Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1858-08-27
THE SQUATTER FAMILY.

Among The early settlers of the West
we're many who moved out and selected
sites for homes upon the unoccupied land
they might find, and by clearing por-
ton of it, and building a cabin they OBJ
tained a pre-emption right of the soil, or
at least a certain portion of it and in pos
session of which they have been protect
ed by the government, at least so far, as
thatno one could dispossess them with
out paying them an equivalent for the
Improvement; and even then, they had
prior claim, or privilege of purchasing
at government price over every other
purchaser. Such pioneers have been de-
nominated 'squatters.'
In an early day, man who had left
The sterile soil of an Eastern State, start
"a with his young and rising family to
better his condition in the rich and fer
lie valley of the West Hewas a poor,
but honest man, had struggled hard to
mise his family, and by patient industry
vas enabled to obtain an outfit of horse
abd cart TO journey to the West. Pass
ing through what was then a wilderness,
he at length reached a spoton the Illinois
ryer, about two hundred miles from its
mouth, where he pitched his tent, and
subsequently erected his cabin. His fam
iIy consisted of wife and three children
The eldest boy, who was in his nine
teenth year, girl in her eighteenth year,
and the youngest a boy of fourteen
They were all vigorous, the very materi-
al suited for the hard toll and poor fare Of
pioneer life.
One day there came to the squatter'8
cabin three Indians, protesting to be
friendly, who invited the father to go on
hunting excursion with them. As the
family subsisted mostly on game he final
ly consented to accompany them, taking
with him his eldest son. They expected
to be absent about week, as they inten-
ded to take a somewhat extensive range.
After three days had passed, one Of the
Indians returned to the squatter's house,
and deliberately lighting his pipe and ia
king his seat by the fire he commenced
smoking in silence. The wife was not
startled at his appearance, as it was fire.
uuently the case that one and sometimes
more of party of Indian hunters getting
discouraged, would leave the rest and re-
turn. This was usually the case when
they imagined they discovered some bad
sign, and it would not only be useless, but
disastrous for them to hunt under such
circumstances.
The Indian sat for some time in sullen
Silence and at length removing his pipe
from his mouth, he gave a significant
grunt to awaken attention, and said
White man die The squatter's wife a
this replied
what is the matter?'
HE sick; tree fall on him he die
You go see him.
Her suspicious being somewhat arous
cd at the manner of the savage, she ask
ed him a number of questions. The eva
siyeness and evident want of consistenc,
III the answers at length confirmed he
that something was wrong. She judges
it best not to 90 herself, but sent he
Youngest son, the eldest as We have seen
having gone on hunt with his father
Night came, but it brought not the sol
orthe Indian. All its gloomy hours wer
spent in that lone cabin by the mOthe
and daughter; but morning came with
ont their return. The whole day passe
in the same fruitless lookout for the boy
the mother felt grieved that she had ser
her boy on the errand, but it was nov
too late. Her suspicious were now cor
tirmed that the Indians had decoye
away her husband and sons. She fel
they would not stop in their evil designs
and that, if they had slain the father an
bis boys, they would next attack mothe
and daughter.
No time was to be lost and she an
she daughter, as night was approaching
vent to work to barricade the door an
windows of the cabin, in the best mar
ner they could. The rife of the younl
er boy was all the weapon in the hOus
as he did not take it when he went
seek his father. This was taken from
hangings, and carefully examined to Sc
that it was well loaded and primed. I
her daughter she gave the axe, and thl
armed, they determined to watch a
night, and if attacked by the savages,
fght to the last.
About midnight they made their al
pearance, expecting to find the moth'
and daughter asleep, but in this the