The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-04-08
From the Portland Transcript.



Oh history has many darkcncd tale
OF savage dccds--aud woman's pitcous wall
Ofcabing wrapped in flames, while savage yclls
Are the first sign the kindlng fire tells
Oft persisted thus, the stern and hardy hand
That cleared the forest Of our smiling land!
HAPTERI.
Nearly century has rolled away
since the events we are about TO record
transpired A century Brief period in
the annals Of IIstory-passed over per-
haps, with single dash Of the pen--
and yet in that time what wonderful re-
volutions have taken place-revolutlons
in men, manners and outward conditions
Of life One hundred years ago the red
men bounded in pursuit of the deer, or
crcpt stealthly on the war path, where
now the husbandman turns up the tenn
ing soil and rcaps the golden harvest, or
the merchant threads the thronged and
busy mart One hundred years ago the
tall forest waved in glory or in gloom
where now are smiling farms, thriving
villages, and crowded cities. One hun
drcd years ago - but perhaps the con-
trast will be made more striking to the
reader by the relation of our humble
story, the incidents of which took place
in that romantic period of our country's
history.
A little over century ago there was
but solitary log hut on what was then
styled the 'Causeway,' but which in mo-
dern years has borne the name of Horse
Tavern'--thc location of which is mile
or two from our city on the Sroudwa'er
road. A particular description of the
spot will not be necessary to the devel-
opemcnt of our story; and to the great
mass Of our readers such description
would doubtless be suE2rlluous, as they
are sufficiently acquainted with the To-
calties Of that place. 1t may not be
amiss to say, that its present name was
derived from its being the general water
ing place for travellers from the neigh
boring towns and villages in that dlrec,
ton.
At that time the 'Causeway' was co,
vercd with a dense growth of wood,
which formed portion of the primeva'
forest that once extended over our whole
city; although the sturdy arms of Fal'
mouth Neck, as Portland was then cal
led, had laid many a leafy monarch low
A man by the name of Wier, or, accord
ing to our present photography, Wyer
had selected this out-oi-the-way spot, a:
it was deemed, for his residence. He
had made small opening, just sufficient
to allow room for the erection of his
rude hut and to afford limited space for
garden. Why he chose this place so re.
mote from the settlement, when mel
clustered together for mutual safety ant
protection, it would be difficult to say
Some of the good people of Falmouth
who, like many of their descendants
were fond of INDUCING in groundles
surmises, ascribed it to sinister mo
tve-shaking their heads very gravel
and suspiciously as they spoke of 10
Wier's temerity in thus exposing him
self to the attacks Of the prowling re
man. A number of wcil-disposcd pei
sons cautioned him of the danger whic
surrounded him, and advised him to NOV
into the settlement.
But Wier was a strong, bold-hearte
fellow, and very honest one TO boo
for all that we can learn. lie had peel
liar social notions of his own. He dl
not like crowd--he wanted plenty (
clbow.room. A creature of the woods