The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1867-12-12
nHM CAss AND HIs vow.

John Cass was Virgiaian by birth,
who settled somewhere a5out the year
1880, on the banks of the Ohio, aeat
Duck Creek, a few miles from Tort Har-
mer, and lived by bunting end traPs
ping. He brought with him a wife two
soas, and niece, mined Betsy Cass'
The fever carried off his wife aud oldest
boy wilhin yeas. leaving him with only
Hamilton, boy Of orsiyleen, and Betsy
wfiowas four years younger. Ham was
LIFT by the lover in a very weak and (eo'
Lle cqnjiton, and was for several months
unable 10 leave the cahin To help pass
ewOy The time, the doctor lent him books
ond taught him to read, which in tie end
proved more injurious than beneficial to
ihe youeg nan; as, af,er his health was
restored, hecouId moi, ,or,would not leave
his books, except for short time to help.
Betsy about ,he cabiu,or do few'chores'
infthe garden; aud the old man who be
arsacfrA' aas'Qsigsdeioei ier!
alone.
One morning.; as he was preparing to
start for FIstchet's Island, where he had
some traps the old man seemed very low
spirited, and broke ont, "If it had pleas
cd God to spare James, shouId'nOt need
to go alone to risk my old scalp among
the redskins"
lie. NE go with you, father"
"You, boyl' said the old man, in sur
prise, mo no! that will never do, you
don't take kindly to the woods, and it's
no use forcing nature. No, no; stay
at home, boy, and help Betsy
For the first time in bis life, Ham see.
med to feel ashamed of himself, and
begged SO earnestly 10 be allowed TO go,
that his father consented, sill hoping
he might become interested in The sport
They enlrcd the canoe and descended
the creek into the river, aud in the first
trap, which was on the mainland, they
found a large otter and two coous, and
commenced taking the skins. Ham was
unused to the work, and before he had
half finished his coon, had cut the felt in
so many places it was hardly worth fin
fishing, and finally ended by cutting his
khand severely. This, of course, put an
end to bis work for that day, and when
he had washed and bound up the wound,
he sal on tho bank, and pulling book
{ from his pocket, was soon lost in its con.
| r0ts. The old man, having finished his
work, called three times before he could
arouse him, Ho saw he did not like TO
be disturbed, hnd,wisbing TO please him,
proposed ho should stay where he was
while he went over to the island, Ham
caught at the@orls, dHa before The old
man. had fairly showed OF, WAS again bur
lid in his bopk, How long he remqined
thus he, could not tellabst was reused
by the sharp crack Of = riae, loud
Uhoop, and a scream Of mingled pain
and fearr He looked up the island,
which at the noarosi'en4 Eas only about
an hundred yards from w4sro ho1ai, was
covered with tall, rank gQssrv very few
trees end no buShwood so that h6 could
see quite across it. Through tho grass
Go saw his father running for life, pur-
sued by a'tall Indian, ,Thr,old man
gained the shore opposite Yhcrehis son
stood, the Indian close behind him
"Firel Ga shoutcA the old man. Ham
sdizsd his fathers, lhe, which the old
man had left bObiNd, eSS fired the ball
skipped along the watSf.tweuty yards
from the marx, The Iudiun raised. a
J ILrt ~ lriunnnh, Tim nlI man n shrihl,