Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-08-23

with the lumber regions and the slow I
rnmg canal packet was the only means !
of travel. The increase of population :
that came with the spring floods was
truly astonishing. From six to eight
thousand slra ngers would he in the town {
at one time. All prominent lumber mer- {
chants from the cast were represented,
and the crowds Of rivermen, or Yankees,
In bright shirts with Il halchct in their
belts or an AK over the shoulder presented
scene rarely to bemet with now days.
The amount Of timber III the river was
II sight worth seeing, extending as
IL did for nearly four miles along
the river bank, and nearly to the cen
tre Of the strcam--the river al full banks
is about nile wide. So great was the
increase in business that many prominent
merchants from philadrlphis opened
branch stores during the spring trade.
But this is IL digr ssion.
To return to our party. The story
am about TO relate got llom an old man
| came across one day Out near tie large |
ore beds back Of the town some two miles |
or SO, who was cracking stones 70. |
| VI endamiling, purposes. By-tht-hy, dii |
! you ever take notice the curious fact that !
stone crackers always had II drop of !
water hanging from tip OF their nose |
used to think that was the only way To
tell one if you didn't see him at work, ]
have often wondered what peculiar trait
or characteristic water would give to
the man with drop at the end of his
nose.
At the time when the incident happened
Columbia was but small village of
blacksmith shop. two groceries two or
three taverns and n couple OF dozen
Of houses or so, there was quite number
OF clearings scattered through the county
and a hamlet Of three or ionr houses at
MAytown.
About mile from Maytown in north
easteily dire cliOn stood a lOg house built
by man named Leslie, who lived there
with his wife and daughter Maggie Les
lie; the daughter was about seventeen
years old and was engaged to I've married
10 Il young settler by the namo OF Harry
IIerncksOn who had made clearing for
himself some distance above Maytown and
with the assistance Of hls neighbors had
erected house thereon. About month
after their engagement the girls father
was killed by being struck by falling
tree, leaving his widow and daughter
owners of his farm.
} Herrickson was strong, manly young
fellow, ami his genial manners had won
the esteem of all his neighbors and had
quite a reputation among the settlers for
] being the best chopper of the county.
I Since old man Leslie's death, llerrick-
SONS visits ut the house mad been nore
p liequent and always stopping there to
: and from the village to see If there was
q anything to be done that he might help
e along.
b As usual on Saturday the majority Of
h. ! Il. In tho NilluW4. To
# hear the news, others TO purchase proyl-
z sions, etc. and others to loaf and drink
g whiskey, and often drunken fight would
A close the week.
o These fights as often occurred between
IT whites and Indians as among the settlers
:, themselves, resulting seriously TO one OF
Il more of the cOmbatants. One OF these
r, disturbances WAS at its height when
h Harry llerricksOn appeared upon the
v scene and lucky for one Of the villagur'
IL that he did for nm Indian, called Ole
Chinquapin by the villagers had dawn q
3, knife and was in the act of striking hii
I antagonist with IL when Herricks0n hi
r. him a powerful blow on the temple will
10 his lst, that felled him TO the earth. Al
It he was the leader of the Indians the Iesl
" drew oil at his defeat, and everyone
tt thought that was the end of II.
M A. Harry was nearing creek ina
q. crorsed the road some distance heluy
at Widow Leslie's house. he was startle
%. by cruuchiug figure darling across IN
is road before him, aud disappearing in III
ip bushes. IL was too dark for him TO dis
fir tinguish what 1t was, whether man q
ny beast, and, after stopping few moments
is passed on, tui getting all about 10.
no TIE huusr WHf in darkness whrn h
.y, reached which N..5 iHtncr hi unusiH
tI nrruit u., g.. tHut lrrr nt tuc "fsh
.n- 1hc.i1.r lring utnu hr .vp.l,d iH Viii
ud uus hhltNine, Nondeci q what was u
of matter. tic lad ith,i, bat Il sep OF tN
ily when he siumli. q oyrt something thi
AT seemed to hum like a human form, an
,ur gropiug around his hand came in col
tact with a wOman's fire, that felt d
nd cold ns death. Receiving no answer
,ed his repeated inquiries rs to what u
us, matter was, hastily procured light a.
as found Maggie Leslie liteless and col
lies with knife sticking In her shoulder.
Of required n strong pull on hls Part TO 7
no move it, as IL was imbcdded IN Il
,m- shoulder blnde. Raising her oil the flo
and placing her ON the couch he proceed
ID towards his home, TO procure his rIlle "a
ns rousc the neighhOrhOud to search 1
mn woods, as soon as daylight appeared,
the murderer, whom he took to be I
our Indian he knocked down in the villa
or that afternoon, rs the knife Ice iOu
nue WAS the same he saw IN old ChinquH Pm
hts. hand in the Ashl.. Thus did the lndi
ring take his revenge for the blow struck Il
in afternoon.
item stupping ut the first house on his "
for home he found Mrs. Leslie preparing
ella 20 home, aud Informed her OF the mur'
ngi of her daughter. For an instant
len seemed parslyzed, Incoming as white
lirls death. Without n word TO anyone
em- started oil at n rapid rate for her hoi
bout followed by her nsighbOr's VIE.
isht Ailer leaving his own house, llerrl
kets son proceeded to alarm all his nelghD
ON his way TO Columbia. Early da
was found him with small party from
the village searching the woods ID inc hei
on hnrhood of the creek near therOad for
,odsi trail of the murderer whom he felt +
crossed bis path the night before at
ON | point. with difficulty they kept the
hing which led them towards the river IN
on direction of Chickies. About mile q
take the rock, in some long grass on the d
,.. of the creek that empties into the J
ouebanna above the rock they 10
amy Inc mntks of several persons, whom
rnlly took to be Old Chiuquapln's companl'
them who had camped there for the night.
mere. liere the party separated, each q
tell IN the direction OF Chiekles, L
nrinr ever, feeling sure they were not far {
yhich the object Of their search as the tri
were quite fresh.
r the Shortly after separating, crack
inna. a rife gave warning that the ina
the were discovered. Harry was pres
,ei,rbt furward to where the report came 4
river. when he saw the murderer OF his am
along making toward the river taking ad
,rs nj lage of the position Of the ground II
Re. gained upon him considerably In
re- the lime, Thinking his opportunity
9 mat come. he stopped and fired but in
conld eagerness missed the Irdian, who IL 81
rock. was not aware Of being pursued. |
s his hearing the report he turned sharpl
ers in the left and took his course TO
.pread Chickies rock. ,-,-
The No time was to be lost and Herrc
ks at followed closely. They were nearln
rocky cliff and Harry felt sure of his vleti
Iere il he was confident be would not dare
. in It's TO descend the face of IL or jun
/ hank About ten PAGES from the preclplc'
escent Indian suddenly stopped aud lace
which pursuer Harry raised his rihe ana
sids of and the Indian dropped. Rushing
IN that where he fell with dubbed rhe, J
,,loned was prepared to dash out his bra
lSnk- anv life remained, but seeing no y
styr of ment on the part OF lhe pIossIale
of the lowered his CUR, when he was lmmeu
/ in A. caught round the waist VITA an ron
n,se of by the willy savage who now mad |
rreaeh- his power and was dragging MN
sooty brink Of the preclplce. To free III
- fVnnpmM0IN