The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-03-23
THE ESCAPE ON THE ICE.

One morning early in February, 1889,
two brothers, by the name of Walter and
James Farnsworth, set out for day s
hunt in the forest. The stock of meat in
their several families was running low,
and hunting was the only resource they
had III those days for replenishing it.
They were accounted the best hunters, as
we'll as Indian fighters, that there were in
all the Miami country, into which they had
penetrated and built their cabins some
three years before the incident which we
are about to relate transpired.
Many were the important services the
brothers had rendered the settlers about
them, until at last they came to be re-
garded as leaders in that district, and no
enterprise was set on fost that they were
not consulted about, and their views were
in most cases accepted by their neighbors.
Over and over again had the Indians been
thwarted in their, well-planned attacks
upon some lone settlers cabin, through the
interposition of the brothers and many
times, when the supply sf food ran low in
the winter time, it was their hands which
bad provided it, and brought JOY where
despair had taken up its abode.
But to come at once to the incidents Of
our story:
On this particular morning, as it had
been arranged the night before, Walter
came TO the cabin of his brother, whom
he found standing at the door ready for a
start.
"You're little late, Walt" he said,
after he had bid his brother good mora
ing. 81 had begun to think that you had
been frightened by those clouds lying
away there in the south, and had given up
going to day."
II hardly knew what to do about it, 1
confess, James. 1t looked much to me
like rain at daybreak, and TO my mind the
air feels like it now, although the sky
does not What do you say? Better
risk it and 60, don't you think I"
Eyes. The snow is frozen now, and,
at any rate, it will be good snow-shoeing
through the fore part of the day. We have
little meat in the house, and Burns's folks,
over y-"a~-, H-u. hardly a mouthful oi
anything. / sent Willie over there tnI.
msrning with half the meat we had by
us, and he said he never saw people more
thankful. Burns's Iameness is no better,
and it amt at all probable that he will
be able to step out of doors again this
winter ~
''Well, if such is the case, we musn't
let 'sm suffer, if we have to work the hard
er. But let US be of. The sky is bright
ening off there in the south, and, after
all, it may not rain or thaw much until
we get back"
81 am ready. Susan," he said, adj
dressing his wife, who at that moment
came to the door, ''don't be alarmed for
Us if we are not back uatil tosm orrow.
We shant come in until we have got
something TO repay Us for our trouble"
A few more words Of trifing impor-
tance passed between them and then the
brothers, turning their backs upon the
cabin, In short time had plunged into
the depths of the forest, crossing The river
which lay about a mile distant on the
solid ice, which the recent cold weather
had rendered 80 firm that it would have
borne up any weight to which it might
have been subjected.
The morning hours wore away, and
noon came still they kept on their course,
and as yet they had seen nothing which
would repay shot. The weather had
very much moderated since morning. and
the crust which covered the snow was
beginning to give way, and allow the
snow-shoe to sink through in many places.
The fky, which through the morning had
been very bright, now grew to dead
leaden color, giving unmistakabls signs
that rain was coming and if anything
more was wanting to substaniiate this,
there was the hollow echs made by the
sound of their voices, while the wind
which all through the forenoon had been
in the southwest, changed to the east and
blew strongly. All signs about them, 10