The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-08-04
Selett StOrp.
STORY OF THE BORDER.


STORY OF THE BORDER.
,lie Cochran was only twenty years
hen he became u pioneer among the
woods and wilder dangers Of West
Pennsylvania. But he had been
1t in that net which takes all young
-loye-had married his girl, lass
,htocn, as brave and hearty as him
md together they had decided to seek
fortunes on the very edge Of tie
b. Annie had no relatives left since
bdians scalped her brother, and Les
bther was not the man to hold his
|nck from any honorable step be-
liz involved hardship and danger.
'ced, how superior in some qualities
people of the present day were
b the frontiers seycnty.fve and one
ed years ago. Then parents encour-
{hcir adult children to undertake
aud trying enterprises, and were
b sec sons and daughters set their
the front to battle with Indians
lnals, forests aud fate, aud estab-
. h homes of their own.
it was that Mr.. Cochran gave
u horse, and mother Cochran fur.
thc setting out for cabin, aud
tng people departed into the great
4 previous year Leslie had been on
against the redskins, and Il rich
BAT in the French creek country
charmed him that he determined
it his home.
I<b bcr with his buxom bride he made
The horse carried all their pos.
and the girl beside, when she
ride.
Is surprising how small an amount
vi for housekeeping in those days.
Cochran and wife went out with a
few dishes and kettles,
"a pzen carpenters tools, the whole
but half a load for a horse.
hing else essential the pioneer
"A Etured in the forest. Aud yet such
0hgs must not be despised, for,
|tem, and the families using them,
.Fung grand results.
Hhing their destination, a tempor-
"a was built, field of corn planted,
+ j few weeks they were fairly at
Apugh many miles away from the
\ zettlement Their food consisted
81 fish and wild game.
<ins the summer, Leslie erected a
Habstantial log house, stable for
sIse, and dug a well, surrounding
hole by a stoekade as defence.
] Of the stockade quantity of wood
'Fcught, the corn when ripe was
'ed, hay was collected, and every
lon was made to supply the demands
winter.
3 Of three trips to a distant mill
rag each a week, were Necessary in
NJ turn several bushels of corn into
Ihese mill journeys, the first sep
3 ouf young people had experienced,
|9as hnd anxious weeks.
Ilfst was safely performed, and a
~ of yellow meal was the result.
1z ae5ond was not so successful.
sRaehed the mill in safety, and with.
Zig anything to excite his fears;
s. Fas starting to return he was
inst bands of the Shawanese
y q p lurking in the vicinity. He,
81 set out with all the greater
ling but a part of the grist,
ing anxiously of the peril of his
<'i6 alone in the little stockade.
pc pushed on, warily, but with
Hzt speed Of which the horse was
1t nightfall he had to stop, it
'ssibie TO Keep the way IN dark
bling into thick copse of hem
~ the horse, ate his own lunch
g ana venlson, and then tried
ith the early dawn he was of
1fu on by a growing anxiety to
pm.
horse was drinking at the
'pssing, something mysterious
such a degree that it almost
forward. Peering sharply
'ie could see nothing terrible,
'lea the fright to the scent of
HPhst that had perhaps been
zVppt the spot during the latter
a'ght.
81 md urging the animal ou-
'p Scarcely gone a score OF rods
faek OF guns startled the silence,
bullet tear its way through
the same instant the savage
MS on his ears, and three or
ICES.
pf the animal was now of
tAiue, as it sprang along the
-
'cN almost in a moment. Les
.''l wounded, and bleeding rap
" 'nAnaged to keep his seat for
10y, however, and expecting