Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-04-03
Nj | 5 & T. LII A n Y u.
THE COWARD BROTHERS.
A TEUE Story.

anl Revolutionary wars. lie was WIN ~,
Clair at hi, defeat, and shouted with Mad
Anthony over the burning wigwnm,. and
DISASTROUS fortunes Of the rcl men. One son
only Inherited the frmn,s, and yalor Of his
father.
lie enlisted and fought under Taylor in
Florida he saw the Lone Star @ins to the
hrcrrc, and wave victorious over ,ho bloody
Geld of san Jaclnto.
lIc returned I, hi, hous, of affection, GOV.
crol with glory aud wounds, Ills fiery
,alor was in strong coutr'., with the timiii-
" of hi, brothers. NJ in,ul, could arouss
them, and u, resentment Jwclt ln their
bi,pms.
The proud old father was compelled to
ackuowlclgc in his heart, though It cost
many p,ns Of bitterness and diapFoint-
rncut. that rscrcant son. aud umiI towards
had eaten of hi, bread and grown TO man.
hood under tie shadow o! biz home
In the process Of tinc, the restless desire
VI change stirred the old mans bosom, aud
he determined 20 cmigrltn tp Oregon
\ select company wa. formed, hi' scar.
honorol .on commanded, and rccrcant boys,
in accorlancr with universal custom, armed
themselves and pl,lisl on, secure among
the brave men who surrounded ,hgm.
/, wa, toward. sunset the cmisrln,s
moved slowly, shg rp,ky barrier between
.hcm and ihc e" laui or promise 90 bad hccn
ras.,l. Their hearts beat time TO the sush
Of melody that meIlrl from bush and 'rco ,
rh, blue haze Of Indian summer hung over
valley and stream, the falling leaves ru''iri
around. and the ,prish'ly Squirrel fci upon
the nut-cr,cryd ground.
They were at this time jniucd hya nan
colraly dressed, but armri with ril' aud
long knife. n, informed them that hc was
a scout. that tho luinn, were At war with
thr whites. and tia, himself and twenty
mrn had been ssnt to arpr's' them Of dan.
ger, aud assist them It ilatuckoi.
They wrrc alarmed at thi' intelligence,
II Was unexpected, A. the whii,'ani Indians
were friendly when they lrl, a., State.
Bot tier, wcr' r-.,lutr men naupus them,
and a vanguard OF fifteen formed into .omr-
thin. Ike order. aud under thc lead OF tar
.py and the old man s hero son, advanced
a quarter OF - mile ahead 1l ihe train.
They bad ,rr,,rI . lii,lc.tram, Travelled
some miuut-, and entered q wool, when
suddenly. from every l1s, tree, and bush,
hlalri a deadly rifle. The stoutc.t hear,
quailrl a, the din of arms, and ,hc Indians
rushed irpm their covert, t.mAhavk iu
hand tir party turned lni Arl.
One ,liri OF ,h.irulmber, however, were
then on th, Geld. rhr,r,in a, to-, mlm.ni
wyr, crossing a., stream. bat To, ,,1uer DAD
they behold their companions com.as, uu-
DR. whip AMI .pur-nr they were mounted
THAR catching ,hr c1nnsiun. th,y iarrl
arouud-aud a tgrlh!r.nn, cu.uel iu their
cndra,,r {, gain ,h, opposite shore. Mn,
women aud children, hur... and wagons,
were int rminelci in horrible confusion.
~ orl.r was maintained. Husband,
,,i,... ,y,..t.h,lris. All were Jr,litru, and
every other desire merged ito on.-s',ty.
Manwml, toe vanguard arrived, an ir-
,,sal Of alhyine, only increased ,ha hub
huh. R,s,ril-., OF thc consequences, they
.h,m,lully l,l ncrD,, the stream, tramp
Ing down all wh, rmr.iri their course.
W cauun, .ay all, tor orc scr,n; ,Ir state
gs aGur,. called loudly on his companions
tn stop and rr,'cc: those who were in the
water.
Reader, who wl,it Ttwas IIcnry-onc
Of tho " coward brothcr-'"
Al timilr,y was gone, AMI the man OF
r-ac, in ordinary ay,ca'iou' oi Ii!', bscime
the her, in the hours uf strife.
Recalled hy hi. cheerful tones ofc'uras',
warrior, AMI srcy.hsad,d oil men spurr,l
hack to hi, sil,. Henry hal di'muuntrd,
with ril, cooked, and sheltered by a tree,
,,crnly awaited ih, onset Of the Indians.
Ills face was pale, hi, Iil' firmly COM
rr,.,,l and MI, eye, shone with strange
ii.h,. lie waited not lons-on, on cAmo
m, au,c.: the foremost lcapc! high and
fl! dead. ll,nry's rih, sent a bullet u his
heart. Out hcspr,ng from bis hiding place.
MI, Ion; ril, whilrI through the ar be
had elabb,d lt-aud dealt manly blows uV.
On hi, ass'ihnts.
For moment he held a, bay his duskY
enemies, thoncAt a dozen rushcdup upln him
hes,a.,,rd, Ikea tree he fell To the ground {;
once only hs raised upon bis elbow his
white face was ,scn lur moment abo'c the
,ra,, he diappalrei--a score Of red forms
ben, above the ,p,t, hatchcts descended and
he who through lie had been called a"sow'
ard lay bloody and still, a di'Gsured corpse.
The horses Of the old man and heroic son
were sho, down before they reached the 'plt
where Henry tel, and cro they recovered
twenty Indians sprans upon and conveyed
them to the rar, prisoners. Onc glance
they cast across the stream. Could they
believe their eyes? Charles, the other COW,
ard brother, bad rallied twenty mcn' ana
covered the retreat of the fasit''es into the
water.
IL was toward. morning, and the two
,b;,, m,n were bound u trees. The fire