MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER! AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
285 
(Original 
Written for tlie Rural New-Yorker. 
THE BABY’S GRAVE. 
’Tis beneath a spreading willow, 
In the lonely church-yard’s shade, 
With the cold earth forfher pillow, 
Our sweet baby’s form is laid. 
O, the grass is green above her, 
And the violets o’er her bloom, 
But the hearts that fondly love her, 
Still are sorrowing o’er her tomb. 
Bright the flow’refs bloom around her, 
Gently falls the summer light, 
But the golden chain that bound her 
To our hearts, is s ill more bright. 
Sweet-vi iced birds are ever sighing 
Requiems o’er that lonely tomb, 
And the zephyrs soft replying, 
Breathe of sadness and of gloom. 
When the shadows dark are creeping 
O’er the mountain and the vale, 
When' each sound of earth is sleeping, 
Save the music of the gale. 
On that mossy bank so lonely 
Oft I lay my wearied head, 
With the bright, blue heavens only 
Stretched above my grassy bed. 
Well I know that time bears healing 
On its wings,— but not to all, 
For the bitter tide of feeling 
Ever flows at memory’s call. 
O, the grass is green above her, 
And the violets o’er her bloom, 
But the hearts that fondly love her, 
Still are sorrowing o’er her tomb. 
CIje llttral Ikttrjj 3oook. 
Written for Moore’s Rural New-Yorker. 
THE INDIA'S ENGINEERING. 
AN ADVENTURE OF PIONEER LIFE 
BY CHARLES H. STROWGF.R. 
He was an old man, yet ho was hale and 
rugged; sixty winters had frosted his locks, 
and yet his frame was not bowed down; his 
axe rang sharply as it descended and sank 
into the trunk of the oak tree before his 
humble dwelling. John Stanley was well 
called by the Indians, 44 the white inviciblc,” 
for his arm would make the stoutest brave I cle;u . out> bo off with you 
recoil in the fight, and the crack of his rifle j 
a volume of news as to the welcome with 
which James would be received by “sis.” 
“ Have done with your nonsense, Charley; 
can’t you?” was the only reply the joker 
received in return for his news. 
Whether any further pleasantries would 
have been exchanged between the interlo¬ 
cutors, wo cannot say, for they were startled 
by a wild whoop, evidently proceeding from 
somo place near their dwelling. Both 
brothers involuntarily graspod their rifles 
and rushed to the door of the cabin. Just 
at this moment a party of Indians appeared 
at the opening in the woods. 
“Drunk, by thunder,” exclaimed the eld¬ 
est of the two sons. “ Como in the house, 
father.” 
But the old man was not to be daunted by 
a few drunken Indians, and remained where 
he was. The chief of the party approach¬ 
ed the old man with a grin on his counte¬ 
nance, and “ How do, brother ?” on his lips. 
The old Captain shook hands with the In¬ 
dian and his party, James going through the 
same ceremony with the chief, but declining 
to do so with the others. 
“You got whiskey for good Injun?” in¬ 
quired the chief of the Captain. 
“ No, no whiskey ; it is not good for Indi¬ 
ans,” replied Stanley. 
“ No good for white man either, augh ?” 
returned the chief, while the rest of the 
party signified their disapprobation by cer¬ 
tain ominous grunts. 
Tho Indians consulted together a few 
moments, and then turned towards the old 
man with brandished tomahawks. 
‘■Wo will have whiskey,” exclaimed tho 
leader. 
“ Be off with you, you red skinned dogs,” 
exclaimed the Captain, resolutely. 
“But Injun pay you for urn,” persisted 
the drunken chief, who seemed lo have 
drank just enough of the fire-water toarmrse 
in him the demon of appetite to its highest 
craving.” 
