Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-04-03

mouth, dug his nails out, cut his tongue
ont and his ears off cut his nose off and
put it in his mouth, dug his eyes out,
and as he was dying, cut off his head,
which was their most humane act. Tru
ly, even "the tender mercies of the
wicked are cruel"
The sickening details are given to show
what perils our forefathers were daily
exposed to while fighting, that we, their
defendants, might be free.
Murphy's tortures would have been
more exquisite, if possible, than Boyd's;
but the gun was not made that could
kill him, nor the Indian born who could
capture this fortunate Irishman. One
of them once tried a trick which was
vain, during the latter part of the Revo-
luton. The hero had a COW with a bell
on its neck so that he might the better
find her in the woods. A shrewd Indian
took this bell off the cows neck and put
it on his own. Then he went jingling
about the woods, 30 as to get Murphy
within killing or capturing distance.
But the scout knew too well the differ
ent music produced by cow and an
Indian, and so, driving his beast quietly
home from another part of the woods he
left the ding-dong warrior to make mu-
sic for the blue-iays till he was tired.
Murphy's hair-breadth escapes were
many in number. In the nick of time
something was certain to turn up to help
him out. He had at one time a double
barreled rifle, a weapon unknown to the
Indians in those days. He was chased
by party, and although he could gen.
orally out-run them, on this occasion
they gained upon him. So he turned
and killed one. Then he ran on and
while sheltered from the view of his
enimies, by clump of bushes, managed
to load the empty barrel. AS they gain
ed upon him still he stopped and shot
another. The party pursued him with
out firing, being particularly anxious to
roast him before a slow fire, or show him
some such warm hospitality, which anx-
iety would not be satisfied if they shot
him dead. They were sure of taking
him, and he felt that his luck deserted
him at last. Utterly exhausted, he freed,
and as they advanced, killed another
Immediately fed. Murphy afterwards
ascertained that, seeing him fire three
times without seeing him load once,
they imagined he had Great Medicine
of q gun that would shoot forever.
have said that Timothy Murphy was
never wounded or captured, but I am in
error. Cupid hit him once, and hit him
hard. Margaret Feeck captured him.
Timothy found leisure among his many
engagements to fall in love with Mar
garet. Margaret reciprocated. But this
being I" true love" its course was not al
lowed sc to run smooth" Old Mr.. and
Mrs. Feeck were opposed to the match,
and they forbid Margaret to leave the
house alone, on any account, and Timo-
thy was forbidden to enter it.
Margaret and Murphy communicated
frequently in spite of father, mother,
and vigilant cousins. The most serious
obstacle in the way of the young peoples
marriage was the necessity of publishing
the bans for several Sundays at relig-
ious meeting. If the Feecks heard of
this, they would redouble their precau-
ton. It was the law that the minister
should publish these bans, if there was
a minister-but there wasn't. He had
" run away and left his flock to the mercy
of the wolves" So John Van Dyck, q
good old deacon, read them the requisite
number of times, at conference meetings
about the country, and gave Timothy
a certificate to that effect.
Then Murphy Immediately prepared
to move upon the enemy's works. He
sent message to Margaret Come, for
all things are now ready.
She sent word viii be at the river
at the time appointed
That night she went to milk as usual,
attended by a cousin. The task accom-
plished, the girls separated, the cousin
going to her own home near by. Mar
garet then emptied some of her milk on
the ground, and, going to her mother,
had not been MIXED. 'fThen," said
her mother, "you must go after it. The
COW must be milked." So the young
lady took another pail and left the
house, hght-hearted and bare-footed.
Hanging her pail on stile in the cow
yard, she stole away in the direction of
the river, as the darkness came on. just
think of what she braved-wild beasts
aid wilder Indians were about her, but
the darkness, which was also about her,
befriended her.
It was time when men went armed,
and she. was an unarmed woman. 1t
wac simply heroic, that act
Timothy Murphy, with three trusty
comrades, crossed the river and went
down the west bank to see his intended.
Having passed the appointed spot, he
began to fear that she had not been able
to get away, and he retraced his steps,
gently calling her name. Great was his
the opposite shore. Fearing that she
might be stopped, she had not tarried at
the rendezvous, but had forded the
Schoharie river in the dark, though the
water was cold-for it was on October
1, 1889, that she ran. away.
Murphy was mounted. He took her
behind him, and they were soon at the
fort.
There was racing and chasing at the
homestead that night. Old Feeck, as
soon as the fact that Margaret had run
away, and not been abducted, was made
certain, started for the fort. When he
reached it, the sentinel took a shot al
him, but fortunately missed his aim.
He could not prevail on his daughter to
come home, so he went there himself
and gave her up.
Miss Feeck's female friends made uI
dress for her-one lending gown anc
shoes, another a bonnet, third stock
ings, for she had no wedding trousseaa
at all, you will observe. Then the mex
day a party escorted them to Schenec.
tady, and the happy lovers were con
densed into one by the Rev. Mr.. John
son.
Here comes into the narrative another
little incident which shows what stirring