Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-04-10

leaving you, ] made the best Of my way
over to the deer-llck, keeping a sharp
lookout for game, but scarcely thinking
Of Indians once. Having got to the lick
| constructed capital blind and lay
down behind it, with my rife ready to
take anything that might come in my
way. I'D laid there about an hour, |
reckon, and was beginning to think that
it wouldnt pay, when all at once there
was q rustling Of some bushes near me,
and out stepped before me, not n sleek
buck, as hoped, but two grim savagos,
armed and painted for the war path
You'd better believe / felt mighty un.
comfortable just then, for besides the fact
that should certainly be discovered
where | lay, and that there was no pos
siblity Of my getting away unseen, |
could kill only one with my single charge
which would leave the other free to re-
venge his friends death on me.
"However, you know I'm not one to
think long upon future consequences
with a live Indian coming closer every
moment, and so taking aim, to make sure
of one at least, fired, and shot him right
through the heart, SO dead that he scarce
y quivered after he fell ! expected this
would frightcn the other, and make him
run for safety, short distance at least.
which would give me time to load and
tree, and thus put me on an equal foot
ing with him. But to my surprise and
the honor Of the savage be it known he
never lodged foot, but mcrly glancing
at his companion, as he fell dead beside
him, he turned sharp, angry flash up
on the spot where | lay, and threw his
rifle forward for a return fire.
"WeIl says to myself, If you're not
agoing to run, old fellow, l am !! and
springing to my feet, l went of with a
bond, and he came after me with yell.
"A few steps took me into a cover of
bushes, and the way went through them
would have been a caution to anything
before me. Even in that short space
gained upon my young pursuer, and when
| reached the more open wood, yelled
back my joy, thinking should soon
be able to tree and get time to load before
the bowling imp could get up to me-
| knew ! could outrun him, but that ]
didn't want do only wanted to meet
him on equal terms, and let it be his scalp
or mine.
"Well, | hadn't gone far in the wood,
before came suddenly upon fallen tree
too suddenly to avoid it-and in in at
tempting 10 leap over it, got caught
among he branches and was brought to
dead halt Before | could cxtricatc
myself, my pursuer had got near enough
for good shot; and raising his piece,
he took quick aim aud fired. That
was nigh to ending the greatness Tom is
always preaching, aboutp for :. felt. ihG
wind ofthc ball as it sung past my head
"Now then, Mr.. Indian" shouted /,
whipping out my knife, "Im ready to
try chances with you since neither of us
has gun loaded; and were actually ma
kink toward each other for the combat,
when---hcavens and earth the whole
woods seemed to suddenly became alive
with screams and yclls and Indians to
the right and left came tearing through
the bushes.
"There was no use of thinking of fight
now, and so, turning back | went over
the fallen tree, and made forward
movement that | flatter myself would
have been no disgrace to a little race
horse. Luckily, no Indians were ahead
of me, or this story might never have been
told, but they were behind me innumbers,
and on my right and left flank, and were
all coming for me with such music as
don't wish my funeral hymn sung to.
"Through the bushes, among the trees
down the hollows and up the ridges, l
went-lcaping and running, jumping and
dodging-wth the whole internal crew
hot after me, yelling and firing. One
ball struck me, however, and that made
the wound you have dressed. l felt the
blow, saw the blood running, and
thought myself shot through the body,
and expected every moment to fall down
dead man. determined never to give
up, though while my strength should hold
out, and that resolution saved me. |
gradually gained upon my pursurs, and
at last got clear of them, when I turned
and made my way toward the river,
shouting as / neared it, that you might
be on a lookout for me. And now here
l am my brave comrades almost as good
as ever, and lervently thank God for
his good providence"
"And you'll live to be great man
yet--see if you don't" cried Tom enthu-
siastically, grasping his hand.
If all the world were to judge like you
Tom" laughed Duncan.
But the prophesy of Tom was fulfilled
for the hero of this exploit was no other
than Duncan Macarthur, afterward Brig
adler General, Member of Congress,
and Governor of the State of Ohio.