44 1 tell you I have no whiskey for you, so 
us n 
was tho suro precursor of death. Sur- j 
rounded by his four bravo sons, there woro ; 
few among his foes who would choose to 
meet them even-hanc ed in battle; and yet 
they were not secure,—their enemy was 
prowling around, and every hour might 
witness an attack from a body of intoxica¬ 
ted Indians. The country was a wild one, 
and tSjtidey had chosen tin brow of a little 
eminence on which ho had erected his 
dwelling of hewn logs. The majestic forest 
trees waxed over head, shutting out the 
view of tho surrounding country. Stanley 
was one day at work, cutting down somo ot 
the old oaks that stood in too closo proxim¬ 
ity to his dwelling, when he was interrupted 
by a young hunter who dismounted from 
his steed and approached him. Ho was 
dressed in the usual hunter’s garb, a hunt¬ 
ing shirt with a belt .in which was stuck a 
knife, while his rifle was slung at his back. 
44 Good morning, James,” exclaimed Stan¬ 
ley, advancing and grasping the hand of tho 
now comer. 
“ Good morning, Captain Stanley.” 
44 Well, what news from the Ford.” 
“ All peaceable there, I believe. I heard 
that tho rascally red-skins had been at work 
at their old tricks below.” 
44 Indeed! what now ?” 
“They have murdered a family at tho 
mouth of tho river, and atttackod a built- 
in”' party. I passed a number of drunken 
Indians about three miles from hero, and 
they appeared to be coining this way, prob¬ 
ably after liquor.” 
“If that is what they want, they will be 
disappointed bore, for tho stuff never does 
them any good 
“ Well, then, Captain, you had better hide 
the liquor, and so avoid a quarrel with them 
by asserting that you have none on hand.” 
44 That will never do, for I have no place 
prepared to secrete anything in. They will 
not dare attempt to take any when I forbid 
them; tho rascals know mo too well for 
that.” 
Here two of the old Captain’s sons camo 
up, one of them bearing a fine buck which 
ho had shot in tho morning, and tho other 
carrying his own and his brother’s rifle.— 
The new comers accosted James Murdock 
with a hearty greeting, and then passed into 
the house with their burdens. Here thoy 
found their mother and sister busying them¬ 
selves i« preparing dinner. Tho mother 
was a thin, spare lady, on whoso features 
time had laid his hand somewhat heavily,— 
while the sister was in the first blushing pc 
riod of womanhood; sho was, apparently, 
about nineteen, and as beautiful a maiden 
as over graced a frontier log-cabin with her 
smiles. Sho assisted to relieve tho young 
men of their hunting equipments, one ot 
whom graciously saluted her with a friend¬ 
ly pat on her rosy cheek, remarking,— 
4i Well, sis, Jim is hero again, so you need 
not feel lonely nor downhearted.” The tell 
tale blush that roso to lior templos revealed 
44 ITmph; we look seo first,” returned 
the chief; and they started to go to the 
cabin which was but about throe rods dis¬ 
tant, when James handed the old chief a 
small flask, telling him to drink, then hur¬ 
ried the old man into the cabin, and with 
the assistance of the two brothers, who had 
stood all this time with rifles ready for in- 
sta.it r-o, proceeded to bolt and .asten the 
door, making alt secure within. 
Tho red-skins were about a dozen in num¬ 
ber, and about half of them were armed 
with rifles,— all with tomahawks and the 
dreaded scalping knife. The small quanti¬ 
ty of liquor in the flask but inflamed the 
appetites of tho savage inebriates, and af¬ 
ter a little tumultuous consultation they 
determined to have more fire-water at all 
events ; so thoy rushed to the door and de¬ 
manded admittance, but they were a few 
moments too late. Tho ruse of James had 
succeeded, and the door was securely fas¬ 
tened. 
Tho resistance at tho door destroyed all 
the remaining ebriety of tho savages, and 
aroused all tho devil of their characters.— 
Captain Stanley warned them to depart, but 
this thoy disregarded. Infuriated at being 
thus foiled, thoy commenced battering at 
the door with their tomahawks, setting up 
at the samo timo their appalling war-whoop. 
