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

glance at LutEer's rifle hanging agaIns
the wall (his own concealed beneath tn
feather and straw beds). "All righ
Waugh; you redskins killed father
family, all but me; and l am ready t
go when l can stay no longer. Come,
| stepping forward and taking down tn
rifle, lets go out and settle it now"
| NO" said Waugh; LINEN no figh
rifle with bow and arrow; he have riff
next moon; then white mans blood"
Waugh was strong, athletic fellow
active as cat, and splendid shot; an
Foster knew that his were not mer
words of sound, and that terrible mean
ing was wrapped up in those brief utter
ances- And very soon there commenced
most exciting contest. Another Indian
had suddenly and mysteriously disap
pcared; and, whether justly or not
Foster was held responsible by the In
dians for this subtraction from theil
forces. Waugh had now received his
rifle; and he sailed forth in search o
Foster, who was also upon the lookout
fer The Indian. About noon they dis
covered each other, half mile distant
on either side of an almost impossible
swamp. Foster sent his compliments as
near 10 Waugh as the carrying capacity
of his shOoting-irOn" would allow; and
the Indian politely reciprocated. OF
course, no damage was done; and these
were the only shots exchanged during
the day. The contestants plunged into
the swamp, thickly studded with black
alders and cattail flags, and mutually
strove to reduce the distance between
them. Every step must be cautiously
taken and every sound be carefully
noted. In this manner was the entire at
far no hau
scented themselves to each others view
but once and then nott long enough to
admit the drawing of bead" The
darkness of night at length putting a
period to the paragraph of day, the con-
testants, as by mutual consent, suspended
operations until an early hour on the
morrow.
Immediately after breakfast next morn
ing Foster shouldered his rifle and start
ed for the scene of conflict, to-day to
become the field of blood and death.
Following circuitous path which led
through a forty-acre lot of heavily-tlm-
elevated point from which the entire
swamp was visible. Taking position
upon a ledge of rocks he calmly awaited
the appearance of Waugh; nor had he
long to wait, for the Indian, aware of the
advantage this rocky promOnitory would
afford, was making all the haste con-
sistent with prudence to reach it. So
far neither had discovered the other.
Foster was anXiously watching the
swamp, and the Indian was approaching,
cat-like, in his rear. Accidentally step
ping on small dead limb it cracked
under the Indians foot. Fosters quick
ear detected the sound, and he turned
instantly to ascertain its cause. The
eyes of the fOemen instantaneOusly met
and sparkled with CLEANS of peculiar
and undissembled hatred.
Each man sprang for his tree, not more
than sixty PAGES apart; and various
were the devices employed to draw each
others fire. Not a word had been
spoken: and, since the first discovery, not
a hands breadth of either person had
been exposed. And thus hour after hour
whiled away, no advantage being secured
by either party. The sun had now gone
to his western home; and it was needful
that if anything be done to-day it be
quickly done. Foster finally adopted
his expedient as he stood behind his
arge-bodied beech: Placing his seal
skin cap over the muZzle of his rifle and
attaching his coat to the barrel, he pro-
ected this effigy sufficiently beyond the
body OF the tree to attract the Indians
attention and afford him, at the same
ime, tempting mark. The ruse was
successful Waugh leveled his rifle and
sent bullet right through the center of
hat sealskin, which appeared to &C
the compliment by striving
o cling 10 the tree for awhile and then
sinking slowly to the ground. Waugh
vas delighted, and started from his hid
ng-place with bound and a whoOp,
md brandishing his scalping knife. But
he had no further use for that knife.
Tossing sealskin and coat from the rifle
Foster now stepped fror. behind his tree
md sent his furious death-messenger
earring through the brains of the aston
shed Indian.
just how many Indians Foster had
lain in the prosecution of his "lite
work" we could never learn. 1t was his
labit to cut a notch in his rifie-stock
,very time he " brought his man." this
icing his only method of preserving the
bloody record. The last time we exam
ned these "notches" they scored seven
cen; but the number was probably in
;Ieased subsequently.
We do not think that Foster was nat
lrally bloodthirsty or cruel. On the
contrary, he was very considerable OF
,ther peoples feelings; never inflicted
vanton injury upon dumb animals;
WOULD not kill wild game for the mere
iful speckled trout from brook unless
O return it to its native element; was |
fond of children, almost |
Ilways having some little present to be- |
tow upon them, such as beechnuts and |
pruce gum. of which he was so exceed |
ngly fond that he would sometimes live |
many consecutive days upon nothing |
tut these little nuts and cold water.
But toward the Indians he entertained |
N entirely different class of feelings. |
lie could not forgive them for numbering |
lis fathers family, and could only vindi-
ate the family honor by Staying the In
lians in return.
Foster was several times arrested by |
he legal authorities of Herkimer Coun-
v charged with Indian murders; but he
ould not be convicted. He would
ither step up and establish self defense
+ make manifest the fact that the evil
ence against him was inconclusive; and
o would escape. Still, the evidence In
ertain cases would have hung almost
ny other man.
When last we saw Foster he was gray
eaded and bent with the weight of ac-
umulated years. But his eye had lost
zone of its youthful brightness, and his
ervous system remained undisturbed.
lie was widely known and loved, and
led regretted by all save the Mohawks.
-Ler. II. A. Guild, in Chicago Tribune.