Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-08-16
WHOLE NUMBER 167. =


made him his ii1-de-camp In 1916, which
station he retained on the peace establish
me II. with the rank Of colonel. But like
his illuslrio IS patron, he S, OF felt that mill
try station and distinction had 10 charms
f,r him, when unattended with the dangers,
du les, ond patriotic achievements OF war.
He resigned, therefore, even the associa-
ton with bis veteran chief, Of whom he
was so proud, and retired in 1917 to private
life. lie resumed his study Of the profess
sion that was Interrupted by the war, mar
ried, and settled Gown on his pntrmonial
possession at the confluence of Il e Ken
! lucky and Ohio rvors. in the enoisefess but
ardaous avocntions pl civil life The abode
Which ho had chosen-made ippeculiarly SO
with bin. The region around him was wild.
and romantic, sparsely settled, and by pas,
toral pc pie. There are no populous towns.
he high, rolling, and yet rich lands lhe
.p:ecipi;ous cliffs Of the Kentucky, of Ea.
gle, Savern, and other tributaries which
pour into it near tsmouth makes this Sec
tion ofthe State still, TO some extent, will
deross Of thickets-- of the tangled peu-vine,
the grape vino. and nut bearing trees, which
rendered ali Kentucky, ugtil the intrusion
ofthe whites, one great Indian park. The
whole luXurient domain was preserved by
the Indians as a pasture for buffolo;. deer,
elk, and other animals their enjoyment
alike as chase and subsis;ence-by ex-
cluding every tribe from, fixing habita-
tinn in it. Its name consecrated it as the
dark and bloody ground; and war pursued
every foot that trod il. In the midst of
this region, in April, 1871, William o.
Butler was born, in Jessamine county. on
the Kentucky river. HIS father had mar.
ried in Lexington, soon after his arrival in
Kentucky, 1882, Miss Hawkins, sister,
in-law to Colonel Todd, who commanded
and pre sided in the battle ofthe Blue -l.icks.
Following the instincts Of his family which
seemed ever 10 court danger, Gen. Pierce.
Butler, as neighborhood encrouche around
him, removed, not long after the birth Of
his son William, to the mouth Of tie, kep-
lucky river. Through this section the Ia.
dian war-path into the heart of kentucky
passed. Until the peace Of 1874, there was
scarcely day that hostile savages did not
prowl through the tangled forests. and"the
abrynths of hills, streams, and clifls,which
adapted this region TO their lurking warfare.
lOill II lli0J "llCu ihtoO
their last ofmiduble incursion, and pushed
their ioray to-,he env irons of Frankfort, the ;.
capitol Of the State. Gen. Pierce Butler
had on one side Of him the Ohio, on the fur
ther shore Of which the savage hordes still
held the mastery, and on the other the 70.
mantle region through which they hunted
and pressed their war enterprises And
here, amid the scenes of border warfare.
his son William had that spirit which ami.
mated him through life, educated by the e.
gends of the Indian fighting hunters of Ken.
lucky.
To the feelings and taste inspired by the
pecuiarities of the place and circumstanc.
es adverled to- must be attributed tho re-.
turn of Colonel BUTLER TO his fathers
home, to enter on his profession as law
yer. There were no great causes or rich
clients to attract him no dense population
to lift HIM 10 the political honors of the
State. The eloquence and learning, ths
industry and integrity which he gave TO ad-
just the controversies Of Gallatn and tho
surrounding counties would have crowned
him with wealth and professional distnc-
ton if exhibited at Louisville or Lexing-
ton. But he coveted neither. lndepen,
dence, the affections of his associations, the
love of family circle, and the charm
which the recollection of happy boyhood
gave to the scenes in which he was reared,
were all he sought. And he found them all
in the romantic dells and woodland heights
OF the Kentucky, and on the sides of the
far-spreading, gently flowing, beautiful o.
hio The feeling which his sincere and
sensitive nature had imbibed here was as
strong as that Of the Switzer for his bright
lakes, lofty mountains, and deep valleys.
The wild airs Of the boat horn, which have
resounded for so many years from nrks de.
scending the Ohio and Kentucky, floating
along the current and recurring in echoes
from the hollows Of the hills, like lis eddies,
became as dear to him as the famous Rams
de Hache TO the native of Switzerland.
We insert, as characteristic alike of the
poetical talent and temperament of Butler,
some verses which the sound of this rude
instrument evoked when he returned home,
resigning with rapture ''the ear. piercing
fife and spirit-stirring drum for the wood
en- horn, which can only compass in its SIM
pie melody such airs as that TO which Burns
has set his beautiful words
"When wild wars deadly blast was blawn,
And gentle peace returning,
WI mony a sweet babe fatherless,
And mony widow mourning;
left the line and tented field"
The music of this song made the burden
ofthe "Boatman's Horn," and always an
nounced the approaching ark to the river :.
villages.
The sentiments of the poet, as we'll as
the sweet and deep tones which waited the
plaintive air over the wide expanse of the
of the Ohio, may have contributed to awak.
en- the feeling which pervades these lines. $, !.
THE BOAT HORN.
o, boatman, wind that horn again.,
For never did thelistening air
Upon its lambent bosom bear
So wild, so soft, so sweet a strain
What though thy notes are sad and few,
By every simple boatman blown,
Yet tits each pulse to nature true,
And melody iri every tone.
How oft in boyhood's joyus day,
Unmindful of the lapsing hours,
I've lotered on my homeward way, 20.
By wild Ohios bank of flowers,
While some lone boatman from the deck
L L