The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-06-16

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ready to entertain them with story, OF
advise in their childish perplexities,
seemed one of the pleasantest places in
the whole world, This afternoon Auntie
was seated by her favorite window which
overlooked thu lake, lying 80 calm and
blue in the bright sunshine, and reflect
ing in its still depths the western hills
beyond. When, after considerable pre-
liminary fussing, the Club had suuceed-
ed in settling itself satisfactorily, the
business of the meeting was unceremo-
niously opened by Nettie with the propo-
sition 49,.
"Now, Auntie, please tell us real
true Indian story"
The fondness of her little niece for
horrible Indian stories was standing
puzzle to Auntie, for Nettie was really a
tender-hearted creature, and would not
willingly hurt fly but she was never
tired of listening to tales of the red men
who We're the original proprietors of our
country, and as she had a notion that the
chief end and aim of Centennial club
must be to inquire into their ways and
doings, she now promised herself an I'M
limited supply Of her tavorite entertain
ment.
After few moments silence, during
which Auntie was hunting in all the cor
ners of her mind for some story that
she had not already told dozen times,
she began
"When 1 was little girl there used
occasionally to visit my grandfather,
who had his home with us, a very old
man known to everybody in the town as
'Uncle Johnny Whenever we chill
dren caught sight of uncle Johnnys
boat AS we called his queer, old-fash-
Toned wagon-coming up the road, there
was sure to be great scampering to
notify grandpa of his approaching WIS.,
itor and if the two friends ever had
any privacy to talk over, they certainly
never had a chance at our house, for
there were always at least half dozen
little ears ready to drink in every word,
and 1T was better than book of fairy
tales to listen to their stories of old times.
But the most wonderful story of all was
one grandpa had once told us about I'm
Gle Johnny himself, and which am now
going to tell you.
"In the year 1853 the old white haired
man was a little two year Old boy living
with his father, mother and baby sister
in n Pennsylvania farm house on the
banks of the Delaware river. At that
time this country belonged partly to the
French and partly to the English, but
somehow they could never manage to
agree about anything a great while at a
time, and so were generally quarreling
and fighting in shocking manner. The
French had made friends with the I1di-
ans, and when they were at war with
their neighbors the savages were always
ready to help them by butchering the
poor English settlers. Those who were
scattered about on the farms lived in
great fear, and the men never went
to their work in the fields without TAX
ing their guns along. One beautiful
June morning, while Johnny's father
was busy hoeing corn, happening to look
up he saw an Indian creeping along in
the edge of the woods near where he
was working. Quick as thought he
raised his gun and fired, killing the In
dian, but in moment a dozen more
sprang out from behind the trees, and
rushing upon him with terrible yells, in
SluUIlY bDclT IOuldIldWkS Ill Ills
body. A sister of Johnny's mother, who
was then staying with them for few
days, had that morning gone into the
woods to pick strawberries, taking the
little boy with her. They had been
concealed from the savGges by an inter
vening thicket, but hearing the sound
of the gun and the yells, the young
woman knew that they were in great
danger. Fortunately there was large
log lying near, so, taking the child in
her arms they crcpt under it, she, at the
same time stuffing her handkerchief into
the little boys mouth, that he might not
reveal their hiding place by his cries.
One of the Indians passed so near that
his gun trailed on the log, but as he
was running quite fast he did not chance
to discover them. The party then
went to the house where the
poor wife was quietly engaged in
her usual work, little dreaming of the
After setting fire to the buildings, the
savages ordered her to follow them,
which she was obliged to do but find
ing that she could not march rapidly
as they wished, one of the wretches tool,
the infant from her arms, and, dashing
its head against a tree, left it bleeding
and dying, while the half frantic mother
was hurried on. When they encamped
at night, she had become 80 faint and ill
from fatigue and grief that the Indians
concluded to kill her also. Their French
allies had promised to pay them Ger.
tain sum for every English scalp, and as
she had very abundant hair, they man
aged to divide her scalp and get double
bounty, thus cheating their friends a:
we'll as butchering their enemies. Wher
} Johnny came back to the home he hac
left in the morning, he found heap o.
smoking ruins, with father, mother, anC
sister gone forever. A company Of tn,
neighbors rallied and went in pursuit o
! the Indians, but only succeeded in find
} the two dead bodies, which they brough
! back and buried beside that of the hus
band and father"
' ooh, the horrid, horrid French I
,, exclaimed Nettie in great disgust. "I'l
|, never say seal 200 play and jay 700 re
mercy again as long as I live, even
, Sister Grace does say it's polite.
r "Not 80 fast, my dear" replie
q Auntie, smiling. "When, q few year