The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-12-28
Selsrf Story.
A STORY OF THE BORDER.

A STORY OF THE BORDER.
Leslie Cochraue was only twenty
years old when he became a pioneer
among the wild woods and wilder
dangers of Western Pennsylvania, But
he had been caught in the net which
takes all young men-love-had mar
ried his girl, a lass ofeighteen, as brave
and hearty as himself; and together
they had decided to seek their fortunes
on the very edge of the border. An
ME had no relatives left since the In
dians scalped her brother. and Leslie's
father was not the mau to hold his son
back from honorable steps because it
involved hardship and danger.
Indeed, how superior in some quail
tiles to the people of the present day
were those of the frontiers seventy five
and one hundred years ago. Then
parents encouraged their adult child
red to undertake perilous and trying
enterprises, and were prord to see sons
and daughters set their faces to the
front to battle with Indians and ami
mails, forests and fate, and establish
new homes of their own.
Thus it was that Mr.. Cochrane gave
Leslie horse, and mother Cochraue
furnished the setting out" for cab
in, and the young couple departed into
the great woods.
The previous year Leslie had been On
scouts against the redmen, and rich
prairie fat III the French creek country
had so charmed him that he determin
ed to make it his home.
Thither with his buxum bride he
made his way. The horse carried all
their possession aud the girl besides
when she chose to ride.
1t is surprising how small an amount
sufficed for housekeeping in those days
Leslie Cochrane ana wife went out with
little bedding, a few dishes and ket-
ties, and dozen carpenters tools, the
whole making but half load for a
horse. Everything else essential the
pioneer manufactured ia the forest.
And yet such beginnings must not be
despised, for from them, aud the fami
lies using them, have sprung grand re-
suits.
Reaching their destination, te In
porary cabin was built, a field of corn
planted, and in few weeks they were
fairly at home, though many miles
away FROM the nearest settlement. |
Their food consisted mainly of fish and
wild game.
During tie summer Leslie erected a !
more substantial los house, a stable for
che horse, aud dug well, surr ound
ing the whole by stocdade as de |
tense. Inside of the stockade e guam
tity of wood was brought. the COIN
when ripe was gathered, hay WAS col
iected, and every provision was made
to supply the demands of winter.
Two or three trips to distant mill,
occupying each d week, were necessary
IN order to turn several bushels of corn
into meal. These mill journeys, the
irst separation of our young couple
lad experienced, we're long and anx
ious weeks.
The first Was safely performed, and
, flne grist OF yello.g meal was the re-
'ulu. But the second was not so sue
:rssful.
He reached the mill in safety, and
Without observing anything to excite
he fears; but as he was starting to re-
urn, he was warned against bands of
he Shawanese lurking in the vicinity.
lie, however, set out with all the
greater haste, carrying but part of
he grist, and thinking an1iously of the
peril of his young wife alone in the Lit
lie stockade.
All day be pushed on, warily, but
Tith the highest speed OF which the
horse was capable. At nightfall he
lad to stop, il being impossible to
keep the way in darkness. Turning
nto chick copse of hemlocks he fed
he ho' Sc, ate his own lunch of corn
AXE and venison, and tried to sleep.
" ben the early dawn he was off again,
yoaded on by a growing anxiety to
each his cabin. 4
But as the horse was drinking at the
irst brook crossing, something myster-
Gus alarmed it to such a,degree that it
almost refused to go forward. Peep
ng sharply abound, Leslie could see
lo,hiDg terrible, and attributed the
right to the scent of prowling about
the spot during the latter part of the
night.
Mounting and urging the animal on
ward, he had scarcely gone score of
yards when the crack of guns startled
the silence, and he felt bullet tear its
way through his thigh. AT the same
instant the savage war-hoop burst on
Iis ears, and three or four Indians
came rushing at him from among the
trees.
The fright of the animal was now of
nestimable value, as it sprsng along |
he way at a furious rate, dropping the
'avages from view almost in moment I
Leslie was badly wounded and bleed /,
ngs rapidly, but he managed to keep
his seat for two or three hours, gadu- I
ally growing week and dizzy, however,
and expecting at every leap to be {
,urled to the ground. Ia