The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-07-18
A KICK FOR LIFE.

AuhOS1eO1 puOppSiS duu loS oliSiS
engaged in clearing tract of land
in Jefferson county, New York
Among these choppers was a revo-
lutionary veteran named Parker,
who related the following among
other stories of his army life. My
grandfather told it to my father some
forty years ago; my father told it to
me some ten years ago; and now
l will tell it 10 our Boys and Girls !;
or rather, will let old Mr.. Parker
tell it in his own, words, notwith-
standing he has. been dead more
years than / have been alive! Isn't
it strange how the pen can make the
dead speak
"One afternoon said the veteran
1--WE came to halt after long and
weary march. After briefrest the
camp began to get lively-for l tell
you they were a lively set of fell
lows who fought in the revolution
ary war. They engaged in wrest-
ling, jumping, and like games. l
was a little mischievous myself, and
| went about the camp with stick
rapping the shins of my compan-
ions in arms for the fun Of seeing
chase me. They always took such
things good-naturedly. 1t was give
and take. But there was and old
Portuguese in our regiment who
was so surly that we never took lib
critics with him. Some one said to
me, why don't you rap his shins %
'Sho,' said ], Its no fun to come
games on him.
'Ah you do not dare to, was the
response.
OF course [ couldn't stand and be
dared-what true born Yankee Doc
die would !?
I walked over to the old Portu-
guese and gave him playful tap
It made him fearful mad. He swore
he would have his revenge on me.
I expected from that, that he would
give me such crack on my shins
some day that should be lame fol
a week. But it seemed I didn't
know the old reprobate. When he
said revenge he meant something
more serious than shin taps. That
night a number ofus were quartered
in a barn. The barn had plenty Of
hay in it, so that it made downright
pleasant quarters. The weather was
warm, and bright moon was shin
ing in the sky, whose rays penetrat-
ed through the cracks of the barn
and lighted it up sufficiently so that
I could easily recognize those about
me. I, and a friend of mine, named
Bronson, climbed up on the hay
NOV, as the best place to sleep; but
it was already SO crowded with sol
diers that we concluded to go ovel
to scaffold on the other side of the
barn. The only way to get there
was by walking across along beam
and as we were crossing, my friend
suddenly dropped on his knees, and
crawled over the rest Of the way
When we got across, DO you know
what made me drop that way 2 ht
asked 3%tt -t' % t-e5
NO. said I, what was it !?
,sWhy, l caught a glimpse of tina
old Portuguese lodging behind th'
beam, and watching us like a beas
after his prey. I startled me so tina
/ came near falling. You had bet
look out for that fellow, he's afte
you.
'You don't think he means any
thing serious do you?'
well, perhaps not; but you ha(
better lay awake awhile, I say
So when we had laid down clos
to the edge of the scafold, 1 set my
self to keep my eyes open for al
hour or two. My companion wa
soon snoring, and probably every
soldies in the barn was aslee]
when l caught sight of my enem,
creeping stealthily along the bean
towards the scaffold on which W
lay. He had his long knife in hi
teeth, already for use. Our gun
were all stacked down below, and
had lost my knife week before in
battle. So now l was halpless -
The Portuguese evidently meant t.
murder me. What should [ do =?
could not venture to wrestle wit
him, for he was my equal physically
! and his knife gave him all the ad
: vantage. 1852
So l lay still, hardly daring t
breathe, as the old Portuguese creE
nearer and nearer on his hands an
knees, hardly rustling wisp of hay
: he was SO cautious, He bent owe
2 Bronson first, with his knife raise
to plunge into his breast; but ther
| seeing who it was, he turned to nj
| Istill pretended to sleep; but throug
t my eyelashes I watched him wit
) terrible interest He raised his knit
r to give a powerful stroke; he wa
E just about to plunge it into my throl
7 bing heart; and l drew up my rigt
r leg like a flash, gave the old villai
5 a fat footed kick in the breast. an
e sent him whirling. He lit on pill
!, of rails that lay just below, and
t heard him groan dismally for som
B time after He shook his fist at m
as / looked over the beam at hin
t and asked HIM good-naturedly if b
e wanted any help. But after Will
e I fell asleep again, and in the morl
r ing he was gone-no-body kne
S where. I never saw him again.
William Vert Skies.
t The Wool Growers in Council
The meeting of "friends of prt
7 tective policy to consult in regar