American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-02-27
VOL. XIV.

little over the water, he discovered hi
sons fish-pole, and appeared impresse
with the thought that the boy had falle
from the stump and drowned. Bendin
over and peering into the water as i
search of the little one he offered til
precise mark that Foster was waitin
tor. WhizI came the fatal bullet acros
the creek, and the poor old Indian wa
now probably at the side of the lost one
Having reloaded his rifle, Foster ben
his way toward Luther's residence.
Next day, and for several days sue
ceeding, there was great commotion il
the neighborhOod. Two Indians hat
suddenly disappeared, and nobod,
seemed to know whittier or by wha
means. Nor was the perpleXing mys
terry even partially solved until two
fioated into the mill-pond. The theory
was then that while engaged in fishing
the Indians had fallen into the creek and
drowned. This theory would have done
| very well had not an old Indian, an eX-
| chief, put in an appearance" as the
bodies were upon the point of being
| buried. He knew the father and son to
be expert swimmers, and secuted the
idea that they could have drowned Tn.
covering the bodies and examining them
carefully he said, shaking his head:
mo drown; no drown; no water kill
he be shot; white man kill. Seer' and
he placed his finger on the bullet-marked
spots.
Come to look at the matter more close
ly the bystanders were convinced that
the Indian was correct. They had no.
ticed those suspicious-looking marks be-
fore, but had thought little about them.
The bodies were duly buried, and a
searching ~ investigation of the affair
instituted, but with barren results.
Foster rested upon his laurel" for a
time, waiting for the excitement to SUBJ
side and suspicion to allay. 1t would
not do to be always on the war-path
Safety and success could be better
achieved by a season of mastery in
activity" and safety and success were
both desirable to Foster.
Now appeared q new source of vexa-
tiOn. 1t was ascertained that Luther's
flock of sheep was being rapidly de-
pleted. OF course 1.-the Indians" were
OF this kind-in the estimation of the
charitably-dispOsed! A double watch
was placed upon the fold, armed and
equipped according to taste. Yet Poor
Lo perslstently neglected to appear, as
expected.
"Sheep or no Sheep" said Foster, Z" the
Indians did butcher my fathers family:
and for this l have an account to settle
with them" And soon he was again
upon the warpath. Being at Salisbury
Corners, one afternoon, he espied
couple of Indians, both of whom were
considerably under the influence of
liquor Lettering about the village until
shutdown, and keeping an eye upon his
victims, he saw them depart for their
forest home, staggering as they went,
and determined to journey in the same
direction. 1t is scarcely necessary to in
form the reader that these Indians never
saw their wigwams again. They were
found dead in the road next morning;
and the cOmmonly-received opinion was
that, being intoxicated, they had died
from cold and exposure!
Up to this time Foster had not aroused
the suspicious of the Indians in any
marked degree. HenceforwaId, how
ever, they regarded him with distrust;
and he was much of the time under their
surveillance, though they were
unable to fasten guilt upon him. He was
early apprised of their suspicious, and
deportcd himself with greater caution
than formerly, but was still intent upon
fuller satisfaction.
Familiar with their haunting-place in
some place of safety, and, as favorable
presented, send among
them his leaden compliments. From his
place of cOncealment he one day discov-
cred an Indian picking wintergreens and
gathering herbs of various kinds, and,
seeing no others with him, concluded
that this was the Medicine Man." and
that the present would be good time to
interrupt his practice. No sooner had
4. h2kx a.
the war-whoop sounded from a half-doZen
throats not far away. There were too
many for one man to grapple with, and
Foster sought safety in flight. The tim
Der was very thick and heavy, and the
ground quite uneven, and Foster
knew every rod of it. just under
the brow of a neighboring hill was
Rattlesnake Den,p and in this he de-
termined to take refuge. The Indians
we're coming in hot pursuit, but so far |
had not seen the enemy and were guided |
footsteps. They gave the
- Den" wide berth, supposing certain |
death to be the penalty of near APP
proach. On reaching the top of the hill |
they paused and listened for the sound |
they had been following, but listened in |
vain. A short consultation was held |
during which the den" was mentioned, |
but the idea of its search was rejected as |
being unworthy of sane mans consid- |
Grafton. If the enemy had TAX en- refuge |
here his death was certain, and if any |
sought any exploration of those dark re-
cesses the bill of mortality would be so |
much the greater-so they argued. But |
mark! a sound was heard away off to the |
light, caused probably by passing wolf |
Or fox, and in that direction the Indians |
dashed with the utmost speed. When |
hey were well out of the way Foster |
left his retreat and started for |
he neighbOring settlement" Lucky |
tor him that the day was cold, or his life |
would no doubt have been the price of |
MS temerity in invading the precinct of |
edom.
The day following Foster was met at |
Luther's by several of the Mohawks,
who, though they had not seen him in
he woods, charged him with shooting
he Medicine Man" Foster did not
n direct terms deny the "soft impeach-
nent," but attempted to prove an alibi,
n which he was not encouragingly sue
cessful. They then demanded his rifle
hat they might compare its bore with
The hole in the dead mans head. But,
impossible! the gun having been loaned
to friend who had gone moose huntingl
"Give bullet, then; we measure him."
said the Indians.
"Oh, yes" said Foster, {" you can have
a bullet; never refuse bullets to Indians
good for them" And he fumbled all his |
pockets; then looked on the mantelpiece
then examined his "multum in parvo" |
box, but without finding single bullet.
81 DECLARE" said Foster, "that fellow |
has taken the bullets and molds and |