Democratic banner., 1846-05-16
From the Saturday Courier.
A TALE OF BORDER LIFE.
81 JOSEPH HENDERsoN, NJ. D.

4nfo the society OF the hrst white settlers OF
the Valley Of the Juniata, and to hear many
tales Of the "hair-breadth escapes" and
Unwilling incidents, which befel these hardy
adventures in the desultory warfare which
they had waged with the aborigines Of the
soil, who; in their turn, for the wrongs in
dicted upon them, sought not justice, when
they veil knew it was not to be found-but
vengeance, Incorporating, bloody VEN
geancs.
At the same time, there was not wanting
mary instances wherein these vindictlre
feelings gave place to more generous i'm
pulses, and the unhappy prisoner, destined
for the stake and the faggot, was frequent
y snatched from the flames, to supply in
some lone heart the place Of q lost son, or
beloved daughter.
Whilst I hava looked upon the Spring
which bears an imperishable ;samc, near to
which once stood the cabin Of Logan, the
veritabie author of that simple and sublime
appeal to the white man-in which Tie Ut
Ter deSolation of a broken heart is express
sed, with a truth and a pathos that have
touched the lowest chord in the scale of
human woe; or when TIE sound OF the fall Of
. mighty oak, in the stiffness of the wood.
has recalled to mind the mournfuliy beauti-
full words of the dying Pushmataha-how
have I regretted that so few 4 lecdotes Of
these noblemen Of nature have been pre-
served, and that many of the mos: intere 81
ing events Of Border Life, which tradition
had imPeEectly handed down to the last
generation, are destined to fade away from
the remembrance Of thEt which is to fol-
low.
Tho ensuing narrative, in which I give
the substance of what / heard related, de-
serves to be recorded as a rare example of
disinteres:ed love and chivalrous generosi-
ty, in n Of a people, whom, in our youth
full days, we were taught to look upon more
in the hight of savage beasts than rational
beings, endowed, like ourselves, with the
image and feelings Of humanity.
Mr.. J. Hall, a Revolutionary soldier, and
n Of the first settlers Of Huntingdon
County, frequently related the following
interesting incidents as having occurred
within his wi knowledge, and connected
with the captivity and escape of a girl of
ths name of Bro.he Il IN, who had been taken
prisoner by a predatory band of Seneka
Ath0Aohl oS0 ~ hhAN vi"
our northern frontier.
Two trappers on the M%ushonnon were
driven from their camp, near the present
town Of Philipsburg, by the advancing war
party, and flying to the nearest settlement
on the Juniata, forewarned the inhabitants
OF the Impending danger. The fearful til
dings were carried by runners from house
to house, and all, save Brothezton and his
daughter, sought the protection ofthe block
house, aE the Standing Stone, (now Hunt
insdon.) The father being absent at the
time, the heroic girl, resisting every en-
treaty, absolutely refused to leave the house
until his return, which was every moment
expected. And the rest Of the family, con-
sistsny Of the mother and several younger
children, with the most gloomy forebodings,
were reluctantly compelled to leave her be-
hind. Brotherton did not return that night
the dog apprized her that lone one was
near; and surprising it to be her father, she
went out to meet him-was seen, pursued,
and Overtaken by the Indians, whJ, already
suspected their approach had been discov-.
cred, from the circumstance that several
houses which they had visited bore certain
evidence of the hasty flight of their late &C.
cupants, and loading themselves with the
plumber thus acquired, made a p~recipitate
retreat through the mountains.
They were Immediately pursued BY all
the disPosa5le foyce at the Standing Stone,
which BrotfIerton arrived in time 10 Join
The party was headed by an old hunter, who
following the trail with the instinct of a
Bloodhound, come Upon the place of their
&rst nights eneanpment 'mongst the ~lsurels
Of Tapey's Mountains. On the following
day, in tracing their footsteps over some
boggy ground, they remarked with pleasure
that the slight shoes Of Miss Brotherton as
they noticed with pain had boon worn thrc'
% the preceding day were now replaoe d
BY 8 substantial pair Of moocas>ins. After
this discovery, the leader Of tee party, q
man experienced in the warfare and Gus
toms Of the Indians, proposed a consnltu-
ton, and addressing himself to Brotherton,
the one IF all the party the most deeply in
terestsd, advised him that on his daughters
account it would be the most prudent to
give up the pursuit, as it was now evident
that they meant 10 trea: her kindly; that if