I had cleared
with one pimp the table.which stood between the
rides and myself, and ore he could see aver from
the eflect , of my beldness. I was beyond his rearth.
Sall I was is no. desirable situation. I dared not
retreat towards the arms in the corner, because I
sheeld, by so doing, subject myself to an oae-a at.
tack by my inadvertence. My rifle lay very near
him, and before I could even reach his, be would
be in possession of it, loaded and ready for Lee. As
we were each armed only with a hunting-knife,
'neither at first thorght to risk his own life, in Lope
of taking another ; and so we stood, face to lace,
nothing between us but the table, our eyes glowing
with glances of malignant hate, which told but too
plainly our feelings towards each other. We were
most unpleasantly situated, and well knowing that
be wished to take the first advantage which should
offer, I prepared myself to do the same. Hardly
for an instant did I lift my eyes from him, and
when I did, it was to prepare them for a renewal
of their watchfulness , and he was as
~shrewd and
, cunning as myself: There we stood, each with
head : .slightly inclined forward, our eyes alines;
1 starting from their socket', but braced sternly
1 against, each other, and across. our countenances
beana&g, the most intense hate, the most vivid glow
of determined coaahattivens, the most resolute
glances of nnintermitted courage a bieli promised
1 to bear us up to the death.
‘• Not a word was spoken on either side, not a
syllable found utterance from our lips. A deadly
silence interrupted only by the occasional cracking
of the fire, or disturbed_ by the screeching of an owl,
whose home was but a few, yards from the door.
broke the unnatural repose which brooded over the
room. Our determinations of deadly straggle were
too sacred to admit of common conversation, our
,lips too firmly compressed with conflrcting emo
tions which rased within, to admit of a trifling
word. And there we awed, spellbound. like two
contending gladiators within the circle oldie Colise•
nm, armed and ready for that strife whose ceneiu
s,ou is meet eel rain death. .
- Two lieu s or more passed, and I began to tire
ol
.in, I f:CCA•aa I wati:l - .fi.hiess. lty eyes were sere
aid inflamed, and the lids would hardly do their
ria.aral duty. i felt that I must ere long determine
upon a differ:it course of artiOn—a more active and
offensive a arfare. A few Lotus and my arm
would be palsied with- weariness, and my nerv
unstrung with tiresome waichfulness. ' And yet I
was as undecided as ever how to proceed to ex
tremities. Myemery held in his hand a terri
ble and shining ie, whose blade, keen-edged
2
and bright ware e that victory, if gained, would
be Beady bought. He was a short, heartily 'built
rasa, with rough. hard features, and a most forbid
nag look, while his stalwart frame, his immense
breadth of chest,and enormous size of limb, foretold .
me that my powers, which in those days were not
slight, would be taxed IS the utmost. My plan was
soon determined upon. and was probably the Daly
one winch any other man similarly circumstanced
would have avoided. tibias, since that time, been
called a wild deed of daring, winch deserved from
its impeactecabirny a different reward from that
which greeted me. But it was an attempt of im
pulse, as inspiration of recklessness., which some
tunes blesses man in has direst extreauty. and to
me it proved the happiest emanation of that tuber
, eat courage of which . I cannot but feel a true man
is always postessor.
" As I said before we stood Lee to face. perhaps
six feet apart with a rots/ pine table between our
bodies, white each held in his right hand his trusty
knife which lite the bayonet. never fails of sea h
i= its mark. It was imposs.ble foi either to make
the alghtesxmovement wit/foot being discerned by
the war eye of the other and the least Li:hire of my
plan would entail upon me instant death. Bat
the crisis was now approaching, and though my
penalty for forfeiture of carefulness was the loss of
!ifs and its pie:wore , . my poise beat as steadily, my
heart's vibrations roiled as harmoniously and regu
larly as thoeg'. mere many sport engaged my at
tention.
"With a quick movement which however, was
observed by my opponent ,I changed my knife from
my right to my left hand and almost-simultaneous
with the act, raised the
,former to my head as
though to relieve its fatigue by a change of position.
I was confident he would suspectno trickery, ob
serve no demonstration of offence from a band
which was unerly weaponless. It proverras I an
iiipated , he pm himself upon guard Po CDOTethan
before, interpoied no act of defence which Forikl
came me to elranee raj plan of attack, as I ramie!,
sly ran my band across my lathe:al, T snatched
from my bead the old fur hontingatali which had
crowned it Car many years, dropped my We. dif-,
ecily upon the floor, and ecincertf7ll4 , him tbS ac- .
firm all the strength, all th e dexterity, 4:thie'power
of which I was cripatiehnifid irciireciTy . in tisipig. _
Ais r hil'a . ii*iig#3, - it air tirTi'viitti — toria4e
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force d i rectly across me era:
. 1,,,1111E - Lal 19ty.. - 1!.
were With thi flyA miser _ --`. tor(eimit licino.
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,''‘ii a lial..„,,,,.. l o l ii..rts Wet . ,47.4 zmlii
b ja.
;.. 1 .t.... .-...- -th e d: I ' U 0 trZitiS: Eta
•t( •
; fr."
the grip of nary tiie;er,, but w whed thern ttnt. ..A•
he half- .track at my breast with Ms knife,
any fen band threw - al up quielly cast it across the
room ol d lit, death iris irith !flux?' at .”‘.
