The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-05-14
aIisceIIaneous
THE OUTPOST.
a TALE OF FRONTIER LIFE.

the French, aided by vast bodies Of the Huron
aud Iroqueis Indians had begun to make them
selves very diSagreeable neighbors 10 the British
and American colonists in northern Virginia
aud Ohio and the northwest portion of New
York S;ate-the French by their encroachments
On the frontier, and thr Indians by their numer-
Gus forays and savage bllbarity to all who were
unfortunate enough to fall iuto their hands.
To put stop 10 these aggressive proceedings,
numerous bodies, both of the .regulars" and the
colonial militia, were despatched to The several
points aszailed; and among the rest, Col Henry
Innes, with a company Of thirty men, among
whom Were party OF some dozen Virginia rifle
men, was ordered to occupy small outpost, or
log fort, which al this period stood within a
few miles from the north fork the AlIrghany
river.
Having arrived safely at their quarters, the
little company set about rghling up the old
outpost to make it as comfortable as ciIcumsian-
ces would permit: and this being done, and or
der once restored senlries were placed at al The
advanced points ofthe station, while the slrctest
vigilance was both enjoned aud exercised by
day and BY night.
Among The Virginia riatmen who had vol
unteered into the company, was tall, manly
looking fellow, who from bis fatal, unerring
skill as a marksman, had received the non de
plume of Death. But with whatever nstice
the name had been applied 10 him for skill, his
/ ficFr-i I. a.
terror spreading epithet. On the contrary, he
was the very life Of the company.
His rich fun Of neither wit, large social pro-
Pensities and constant good nature rendering
him general lavogite "ith the men; while his
pever falling stock ol game which his. skill pna-
s,led hinl t. aFfiy the mess table OF The o1ceTs
with, not only recommended him to their good
graces, but caused many little s'short coming
Of his to be wnked al and passed over in silence,
which otherwise perhaps be nigh! not have got
ten over SO easy.
The company .Jad not been stationed al the
fort much more than week, ere Death, in one
Of his excursions for game, discovered that at d
small farm house, some three miles or 50 distant
from the fort, there lived certain Miss Hester
StanhoPe, whose equal in braaty and amia5!c
qualities he had never seen before. And to rem
der himself still more certain of the fact, be
called the day following under cover Of a pre-
tence ofhaving forgotten his powder flask
Death was invited 10 come again; By Farmer
S.anhope, happening 10 be from the same parish
as the fther Of our hero: and we need scarcely
say that the invitation was both eagerly ans
oYfully accepted. and as often as Circumstance,
woull permit, complied With.
The second week after tue occurrence toaa
place. was marked by TWO events. which. thouol
both afrctin, the welfare Of the lille commu.
aity at tbe f5.;, were widely different degree.
Of impo,tance.
The first vas. that Death had either suddenl,
lost all his skill as narksman. or that The Gam,
had removed 70 safer and more distant NEIGH.
barbooJ for the officers lsrdsr had been sadl,
wanting in the items Of wo3I-cocks. &C.. 70
The week past, and the second and most inpor
tant of two events was, that in regular Succes
= sion, four sentinels had disappeared from th
t extreme left line, without leaving the slightes
l trace TO rluciIate the mystery of their disap
;, pearance.
d The last circumstance struck such dread INT
n the breasts ofths rest Of the company. that n
one could be found willing 10 volunteer to tax