The inmates of tho cabin, seeing that if the 
Indians succeeded in forcing an entrance, 
their own lives would be at stake, fired a coup¬ 
le of rifles over their heads, hoping thereby to 
intimidate them. The savages were not to 
be frightened away thus easily ; a heavier 
attack at the doors with tho hatchots, ac¬ 
companied with yells, was tho only reply to 
the blank volley. 
44 Well, darn them,” muttered tho Captain, 
as ho clutched his heavy rifle, “ we must try 
something more serious, though I should 
liko to see them got in at that door.” 
Nor were tho prospects of succoss very 
great on tho side of tho Indians; the door 
was of seasoned oak plank, two inches 
thick, cross battened and studded with broad 
headed iron spikes, which blunted the edge 
of the besieger’s hatchots at a great rate.— 
Despairing of effecting an entrance here, 
the infuriated savages next attacked tho 
window, which was barred with wood and 
easily defended from its small size and its 
height from the ground. Foiled here, tho 
savages now wrought up to the highost do- 
gree of frenzied madness, fired a volley into 
the window which took effect in the oppo¬ 
site wall. Each of tho besieged now sprang 
to a loop hole and returned the fire, wounding 
two of tho Indians. The volley from with¬ 
out was repeated, and roturned with more 
fatal effect, several of the Indians being 
wounded, and one killed. Just at this mo¬ 
ment tho crack of rifles was heard in the 
odgo of tho wood and two more of tho In¬ 
dians fell, mortally wounded. Tho remain¬ 
ing besiogers took to flight, evidently aston¬ 
ished at finding themselvos thus placed be¬ 
tween two fires, and in a few moments more doomed to almost certain death. On tho 
tho two brothers joined the party in the one side was a yawning gulf, which was ad- 
house. vancing upon them, its enormous mouth 
44 Bad work, had work,” muttered the gaping open to swallow them up, and on 
Captain; 44 those red devils will be aching the other were tho Indians thirsting to 
for revongo for this.” avenge their fallen chief. On both sides 
“Well, let them ache,” returned one of was death, and scarce a chance of escape, 
the now comers, 44 and we’ll cure ’em with a Night closed around them, but still tho 
good doso of blue pills.” * * * thunder of that engine of destruction, so 
Three months had elapsed ere the sav- apparently simplo and harmless—a little, 
ages again made their appearance at the babbling rill—was tearing up the ground, 
cabin of Captain Stanley, when one morn- and hurling it into that black gulf, as if it 
ing the eldest son of the Captain opened were a demon from the infernal pit. The 
tho door and was shot at by an unseen foe. inmates of the cabin now became terribly 
Fortunately ho was but slightly wounded, excited. Captain Stanley paced the floor 
ond sprang back and secured tho door with a hurried tread. It was surely timo 
again, then presented himself at the win- that something was done, for at every crash 
dow with his rifle. There were about twen- the timbers of the cabin trembled; tho 
ty Indians rushing up to the house, each chasm was evidently nearly up to tho walls, 
well armed. Joseph Stanley recognized an^l an hour more must see the cabin with 
the leader of the gang which made the for- its inmates precipitated into tho gull be- 
mor attack, amongst the foremost of the neath. The night was clear and starlight, 
Indians here, and deliberately presenting and dusky forms could be seen flitting at 
his rifle shot him dead on the spot. The the edge of the clearing, 
savages now began an attek upon the door, It was clear that something must be done, 
and the inmates of the cabin were obliged At length one of the sons said, 44 Father we 
to bestir themselves in its defence. Thoy must surely perish if we are inactive here, 
kept up a destructive fire upon the Indians, It can be but death to attempt to do somo- 
who, in return, fired upon The house with- thing to stop this water from undermining 
out injuring tho inmates. In a short time, us. I will take a spade and go out and fill 
the Indians finding the door invulnerable to up the channel; you and my brothers can 
their attack, withdrew to a short distance cover my work with your rifles.” 
