Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-12-10

| wayne ShOulu De ulSOanucu ana That he was
to be slain secretly, so as if possible, not TO
let it be known who were his murderers -
Knowing the disposition of fhsadvevaries and
that they were not easily turned from pur-
, pose, and would leave no efforts untried to
bring about his destruction, he deemed it best
to avoid them, as it was not his wish to revive
hostilltes; so he removed to distant part OF
the territory. and engaged in the the pursuit
of civilized life.
Being kndof gunsmith, he opened shop
for repairing the guns and locks Of the settlers
and this business, together with farming and
hunting, among all of which his time was divi-
ded, enabled him to live quite comfortably
among his Deighbors. 1t so fell out, however
that the place became two lhickly inhabited
to suit his particular taste, and he removed to
another point, several miles from any inhab-
itaion.
In his new location he followed the same
pursuits, an rather singular to the apprchcn-
sion OF those used to modern customs and laws
of trade, his'out.of the way place Of business
did not decrease his custom. The old sctilsrs
and hunters preferred to patronzc one Of their
own number and few miles walk through
the forest was Just to their taste, as it enabled
them TO hunt and get their work done all in
the same jaunt
Il chanced one day, that he had a call from
an Indian, whose gun needed some repairing
While he was doing the work, he noticed that
the Indian cast many side glances at him and
was particular in his observation of the prem
lses; it was rather singular that be sdoulI do
so, Duncan thought, bu! as it had now been
J ,bnr ,f, cIoIl
ed, he had almost forgotten his oil enemies,
aud did not imagine there was any danger of
their threat b ing executed; SO the matter
ended, and the circumstance passed from his
thoughts by the next day,
About a week from tn time, while he was
away to the settlements on some business,
Mrs. Duncan was a little surprised TO receive
a call from couple of Indians, not because
;his was rare occurrence, but from the fact
that her visitors were entire strangers to her
and apparently, to that part Of the country
La few minutes another, and then another
and another dropped in, as if by accident, yet
with Il manifest understanding among them
Selves until the number present reached aten
or dozen.
Mrs. D. felt uneasy, not so much because Of
bhS P'tSNHSC VI lHuli'lCJ wv SIiC nav lOh5
been accustomed to seeing them almost daily
at her husbands shop to get work done,) but
that there was kind of disguised concert abou
their movements which to her MUD, was a
sure Indication there was some;hn more than
usual on foot.
A Il at once she remembered the threat
made against her husband years before and
being well'aware of the tenacty of an Indians
memory, she at once connected the two--the
threat and the present vislt-together. Her
feelings when the conviction that this surmise
was the true solution of the mystery fixed IT.
sci in her mind, may b batter imagined than
described.
How to get word 10 her husband without
alarming the enemy-for that the WE'RE enc
mics she had now no doubts, 50 intuiuvcly
Overwhelming was the conviction of her mnd
on the subicct-or exciting their wary suspic-
ions, was the question she labored to solve
There was out one possible method of SO doing
and with it the probabilities of failure were
double those of success This was 10 send her
only son, a boy Of fourteen, 10 meet his faith
er, aud give him warning. If she could
only do this privately, SO as to be unseen
by the ever watchful foe, she had some
hope of its success. After waiting for hours
in an agony of suspense, not knowing but
Mr., Duncan might return at any moment the
coveted opportunity occurred. Calling her
son to her side. while the Indians were out
holding consultation among themselves she
hastily told him where TO so and what to say
to his father. directing him to proceed in such
a manner as to irduce the belief in the minds
I,,ftn Ia thof ha TO tbn
cows
The rusc succeeded. The enemy nteroga
ted the boy as to whether he was going, and
received as a reply that their COW had gone
of (Which was the lac) and wished to fad
her, and in turn enquired of them if they had
seen her, giving the marks by which she
could be distinguished from other cows. To
Ill this Mrs. Duncan listened with breathless
interest, her ear at an apeture in the door and
her heart almost stiIled in its pulsations wit h
alarm: but when she saw how admirably the
boy acted his part, and how much above his
years was the discretion be manifested, load
seemed to be lifted from her bosom, and she
m n.a,ly offered up a feryent prayer Of thank
fulness.
The son met his flther some two and half
or three miles from home, and told him all.
Mr.. Duncan was kind and alFectionate hus-
band and father and he paused for several
minutes and reelected as to what he should
and ought to do. That the Indians ment no
good was certain from their manner Of action
but would his family be safe if left at their
mercy without protector? He feared not.
Should he then, 90 back TO the settlement
and obtain aid No; however well HE might
be conyinc d Of the evil designs of tie Indi.
ans, il might be a difficult matter to convince
others of the fact; and to be called o coward
or have others .hnk he was actua'ed by fear
was more than his back woods nature could
stand so he finally resolved to proceed, rcsol-
! wing to stand by his family at all hazards.
: Accordingly he and his son proceeded eau
: tiousy towards hone where they arrived in
safety about sun down. No Indians were
: about; but this was hardly matter of con
5 gratulation, as it was his opinion they had
| Withdrawn to make night attack or to await