The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1870-01-11
A Thrilling Adventure.
BY II. NJ. HUGUNIN.
WTHEN the ill-tated steamer Lady

NM HEM tue lll-fateu steamer Lazy
w Elgin went down on Lake Mich
igan, drowning three hundred gay revel-
crs on that tempestuous morning of the
Sth of September, 1860, the Hon. VIM.
Farnsworth, of Sheboygon, visa pi-
oneer of the Northwest, and a gentleman
whom his acquaintance delighted to hon
or-shared her disastrous fate Nearly
sixty years ago, he settled in the wilds of
Wisconsin, the only white man, who in
that part of the Union, preferred life
in the Epldst of the aborigines at that
early day. His business was that of
trader, and his primitive storehouse con-
tained such articles of merchandise as
benefited the fancy and necessities of his
dark skinned customers, and served as
barter for the rich furs and peltres in
which they dealt. 1t was not long be-
fore his dignifed and upright character
AS a dealer succeeded in producing the
desired result, and his business rapidly
increased For time all went smoothly
and satisfactorily; but the treacherous
Indians soon found in him something
which not only made him offensive to
them, but led them to seek his life. This
last measure, however, was secretly form
cd, and it was through the agency of a
friendly native that he was enabled to
discover their design.
There was no noisy commotion among
them. All was still and serpent-like,
with stern determination. No threats
or mcnaces escaped their sealed lips, yet
there was a wicked expression in every
eye.
The shades of night had fallen, and
Mr.. Farnsworth stood behind the counter
in his store which was dimly lighted by
two candles, while the door stood widely
open to permit free ingress. A single
Indian entered, armed and blanketed,
passed him, with grunt Of recognition,
and silently stalked to the rear of the
apartment, where he squatted upon his
launches. Another followed in the same
manner, and, singly, came others-ten,
twenty, forty-all full armed, each seat
ing himself on the floor beside the first,
in rear of the store. Mr.. Farnsworth
felt that a crisis had arrived, and with
an active mind and a fearless heart, he
quickly determined upon a course of con-
duct, which if it did not succeed in re-
leasing him, unharmed, from the dilemma
in which he was placed, would completely
route and destroy his enemies with him
self at one fell stroke To show the
slightest degree of fear or anxiety would
but hasten a denouement which had un-
doubtcdly been agreed upon. In the
mean time, one by one, more than a hun
dred of the Indians had gathered in the
store, and ominous murmurs began to
reach his ears. One Indian spoke: " Big
warrior me Ugh fight at Tippecanoe !;
me no 'fraid p
"Me, too-me fight at Tippecanoe !;
me fight more, bymeby!" added another
with an air of mys.ory. "Me, too-me
no 'fraid-ugh squaV 'fraid Warrior
no 'fraid .' said third and similar ex-
pressons found a general utterance among
them.
Mr.. Farnsworth saw that they were all
"blowing." or boasting, for some unde-
fined purpose, for he knew that none of
them were present at the battle of Tip
pecanoe. 10 humor them, and to gain
time and more definite idea of what
awaited him, he pleasantly joined in the
conversation, with as little truth ins what
he said as there was in what he heard
" Pm warrior, too" he said. "I killed
big Indian Tecumseh, I'm pale-face
brave" There was not tremor in his
voice, nor shade on his features as he
spoke-nothing, indeed, to indicate a
suspicion that he knew aught of the i'm
pending crisis.
His empty boast and manly bearing,
however, were not without their effect,
for he saw at a glance that the Indians
had suddenly relapsed into silence, or
were comforting together in Whispers
He felt that the time had arrived for i'm
mediate operations on his part. Beneath
the counter was keg nearly filed with
gunpowder, from which the head had
been removed, and within his reach stood
lighted candle. STOPPING down, with
his finger he formed an impromtu candle
stick in the very centre of tho rooes M