to consult. A young brave filled tho place “ No ! no ! I’ll go; you stay within,” inter- 
of the fallen chief. He ordered part of rupted the other brothers, 
his warriors to watch the house and suffer “ Nay, let mo have the pleasuro of under- 
no one to escape therefrom; then taking taking this. I am the strongest, and tho 
tho others with him, he disappeared in the most able to succeed, and I will go,” returned 
forest. the first speaker, who was the eldest son, 
What infernal plot could he be medita- and as brave a fellow as ever drew trigger, 
ting? He grasped his rifle irmly and reso- “ Well, my son, I feel that tho task is a 
lutely. and hastened on until he came to a, perilous one, but it must be.attempted. Go 
small stream about six inches deep and two ^hou, and may God bless thy efforts.— 
feet wide—a little rivulet, iq tact, which Shouldst thou perish, wo will doubtless soon 
murmured down the hills a? peacefully as join thee,” and as he spoke the old man’s 
i 1 the murderous savage had til . er exisisted. voice trembled with emotion, 44 but thou 
Here the young brave paused, laid down his shii.lt first be avenged.” 
rifle, and gavo an order Lythqse around r phe females were weeping in a corner, 
him. The result was curiihK; all threw bll fc now rushed forward and threw 
their rifles aside and commerced digging a their arms around the neck of the young 
shallow trench with their nan ts and tom- i m an. 44 Nay, my son, go not thou; shouldst 
ahawks, into which thoy turned he stream. thou die, even life itself were no recompense 
What could they have in view, to be of- f or thy loss.” * 
footed by this strange proceeding t They “ Mother, command yourself,” said the 
labored diligently, and advanced along the son in a firm tone; “command yourself. 1 
edge of tho hill rapidly with the shallow shall succeed ; and at the worst it is but an 
ditch, and by noon had if ..‘or nloted to the hour or two in advance; Let me get my 
cabin. Still, what could be Lie object of ; shovel.&nd arruige my pistols, for to judge 
this? The Indians 1 'ft 4 * l >- 1 1 .y t.bcr^r-'mbl of the ; beneath us. 
were skulking behind the trees, covered [ there is no time to lose.” 
from the fire from tho cabin. The besieged 
could not make out the reason why this 
strange proceeding was adopted, and fired 
upon the savages at work at the ditch as 
soon as they came in sight; but the savages 
still worked away, as if life or death de¬ 
pended upon the completion of tho ditch. 
The ditch was carried close to the walls of 
the house, the whole party of savages as¬ 
sisting in its progress. The stream was 
conducted on past tbo house, and down tho 
hill at its steepest part. What could be the 
object of this 1 The water had been car¬ 
ried out of its course over the hill, and now 
it was suffered to regain its bed. The whole 
manoeuvre was a strange one. The whole 
pack of red fiends now began digging in tho 
side of the hill in the channel and tho water 
carried down the earth rapidly, soon leav¬ 
ing a large cavity into which the earth of 
the sides kept constantly falling. The In¬ 
dians now resumed their rifles and watched 
the cabin that uono of the doomed inmates 
might escape. 
Tho object of tho ditch and stream of 
water was now apparent, and revealed tho 
depth of the hellish ingenuity of the angry 
red man ,—the hill teas to be washed away, 
and thus tho cabin and its inmates destroy¬ 
ed ! Hour after hour wore slowly away, as 
tho boseiged listened to tho increasing roar, 
as the water carried down the light earth and 
undermined trees and banks, which would 
thunder down into the abyss, which in a few 
hours was yawning fearfully, growing deep¬ 
er and wider—the upper part of the chasm 
slowly approaching the cabin, and ever and 
anon increasing, as a mass of earth would 
tumble down crashing to the bottom. 
A solitary hunter was approaching tho 
cabin from below, when tho vast cavity 
made by the action of the water attracted 
his attention. On drawing near to examino 
it, he was fortunately observed by tho in¬ 
mates of the cabin before the Indians, who 
were collected on tho opposite side of tho 
cabin, saw him. Captain Stanley perceiving 
that tho huntsman was ignorant of his dan¬ 
ger ordered his sons to fire a volley at ran¬ 
dom, to give him warning of danger, and to 
concentrate tho attention of the savages 
that the huntsman might escape observation. 
