The independent. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Kan.) 1860-1874, 1863-04-25
for the gdHle folks.
A SCRAP OF HISTORY.

western country.
What is settlement asked MAY.
Il knowr cried Peter; it's where
folks 60 into the woods and build
log cabins
Pretty near right, Peter; SET
Element such as am going to tell
YOU about, is where that was done.
The territory of Ohio had then no
settlement of white people in it, and
these men called themselves the o.
hio Company and were command
ed by Gen. Rufus Putnam.
1t was very early spring, and a.
long the banks of the Ohio the buck
eve trees were already in bloom,
and looked so beautiful to these men
who had lived where the spring does
not open until May, that they christ
ened the country the land Of the
buckeyes, and so it is now called
the Buckeye State
This Ohio Company landed at the
mouth of the Muskingum river, for
where the two rivers meet there is
a beautiful valley, aud they thought
then that the words Of Tom Moore.
the poet. might be applied to the
place
There is not in tbs wide word
A valley SO sweet,
As this vale in who's bosom
The bright waters meet.
So they went on shore and soon
were at work chopping down the
great oaks, naples and buckeyes,
built their cabins and moved into
them, and with their guns, which
they had brought from New Eng
land, they killed wild deers and tur-
keys, and had plenty to eat, for the
woods were full Of game. There
were bears, too, and wolves, wild,
fierce panthers, wild cats, and many
other treacherous and disagreeable
onimaIs, as well as poisonous serp:
ents, rattle-snakes and copperheads
But worst of all the rest were the
wild Indians, who did not like to
have the pale faces, as they called
them. come and take charge Of their
country. Those pioneers were very
strong men, who did not care much
for danger; but they loved each 9TH
er and helped one another in all pla-
ces of peril; and when the red men
made war upon them, they bull. forts
and moved into them with their
wives and children, and fought side
by side against them, ill they con-
quered and brought about a peace.
Then the farmers went out upon
their farms, cut down the forest,
cleared their fields by rolling the logs
together, piling the brush in heaps
and burning them; and in time they
pIowed the fields and planted orch
ards. corn and wheat; but they all
lived in cabins still, and when they
went to meeting it was often in the
woods, under the shade of the trees,
where they sang their sweet hymns
of praise to God. The wild squir-
rels very often went hopping about
from limb to limb, and the brown
thrushes and meadow larks would
seem to keep time with them.
"Oh. Aunty, wasn't that funny,
to 60 TO meeting in the woods!"
"Rather funny, Eva, TO think a
bout now, but it was very solemn
then"
"Oh. | wish I'D been there !"
"What for, John p
80, wouldn't | have hunted birds
nests and killed snakes, and chopped
down trees! Well ! would r.
81 think very likely, John, and |
suspect if You had lived in those
hard times, you would not have sri
ed and sniveied as you did yester-
day morning, when your ma asked
you to 60 down to the meadow and
feed the lambs, because i, rained
little. All, John, am glad to see
you hang your head and blush.
Your grandfather was one Of the
first boys born in the State, and had
10 work rain or shine, land your great
grandma used to make pants OF tan
ned deer skin, and spin for him lit
tie hunting shirts out OF fax. and
weave them in the cabin; and tho
you laugh at the caps Of the sold
iers, trimmed with COW tails, as you
call them, your grandfather used to
wear a cap made Of a coonsEn,
with the long tail hanging down be-
mind. When as old as you, he took
his gun and went with his father to
The woods and learned TO shoot wild
animals, and grew up to be strong
and brave. as you see.
"And what did they-then settle
rnenters, ihen!" asked little Clarie,
and they all laughed at her settle