Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-05-11

Down with thy knees, up Win my Nolcej .
Seek pardon first ; and God will say
"Glad heart rejoice"
Written for the HERALD.l
Phil SIater's Folly.
BY JEM.
In northwestern Illinois, the beautiful
and romantic Rock River rolls it's waters
westward in its rapid course, the undu-
lating land and varied scenery renders it
one of the most beautiful spots of all the
Northwest" and long before Chicago was
the great central city of vast republic,
but rather an outline of the Western
World, these rich and fertile prairies were
being settled by the whites, as they had
long before been occupied by the red man
of the forest, and the smoke of his cabin
was seen rolling up from the forest which
skirted this beautiful river.
Prior in claim, prior in right, was the
red mans creed, and therefore has ever
looked upon the onward march OF civil
cation westward, as an encroachment
upon his rights, and the whites have been
unwelcome settlers among them. Upon
either side of Rock River, rich bottom
land stretches out for rods and sometimes
miles, and there rises abruptly, as if some
mighty stream had dried from its extend
ed bed, leaving rich and beautiful alluvlal
soil, valuable for cultivation.
Upon either elevated bank belt of
wood grows, marking the course of the
river as far as the eye can reach. This
belt of wood furnishes fuel for farmers
living upon the prairie, stretching for
miles away. Here, amid the wilds of this
primitive and sequestered spot, the tragic
scene closing my story took place. The
Indians had chosen this spot, as beautiful
in nature, productive of game, and adapt.
ed it to the savage mode of life. Within
the memory of many, the war whoop and
dance around the camp fire, has echoed
from wood and stream, terrifying the
more timid of the white pioneers. But
so rapid was the onward march of civil
ization pressing westward, and still west
ward, that we may we'll suppose that the
savage felt that his rights were invaded,
and very reluctantly gave up their hunt
ing grounds pressing still further to new
and untried fields depicting their mem
bers, impairing their chances for improve
ment and prosperity. Such was to be
their fate. Still a REIMBURSEMENT of old
fields was oftentimes with more joy to the
whites than sorrow to the red man, for
they were sometimes thinned by the In
dams tomahawk and scalpipg knife.
But my story must of necessity take me
back to a rural town in Vermont, whose
MANY hills ana sparkling STREAMS gave
health and Joy to all; but toward the set
ting sun better prospect, they often
thought, awaited them. and there in the
Tar w est many found home and grave.
With much conversation and many meet
ings, the sturdy yeomanry of the beauti-
full valley of "Oakdale" had formed
themselves into an organization, as Phil
expressed it, "tor the promotion of babies,
fever and ague, and wheat in the far
West" Phil was among the first to cast
his vote to move West and transplant
Oakdale upon the banks of Rock River or
some other desirable location near or west
of Chicago. Accordingly, the last days of
of February found Oakdale busy in pre-
paration for the westward journey. To
dispose of the farms and property and set
tie the off airs of a dozen families, was not
the work of a moment, and, in the mean
time, emigrant wagons were to be built
suitable for travel, and also to be used as
eating and sleeping apartments. But they
set to work with a determination which
knew no defeat, and ere three months had
rolled away, farms and merchandise were
sold on the 10Th of May, and the train
moved ont from Oakdale upon a west
ward trip of thousand miles or more.
This, to the more timid, was a herculean
task, and it needed no small amount of
persuasion to bring harmony to their
efforts, yet mcst of the families who went
were relatives, and, of course, were more
easily persuaded to accompany those who,
from the first, formed the enterprise. But
Phil Slater, the "old bachelor" stood
alone, caring for no one In particular, and
as he thought, no one in particular caring
for him. Yet, being fond of the rifle, he
looked forward to this Western home as
Offering larger opportunities for his rural
tastes, after saying he thought there must
be "huge enjoyment in shooting wolves
and SIGH like, and okssion'ly an iniun."
But Phil was destined to find out, to his
sorrow, that 'fpjuns' and wolves were
different animals.
But little transpired on the long and
wearisome journey to interest the general
it, that the vocal expose
of WEAKNESS in children found pleasing
accompaniment in Pills violin and "dry
Jokes" Days, weeks, months elapsed be-
fore the emigrant train, with weary
horses, and more weary men, women and
children, drew near the few "shanties"
which formed the nucleus and embryo of
the great central city"-Chicago. Here
they pitched their tents upon the very
Nd i.
city" of the Great West. Some of the
party desired to make this a permanent
on account of the absence
of forests and the broad dreary prairie,
wished to press still further west and To- |
cate
Where rolls the 'majestic waters" OF the West,
With prairies wide and woodland blest.
Those of the last opinion overruled, and
after little rest, the strain started over
the unbroken prairie still westward.
After travelling about one hundred
miles westerly they reached the southern
bank of Rock River. 1.-THE swift rolling
'iver.' This to all was perfectly enchant-
ng. $50 much like old Vernon, {" many
reclaimed. And Phil declared so much
o shat cold chill ran down the small
+ his back" And how natural-the YER
table oak and elm species-how delight
nj how much like home, was the gener-
! expression of them all. These scenes
ook away much of the home sickness
lanifested by the emigrants. Still the
ountry, says the leader Capt William
ILL, is too fat and we must press still ,
own the river, until we can End the !.
,untry more trolling" In their travels
ley would occasionally pass a rude set. t
ement of whites, which had gone before
lem and found "their place." and occa. o
onally, since they had reached the river :
le rude wigwam of the Indian was seen,
bill declaring they "looked like neighbor
cans old straw bee hive, and before a
'ar had passed his old rifle would speak b
some of the bees in them ar hnts." n
lpt. Hill told Phil that what he knew of o,
Q vindictive spirit of the red man he Ic,
,uld certainly show his folly to prose- al
to any such threats, and would en-. In