Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-09-19
NJ lSC Z l. L A n Y.
THE SQUATTER FAMILY.


Amopg the early settlers of the West were
many who moved out and selected sites for their
homes upon the unorcuwed land they mi ht
fud, and hv clearing portion Of it, a ii build
ing cabin tley Obtained prr-cuptun rl4ht To
the soil, or at least. certain portion ui II and IN
pnsscsson of which they have been protected by
the government, at lca,l So far, as thai no one
could lispo>sess them without paying them an
cquivale..t Or the improvement and even then,
they had prior claim, or privilege OF purchas-
ug, a, government prlce over every other pur-
chaser. Such pioneers have been dcnOnlInated
" squalters."
In an early day, man who had left the ster-
lie soil OF an Eastern Staic, started with his
Young and rising family to better his condition
in he rich AID fertile valley OF the West. He
was poor, but llunc>t man, had Struggled hard
to raise his family, and hy patient industry was
enabled to obtain AN outfit Of a horse and cA1
TO journey to the West. Passing through what
was then wilderness he at l.ugth reached a
spot On the Illinois river, about two hundred
miles from lis mouth, where he pitched hls tent,
and subsequently erected his cabin. Ills family
consisted Of wife aud three children-the I'D
csl boy, was in his mn, teenlh year, the next,
gIl, in her e hirrnh, and the lounGser a
boy of fourteen. They were all vigorous, the
! very lldlciltl SuIlfu ldI'l tDll lipbl
fare of pioneer life.
One dav there came to the squa,tcr'S cabin
three Indians, protesting TO be tlendly, who IN
wed the father to 90 out on Il huullng excursion
with them. As the family suhsised mostly up
on game he finally roneludvd 10 accompany them,
iaklng with HIM his eldest sou. They expected
10 be absent about n week, a. they intended Ia
! take q somewhat extensive range. Alter three
DAYS had passed aWav. me Of the Indians IT.
turned To the squater's house, and deliberately
H. hung his ppe aud taking his seat by the tie
he commenced smoking IN silence The wlle
was not startled al his appearances as it was tie'
quently the ease that one, and sometimes lnO 4
OF a party OF Indian hunters getting DISCOURAGED
would leave the rest and return. l his was usu
ally the case when lhry imac cined they discovered
some bad sign, and it would not only be use .css
but disastrous for them to hunt under such clr
cumstancrs
The Indian sat for some time in sullen silence
and at length removing his pipe from his mouth
he gave a signiGrant grant i0 awaken attention
ami said White man die The squalter'
wife AT this replied:
" What is the maiter?"
" He sick tree fall ON him he die You g
see him."
Her saspicions being somewlla, aroused at th'
manner Of the savage, she asked him numbrl
OF questions The eyaslventss and evident wan
Of consistency in the answers at length confirm
ed her that something was wrong. She Judge,
it best not TO 90 herself but sent her youngeS
son, the eldest, as we have seen, having gone OF
hunt with his father Night came. but
brought not the son ar the Indian. All it
.loomy hours were spent IN that lone cabin b
the mother anu daughter; but morning cam
without their return. The whole day passed il
, the same fruillrss lookout, for the bnyi tn
mother felt grirved thai she had sent her ho
on the elrand, but It was nov too late. lie
suspicious were now confirmed that the Indian
had drcoyed away her husband aud SONS. Sh
II iel they would not sop in their eNii designs
aud thar, if they had slain lhe father aud hl
boys, they won next alla,k the mother am
daughter
= No lime was to be lost and she aud the daugl
ter as night was approaching went TO work I
harrcade the door aDd windows ul the cabin |
the best manner they could. The rifle of III
Youngest hoy was all the weapon in the hous,
| as he did not take it when he went to seek hi
. father. This was taken from its hangngs. am
\ carefully examined TO see that It was well lpaC
ed and primed. To her daughter she gave III