Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-02-01
poetilaI.
A PRETTY THOUGHT
a Story of hentu1kp
7 He ESCAPE,
A THRILLING HISTORICAL sAHn ALIVE.

l
| Early in the Spring Of 1880. Mr.. Alexan-
der Mcconnell. Of Lexington KY, went into
the woods on foot to hunt deer He soon
killed large buck aud returned home for a
horse, in order to bring it, During his abb
sence, party of Eve Indians, in one Of their
skulking expeditions, accidentally stumbled on
the body ofthe deer, land peroeiving that it had
been recently killed they naturally supposed
that the hunter would soon return to secure
| the flesh. Three off them, therefore, took their
stations within close rife shot of the deer,
while the other two followed the trail of the
hunter, and waylaid the path by which he was
expected to return.
Mcdonnell thinking not of danger. rode care
lessly along the path, which the scouts we're
watching, until he had come within view Of
tho deer, when be was fred on by the whole
party and his horse killed While isboring
to extricate himself from the dying auimal, he
was seized by his enemies, oyerpow srsa ard
borne of o prisoner His capscgs. bcreser,
seemed merry, gooa-patured sort offellows.
and permitted bin to accompany them UNI
bound and what was rather extraordinary,
allowed him to retain his grn ara bunting ac-
coutrements. He accompanied then with
great apparent choerfulnrss thru se d@v.
and displayed his dextcriis;;a ssSo,ine deer
for the use of the company until they oegan
TO regard him with great nartiah.Y. G'aving
Travelled with him in this s.saa,r e. ssystal
days, they at length reached lAe lsnk q Che
Ohio river.
| Heretofore the Indians had taken the pre-
aution to bind him at night. although not
very securely, but on that eyeni7e hseemon-
strated with them on the suiSee ~ ecn-
planned SO strongly Of the pain i5., tie ,trt
gave him that they merely VIZ. ssa the b5t-
falo tug about bis wrists, ard Lavir9 ts8 Y
in an easy knot and then attachft .
tremity Of the rope to their bodies. Ia order
to prevent his moving without awakening them
then very composedly went to sleep, leaving
tho prisoner to follow their example or not. as
he pleased
Mcconnell determined TO mako he Sscs pc
that night, if possible. es on .ho folIoNn,s
morning they would cross as sigssi ri a
would render II moro difficult. lie .aaefo.e
lay quietly until midnight. eliminating .on the
best means of eaecting bic object. Accident
ally casting his eyes in the direction Of his
feet, they fell upon the elitteriag blade of q
knife, which had escaped from its sheath, and
was nov lying near the feet of one Of the In
dams.
,, To reach it with bis hands. without dis
! turbing the two Indians to whoEs he was las
tened, was impossible, and it wGs very haz-
ardous to attenpt to draw it up with bis feet.
This, however, no attempted. With much
difficulty be graaped the blade between bis
toes. and after repeated and long continued
! efforts succeeded at length in bringing it
within reach of his hands. To cut the cord
was but the work Of moment, and gradually
and silently extricating bis person, no walked
work was but half done That if he should
attempt to return home without destroying bis
enemies he would be pursued and probably
overtaken, when his fate would be certain
! On the other hand it seemed almost irpcssi-
9 Bile for one man to succeed in conflict With
Eve Indians, even though unarmed and asleep.
He could not hope to deal a blow so silently
and fatally, as to destroy each Of his enemies
in turn without awakening the rest. Their
slumbers were proverbially light and restless
and if be failed with single one, he must in
eyi.ably be overpowcred by the survivors. -
The knife was therefore out Of the question.
After anxious reflection for few minutes, ho
formed his plan
| The guLs Of the Indians were stacked near
the fire. Their knives and tomahawks were
sheathed by their sides. The latter he dare
: mot touch for fear Of arousing their owners,
but the former he carefully removed with the
exception Of two, and bid them in the woods,
where he know the Indians we're still sleeping,
: perfectly ignorant of the fate preparing for
them and taking one in each hand and resting
the muzzles on log. within six feet Of bis vic
/, Tins, and having taken deliberate aim at the
: head Of one and the heart ofanother, be pulled
I both triggers at the same moment. Both
shots we're fatal.
! At thcreport Of the guns, the others sprang
! to their feet glanoiDg wildly about them, -
! Mcconnell, who had run to the spot where the
other rifles were bid, hastily seized one Of
/, them and fred at two Of his enemy who zap
pened TO be standing 10 line with each other