Tho hunter nc sooner hoard the repeated 
volleys, than the truth struck him instantly. 
44 The Indians,” exclaimed ho, and without 
stopping to reconoitre, ho rushed from the 
place and made for the nearest settlement 
at the top of his speed, 
i The inhabitants of that cottage wero 
44 Then go, my son, and may God bless 
thee.” 
Fearful that a continuation of this scene 
would unman him, Joseph placed a pair of 
double barreled pistols in his belt, and 
grasping a shovel, desired his brothers to 
let him out without noise. Cautiously were 
the bolts thrown back, and the bars re¬ 
moved ; tho door was opened and Joseph 
stepped out. Tho old man and two of the 
brothers sprang to their rifies, while the 
fourth stood l’eady at the door. The noble 
Joseph advanced cautiously to the ditch, 
and struck his spade into tho ground to 
commence his work, but just at this moment 
the Indians discovered him, and raised the 
terrible war-whoop,—at the same time firing 
upon him, but, thanks to the darkness, with¬ 
out effect. He plied tho spade with the 
greatest celerity, and in a minute tho stream 
was stopped. But the Indians were upon 
him ; grasping his pistols, he shot down one 
of the savages who was in the act of hurl¬ 
ing his tomahawk at his head. Tho rifles of 
his father and brother now openod upon 
the Indians, but the next moment a ball 
from a rifle struck Joseph in tho arm and 
shattered it. He turned and fled, but un¬ 
luckily towards the precipice caused by the 
action of tho water, and several Indians 
hotly pursued. A moment, and Joseph was 
on the edge of the chasm,—he fell, and in 
falling caught tho roots of a tree which was 
yet standing, and the next instant was hang¬ 
ing safe — being about six feet below his 
tormentors, seated on a root which pro¬ 
jected over, and then turned into the bank 
again. 
Another yell succeeded his disappearance, 
and tho savages tore the earth from tho 
ditch, and again set the water at work.— 
Tho whoop of tho savages, and tho running 
waters, convinced the family that Joseph 
was dead, and roused them to desperation. 
They determined to sally forth and attack 
tho foe, selling their lives as dearly as pos¬ 
sible, while tho mother and daughter were 
to escape in the confusion of the fight. But 
tho females opposed this, urging that it 
were hotter to die togethor than thus be 
separated. To theso objections tho exas¬ 
perated men would not listen, but prepared 
for the final strugggle with their wily ene¬ 
mies. They threw the door of the cabin 
open, rushed out, made directly for tho In¬ 
dians, and wore in a moment engaged hand 
to hand with the infuriated red-skins. The 
old man and his three sons fought like he¬ 
roes, and soon a number of the savages lay 
heaped togethor around them; but the su¬ 
perior number of tho Indians was too much 
for the courage and bravery of tho white 
men, and they soon began to waver through 
exhaustion. 
At this critical moment, a shout was 
heard at a short distance,—a shout of brave 
men coming to tho rescue. That shout 
gave new nerve to the wearied arms of 
the Stanleys ; they again dealt fearful ret¬ 
ribution upon their foes, and shortly a troop 
of hunters from the Ford joined them, and 
after a brief struggle, tho savages fled, pur¬ 
sued by the whites. They followed not far, 
however, for tho horn of their leader re¬ 
called them, and tho wounded men wero 
looked after. 
Captain Stanley had received a ball in 
his neck, and sank to the earth, exhausted 
by the hemorrhage. The stream was stop¬ 
ped, and the body of Joseph searched 
for. This of course they did not find on 
tho field, but they soon heard him calling 
for assistance. Lights wero procured, and 
he was soon rescued from his perilous situ¬ 
ation. The cabin was found too unsato to 
bo occupied, as a part of the ground floor 
was already gone, and the earth underneath 
was of such a naturo that it was easily dis¬ 
placed. The wounded were placed in a 
shed, which the Indians, fortunately had 
not molested, and their wounds dressed as 
well as circumstances would permit. 
