Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-06-01
THE INDIANS AND THE ASH HOP
PER.
Youths Companion.

sion of Kentucky into the Union,
Indian hostility seemed slightly abat-
ed, and settlers were induced to
make homes in regions hitherto
avoided.
When Thomas Huggins came
with his family from Virginia to the
region known as the Crab Orchard
District, he selected beautiful spot
as the site of his home, that was five
or six miles from a settlement, and
nearly mile from the nearest neigh
Dor.
He was advised to select a site
nearer. the other settlers, so that in
case of raid from the Indians, he
could have succor. But he did not
seem to fear the savages, and his
wife was brave little soul, willing
to 60 wherever he wished. 50 they
built their cabin, and for over two
years were unmolested.
At the close of the second year,
however, they began to hear of In
dian depredations all around them
though none occurred in their imme-
diate neighborhood. On account of
these depredations, Mr.. Huggins de-
tcrmined, late in the fall, as soon as
he could gather his corn and dispose
of his outstanding crop of winter
wheat, he would move to the settle
nts,until quiet times come again.
One calm autumn morning the
Higgins family rose very early and
there was an unusual hustle about
their work. Mr.. Huggins had rals-
ed two very nice pigs that year, and
they were to be killed and dressed
that day. The huge kettle of scald-
ed water was soon ready in the yard,
and Mr.. Huggins and Johnny, his
ten-year old boy, went to work, Mrs.
Huggins giving them all the assist
ance she could, with little ten-year
old Kitty at her heels.
So briskly did they work that by
ten o'clock the plump hogs were
dressed, and hanging by the heels in
a little shed attached to the cabin,
ready for cutting up when they were
cool. Mr.. Higgins and Johnny then
hastily took dinner, for they were 60
ing to the settlement, to get salt to
use in packing the pork, together
with other groceries, and they wish
ed to return before dark.
AS they led out their horses to
start, settler from several miles
away passed the cabin, saying that a
party of Indians had been seen skulk-
ing in the vicinity of his neighbor-
hood for a day or SO, and trouble
might be expected from them at any
time.
This made Mr.. Huggins anxious
81 declare Mary, I don't like to leave
you here alone" he said. 81 think
you had better get up behind me
and ride over as far as Morgan's and
stay till we come back"
doh, no, I'm not afraid said Mrs.
Huggins, "the Indians won't be like
ly to get as far as this to-day even,
If they dare come so near the settle
ment at all. Kitty and l will stay
here"
"Well, keep in the house, them
Well be sure to get back before
dark" said Mr.. Huggins, riding
away not half satisfied, and resolv-
ing that he would that very day, if
he could find room in the settle
ment, move his family into 1t at
once.
Mrs. Higgins went back to her
work in the house, but now that she
was alone, she began to feel nervous,
and almost wished that she had gone
with her husband to Morgan's. "Oh
pshaw! what coward am getting"
She said to herself, as an hour or SO
after, she took her bucket and went
down the hill to the spring for a
bucket of water.
She filled her bucket, and as she
raised it, something caught her eyes
in the soft earth just beside the
spring. Her heart flew into her
mouth as she stopped to look at it,
1t was footprint, and-the foot that
made it wore a moccasin.
She examined the ground closely.
She was not mistaken IN her appre-
tensions. There were three or four
footprints in the earth, one with the
toes turned towards the spring and
the others, not quite so plain, turned
from it, and as She raised her head,
she saw galIy painted feather, such
as could only have come from an
Indian head dress, caught in the
boughs above tho spring.
Wild with alarm she flew back
to the house, where she had left lit.
tie Kitty, a tervent "Thank God!
bursting from her white lips as she
found the darling still sitting at play
where she left her.
Catching the child in her arms,
she threw a shawl over her shoulders
her first impulse being to fly to Nor.
gan's with Kitty. But at the door, a
q thought stopped her. She was
likely to meet the savages on her way
there. She had weapons in the
house, and could use them. Was
she not safer there?
AS she stood hcsitating at the door,
she happened to look over the rise
of ground where Morgan's house
could he seen. What thick columns
of smoke were rising from it. Even
as she looked they were followed by
spires and tongues of lurid, high
leaping flames. The savages were
there. They were burning Morgan's
cabin.
"They will be here next" she said,
turning an agonizing look up to
heaven, "and Tom is gone"
But the next thought was one OF
thankfulness that Tom and Johnny
both were gone. The tiends would
have their wicked work done before
they could return, and they, at least
might be spared. If she could only
save herself and Kitty. And with
one more agonized look of supplica'
ton, she caught her child closer to
her breast, and looked for hiding
place.
Her glance fell upon the kettle in
which the hogs had been scalded
and further on, the great ash hopper
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