With an imprecation which showed the agony of
his rage he grappled me and in an instant lifted
me from my feet as,.llsough• L.tirero but a child mu
his embrace. But he could do no more. AA Sn i.-
ple as a snake and flexible as the hickory sapling I
found my feet upon the floor, and though I moved
him not an inch, I feh that the quarrel was now
my own. Again and again lie lifted me with gig
antic struggles for the ascendancy : again and agent
my feet touched the rough logs in perfect' securit .
Hnze drops ikf sit eat rolled
. down face and he
gnashed his teeth with all. the bitterness of thwart
ted malice as I cootythrew my arm around
as carelessly as though in the manly sport of friend
ly rivals. ' cursed, he stamped, he groaned with
infuriated' passion, but I cooly looked on in silence
and awaited my mum in • with patient*. At last' it
came. As be for the twenieth Omit, dropped my
feet upon the floor, I felt that his hold was' some
wirat related and his efforts less tremendous than
before. Quickly drawing my hands from his body
I, with the agility of the panther, crossed them
around his' neck. and placing my thumbs directly
under the chits, pressed Ksan his throat with all the
strength of which I was capable. In vain he stnig
gled, in vain he swayed his body to and fro,' dis
'toeing his face with all the contortions of waning
life; my hold tk.ver relaxed; my fingers never
tired in their mission bat seemed to grow each in
stant more firmly to his flesh, imbedding themselves'
among the pliant veins and bones of the neck deep
er and deeper with• his every struggle. It was
painful to hear his groans, his gasps for breath ; and
Livid Phi'Me which insensibly usurped the paleness
of his usual color, to the tenacity of my grasp
Soon his breathing became more and imbued with
the violence of gasps, and his chest heated convul
sively against my own; his eyes seemed starting
from their sockets, and glared upon me like those
of some ferocious beast in' the depths of the fo
rest; his head slightly inclined to , one side, and
then violently swayed to the other; 'his bards
unclasped themselves from my Waist, and dropped
quivevingto his side; and with a groan wherein was
blended mere of the horrible to the ear than I ever
listened to before he fell upon my breastt-'-44 dead
man. Ida! not cast him off violently, but laid him
by his comrade as gently as though consigning to
the earth an innocent babe, and then threw my
self upon my knees and thanked God formy de•
liverance from manifold"dainers. °
1 '" It is enough to say that I did not leave the
bodies on the floor. In the morning I laid them
I in a natural hollow near the but, and carefully cur.
teed them.as mach as - possible with the loose earth
and dead leaves of the forest, left their bodies is
their final home. Two hours after 1 was on my
way to my own cabin..
" And now yourzster," said the man rising,
" can you not say that -1 had some excuse for bay
fears that night'? 'Though not naturally a coward I
had a rustit to feel expleatantly in that but"
Ti.at y -.0 hkel,' ari_weratl I readily. Tonror
row. night I hnpe to bear of some farther azirent:-.:e
of rows.—
" That you my bay, that you shall,' Ea' at
the old man. as he prepared to fill the pipe winch
had meanwhile gone one.
Was - rm.:NG PLICM.-A writer in tbeTankee Far
mer makes some very sensible remarksoo the pol
icy of providing watering places for horses and
other stock on the hitthways, and proposes the en
actment qf a law requirir that overseers of roads
should attend to the matter. lie proposes that in
dividuals who shall provide a trough or other -ac
commodations by •the way side•arid supply -it with
water, at such placasas may be nec es sary, shall
be allowad a proper redaction from his road tar. sn
long as the supply is kept tip—We like his re.
marks. and think none have travelled where wa
ter was scarce,_ without feeling the necessity 01
some such regulations: ftrpecially lichee their heletp%
were suffering from third, and places Were seen
where milling expenses would have furnished an
abundant supply. There would be snore humani
ty, and 0%1 itjr too. in such a measure . , that to some
schemes that have been the hobbies of their day
To MANE STARCEL—Wiii3II ;peck of good wheat,
and park it vert, clean : yut it in a tub, and corer it
with seater most be kept- in the am, and the
water changed every day or it will smell very of
fensively. When the wheat becomes gene bah,
it must be well rubbed in the. bands, and the husks
thrown into another tub; let this; white substance
settle, then pour aa the water, put on fresh, stir it
up well / and let it subside ; do this every day" tdl
the water comes off clear—therrpour it of . ; collect
the starch in a bag, tie up tight and set in the sun
a few days ; then open it, and dry the ituch on
dishes. •
Frffercc.--Thit sure &myna rat &era trufpreprre
as much fencing as nffi *erre your purposes thro'.,
out the year. Let the Batt-cad of the posts be duvr
red sufficiently high up at that irhea placed is the
ground, &ref Maus of the char. ed part lira bie above
the earth Poets thus treated, last lot half a
century. kis use to merelYebar &epee bort:
ed up in the earth, as the triitadeby decay, OCttrill
jeSt 'above it.
Iliasusaw CsAiwpra -- Wit-Ptieu ammaPanY
our alma with smith lataboolia %Waldo the ardor
biome Rio holdiogeos thobealtafsamow—wa
1111°w thecßallwingshaod stsca.-thin a
siaop/a . --Eatsml.woold have bites' ices hurt reauliaii
to th eiii-aaalchargY whickiilo , lo4l4Wogandow'
a#P4 *Pith which m=os Ig s 7 3 ,Faataalk with "
*Vim,. 01 *it ocif9riugole, duillooka Ahalik shims
IL& asthma+beteiitLwhi**4l4ria 0414 , 01- •
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