The hunter, on leaving the place in the 
afternoon, had hastened to the Ford, and 
collecting a band of hunters, returned as 
soon as possible, and arrived as we have 
seen, just in timo to save tho lives of tho 
wholo party. Need I say that this hunter’s 
name was James Murdock, or that the fath¬ 
er and son recovered from their wounds, or 
that there was another son admitted into 
the family shortly. 
The traces-of this memorable sti’ugglo with 
tho red men are still visible at-; tho little 
channel may be traced through the trees to 
tho brow of the hill, where the chasm still 
yawns fearfully beneath. The old cabin 
lias gone,—it fell in a few days—but never 
can bo effaced the traces of the horrible in¬ 
genuity of the Indian warrior. Green wave 
the trees around tho spot, and many a coun¬ 
try lassie shudders as she stands on tho 
brink of that awful basin, and recalls to 
mind the fearful Struggle that produced it. 
Slender as seemed the chances of life to 
tho inmates of that beseiged cabin in that 
fearfu 1 .^struggle, their days were many and 
joyous. Tne Indians were driven from the 
country, and tho sun of life shone peace¬ 
fully on the members of the Stanley family 
for long years thereafter. 
Feufield, N. Y., August, 1852. 
MAKING CHILDREN HAPPY. 
We clip from an exchange tho following, 
which we recommend to the perusal of all 
who arc thrown much with children : 
Let the reader who considers children as 
only to be tolerated as a disagreeable neces¬ 
sity, try the experiment of making the next 
child ho meets happy; and see if it does not 
change his opinion. It is strange with how 
little one can do this. 
Wealth and honors, and every contrivance 
which ingenuity can invent, often fail in 
giving happiness to the man ; but a few mo¬ 
ments’ thought of the mother or friend will 
suffice to give happinoss to a child—so sim¬ 
ple are his pleasures, and so few his wants. 
Seo that little fellow lying upon the floor in 
restless discontent. It is a stormy day, and 
ho cannot take his usual walk with his nurse. 
He has played with his rocking horse till he 
is tired of that, and his balls, and marbles, 
and blocks have failed to give him amuse¬ 
ment ; for he thinks they are stupid things 
and can not play with him. He wishes he 
had a little brother or sister, and then ho 
would have such nice times. Poor little 
fellow ! His mother is on the sola, reading 
the last novel, and cannot spend time to 
amuse him, and he feels so unhappy that 
the tears are beginning already to start.— 
Just at this moment the door opens, and a 
bright face appears. Willy starts up and 
throws his arms around the neck of his 
darling cousin Lizzy, who, in the midst of 
the snow storm, has come to spend the day 
with his mamma. 
44 1 am really glad to seo you, Lizzy,” rath¬ 
er languidly says Willy’s mamma. “ That 
boy has been fretting' all the morning, so 
I could not read with any comfort. He has 
a room full of playthings, and ought to bo 
happy, I’m sure. Take off your things and 
sit down, and I ll finish my book.” 
Greatly relieved is the mother to bo ablo 
to read undisturbed, and greatly pleased is 
Willy. Lizzy takes her work from her 
pocket, and begins to sew; but sho talks to 
Willy about las picture books while he holds 
them open at the pictures, and looks per¬ 
fectly delighted. Then Lizzy shows him 
how to build a farm house with his blocks, 
and taking the animals out of his Noah’s 
ark, she distributes them in the farm yard. 
Now the hoy claps his hands with delight, 
and tho mamma looks up from her book, 
and says, 44 Lizzy what a wonderful faculty 
you have for entertaining children.” 
44 0, Willy is very easily pleased,” Lizzy 
replies, “if one only knows now.” 
We would advise every one to learn how 
to make children happy. 
Think not of the past, but go forth boldly 
to meet the future. 
