Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-07-19
THE HER Id.
Dodging For Life.
By Rev. Irving Beaman

John King was sent in haste on an
errand to bis Uncle's, mile distant.
His way led along q well trodden
path across belt of woods.
1t was in western Pennsylvania.
in the dark years of Indian wars,
but the savages had not been seen in
that vicinity for some time, so that
no danger was feared for the lad on
such a short trip. Indeed, he had
passed over the same road almost
every day since his father moved in
to the Pressure Isle country, two
years before, and bad never met
anything stranger than wild tur-
key or deer. John was brave,
athletic boy of fourteen, quite noted
in the settlement for his punctuality,
and as sure to return on time as an
express. AS be left the door be no.
ticed that it was one o'clock, and
said iG jolly tone to his parents:
Now for a race with the shadow.
/ shall be back before it reaches the
two mark
So many years ago the pioneer of
the borders measured the flight of
time by a sort of sun dial on the
cabin floor. A spot was selected
where in clear rays the sun shone
full through the narrow windows,
and when some officer having q
watch was present the line of shad-
ow made at noon by the perpendic-
IL. dFu W m
along the floor. The hours and half
hours were spaced off on either side
of the noon mark for the forenoon
and afternoon. This kind of clock
answered very we'll when the skies
were clear, but in cloudy weather
settlers family was sadly adrift on
the food of time.
When the shadows bad crept
across the two mark, the mother no.
ted il, and said to her self, For once
John is outdone.' When half past
two was reached she went to the
door and looked for him; when the
three mark wac passed she felt very
anxious about him, and called to
her husband who was In the field
near by. But their confidence in the
young fellows ability to take care
of himself was such that they waited,
though uneaaly, until after four,
when the father sluDg his gun across
his shoulder and started up the path
by which the absentee was expect
ed.
Mr. King was fine specimen of a
border man, tall, strong, steady
nerved brave and intelligent. He
was an experienced hunter and sue
cessful Indian fighter.
But now, leaving him, as with a
cat like step and watchfal eye he
threads the belt of woods, let US 90
with John and discover the cause of
his unusual delay.
He had done his errand, his aunt
had stuffed his pockets with pprched
corn, and on his return he had reach
ed certain bend in the path where
he sat down on a mossy bank to
tighten the strings of his coarse
shoes. Just as the matter was fin.
ished, noise caused him to look
sharply among the trees when he
espied within few rode, running
toward him with uplifted tomahawk,
an exceedingly large Indian. A
glance was enough to start the lad
TO his feet and prompt him to his
best speed for safety. But the war
rior's position was such as To cut
him off from his path to his own
home, or TO his uncle's; SO that no
way was lett him but to strike into
the uDtrod forest and run for life
He had gone but little distance
when he heard the steps of his pur-
suer rapidly overtaking him and
knew that he could not escape by
flight. And TO aggravate bis Case,
he saw at this instant, large rree
upturned by the roots and lying d.
rectly across his course.
His fate seemed sealed; every in
slant he expected to feel the edge
of the battle ak, and such a horror
had he of the knife, and of having
his scalp stretched on hoop to
dry that he involuntary put up his
hand to save his head, fact which,
in after years, he used to laugh
heartily about. The tree toward
which desperation impelled the boy 8
foot, had grown in three parts, and
"a il fell the largest was uppermost,
some ak or seven feet high, and the
other two directly underneath like
rails of fence; while the great flax Q
of earth adhered to the roots made
q cross section of wall two feet thick
a rod long. and ten or twelve feot
high. What trapl But as he came
close TO it he saw that the three
prongs,as they lay one under anoth
er were far enough apart for him to
to slip between which he immedi-
ately did, just in time to dodge a
furious but frnitless blow from the
tomahawk.
Tho Indian, perceiving that the
place was too small to admit his
huge body, swiftly sprang around
the root. thinking to catch his VIC
tim on the further side. But the
keen eyed lad was too wary for him.
Detecting the red skins purpose
like fash he slipped back between
the fallen trees, so that, as his blood
thirsty enemy dashed in sight with
q yell, the barricsde was still be-
tween them. At this the savage
rushed to the fence and placing his
hands on the upper tree, attem pied
to jump over, but he could not
spring so high. Then he tried to
crawl through where John had just
gone, but found only room for his
big ugly head.
After little he turned about and
saying in broken English Good by
me go way walked slowly around
the root and disappeared. The boy
knew, however, that it was only q
trick, and kept his eyes and ears al
ert against surprise.
Immediately he detected the
snakish eyes of the savage CLEANS