Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-11-19
C From the Cincinnati Gazette.
The Romance of Western His.

tory srSs-5 -.
Where is the Westa Like the indefina.
BE horizon, it is constantly retreating.-
We thought it was but short way of, and
now it is beyond the Mississippi, and tar
away on the shores of the Pacific. Inc
Islands of the Ocean and then the va
World, East will be our Westl
To those of our readers who are new to
this region, we would say, that Ohio and
Kentucky were only a short generation
since, the West; then Indiana and Illinois
were the Far West. It was in those days,
and in the Valley of the Ohio, that Judge
Hall laid the scene of very interesting
volume called The Romance of Western
History. Like all his works, it is elegant
ly written, smooth and pleasant, but TO
those whose Renaissance lie back among
the Pioneers, or who in their boyhood asso-
ciated with them, this Romance, fslbies
less romance than fact has peculiar zest.
1t brings up, like good picture taken in
other days, the dress attitude and appear
ance of the old race, who once lived here
and struggled throughout the semi-barbar-
ic Of civilization. 1t is only by such pic
lures that we can have any knowledge of
them, for they can never return.
Let us quote paragraph or two from
this Romance of History, that we may
catch a sidelong glance at the old Pioneer.
Judge Hall relates story of las be under
stood it) Mulbrow, who gave name to Null
brow, still in Kentucky. This man, who
was one of the earliest pioneers, had a
cabin in one of the rugged activities Of
the hill, or mountain, named from him.
He had been there year or two, and was
searching for game, when he saw small
dog running in his track, and supposed an
Indian was near. In few minutes the
owner of the dog came stepping cautious
ly along glancing ,jealously around, and
making signals TO his dog. The owner Of
them halted in front of the hunter, and
fully exposed to view. He was tall, ath-
]etic man, completely armed with rife,
tomahawk, and knife, but whether he was
white man or Indian, could not be deter
mined, either by complexion or dress.
@He wore hunting-sbirt and leggins,
of dressed dear skin, and hat from which
the rim was entirely torn away, and the
crown elongated into the shape of a sugar
loaf. The face, feet, and hands, which were
exposed, were of the tawny hue of the saw
age, but whether the color was natural or
the effect of exposure, could not be ascer-
tanned even by the keen eye of the hunter,
and the features were so disguised by dirt
and gunpowder, that their expression af-
forded no clue, by which the question could
be decided, whether the individual was
friend ar foe. There was but moment
fer deliberation, and after hasty scrutiny
the pioneer, inclining to the opinion that
the stranger was an Indiap, cautiously
drew up his rifle, and took deliberate aim;
but the bare possibility that be might be
pointing his weapon at the bosom of
countryman, induced him to pause. Again
he raised his gun, and again hesitased; !;
while his opponent with his rifle half raised
towards his face, and his finger on the trig-
ger, looked eagerly around. Both stood
motionless and silent; one searching for
the object of his pursuit, the other in read
iness to fire. At length the hunter, hav-
ing resolved 10 delay no longer, cooked his
rife-the tick reached the accute ear of
his opponent, who instantly sprung behind
tree, the hunter initiated his example,
and they were now fairly opposed, each
covered by tree, from behind which he
endeavored to get a shot at his adversary
without exposing his own person. And
T.: now series of stratagems ensued, each
seeking to draw the fire of the other-un-
til the stranger, becoming weary of sus-
pense, called, "Why don't you shoot, You
eternal cowardly varmint" "Shoot, your
self, you bloody red-skin," retorted the 9TH
er, "No more red-skin than yourself" -
"Are you q white manr' 'To-be-sure l
am; are your Yes; no mistake in me"
Whereupon each being undeceived, they
threw down their guns, rushed together
with open arms, and took hearty hug
The hunter now learned that the stranger
had been settled, with his family, about ten
miles from him, for several months past,
and that they had often roamed over the
same hunting grounds, each supposing
himself the sole inhabitanl of that region.
On the following day, the hunter saddIed
his horse, and taking up bis good wife be-
hind him, carried her down to make call
upon her new neighbor, who doubtless re-
ceived the visit with far more sincere ioy
than usually attends such ceremonies"
Such was the solitary and dangerous life
Of the Pioneers. We add one incident
related of woman; and as the same thing
in substance was told US by men, cotem-
poraneous with this heroic woman, we be-
ieve to be true:
"The females, too had their exits and
their entrances in this bloody drama; and
exercised their courage as well as their in
ventive powers. in the practice of strategy.
A party of Indians approached solitary
log house, with the intention of numbering
its inmates. With their usual caution, one
of their number was sent forward to recon-
noiter, who, discovering the only persons
within to be woman, two or three child
rem, and rushed in by himself and seized
the negro. The woman caught up an ak,
and with single blow laid the savage war
nor dead at her feet, while the children
closed the door, and with ready sagacity
employed themselves in fastening it. The
rest of the Indians came up and attempted
to force the entrance: but the negro and
children kept the door closed; aud the in
trepid mother, having no effective weapon,
picked up gun barrel, which had neither
stock nor lock, and pointed it at the savages
through the apertures between the lops.-