The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-01-26

moved thither with them and built Int n
short distance from theirs.
My mother was a woman of slender con
stitution, and, being her only child, she
was often very lonely when her husband
was away on his hunting expeditions, and
being in constant fear of the wild beasts
and savages that Inhabited that region. she
earnestly besought my father to take me
| home, which he consented to do. Thus I
commenced life which has ever been
iraught with romance and adventure. Six
years passed which afforded me the highest
enjoyment.
padded my canoe upon the lake, and
set my traps for the cunning beaver
fiShed for trou. and salmon in the neigh.
boring streams, and shot the squirrel and
pigeon with my bow and arrows.
watched 10y the river for the wild duck and
goose, and climbed the widest cliffs for the
young of the eagle. l often went with my
father to hunt the deer and bear, and
many sleek cub | tanned for a playmate.
The family that moved thither with my
parents remained about five years, theu re-
turned to Ohio. We were then left alone.
rarely seeing any white persons save an
occasional visitor at our wild retreat. OF
now and then a struggling hunter. But The
Indians at that time were very numerous.
and called "a our cabin almost daily some
times a solitary wauderer, sometimes two
or three, and my father being very gem
erous, open hearted man, we were frequent
| ly visited by large rowing bands from the
Chippewa, Winnebago, Menomonee tribes.
who occupied nearly the whole country
north of the Fox and Wisconsin rivers.
Yet during all these years we had so man
aged never to receive any trouble from
them. At the end of ten years, however, |
being then about % years of age, circum-
stance occurred which led to the more
thrilling part of my narrative.
| usually devoted IA portion of each day
to study; aud for this purpose, as was my
delight in pleasant weather, took my book
one day, and sauntering out TO my canoe,
stepped in and pushed from the shore to
ponder my lesson while floating upon the
unrufiled surface Of the lake. My father,
as usual, was away in pursuit Of game,
consequently my mother was alone. had
been out nearly a couple of hours, when |
was suddenly startled by a piercing shrek,
coming, apparently, from the direction of
our hut. Fearing only for the safety of
my mother, | dropped my book, and, sciz-
ing the oars, pulled for the shore with all
my strength. Without stopping for my
book, or to fasten my canoe, | lea ped to the
shore and ran with all possible speed to our
dwelling.
The sun was just sinking behind the
western tree tops, and my mother, expect
ing me soon to return, was III the act of
preparing our evening meal, when she
heard the soft tread of moccasined feet ap-
preaching, and looked up, expecting to see
me enter, when her eye fell on the form of
a TALL stalwai and hideously painted saw
age.
b ing air ,a1y intoxicated, he called in
broken English for fire water" which, lie
said, was always kept in the wigwam of
the pale face. Ny mother replied that we
usually kept it, but were entirely destitute
of the article at that time. Whereupon
he declared she was deceiving him, and
savagely threatened her if she did not at
once produce it. Peiceiving that he was
maddened with liquor, she shrank into a
corner Of the apartment and uttered that
fearful scream which first aroused me from
my study.
On entering the room found him brand
ishing over her his glttering tcmahawk.
while she, kneeling before him with clasped
hands, was earnestly pleading for mercy.
Thinking only of the danger which nenaced
her, without word | surang to her side,
and, quick thought, dealt him terrible
blow with my iisG sent him reeling to the
floor; and, seizing his fallen haichet, was
about to cleave his skull, when my mother
caught my arm aud begged me not to take
his life. l followed up my advantage,
however, by giving him sound TIN ashing,
and kicking him out of the door. Iordered
him. as he valued his life, never to appear
again in that vicinity; but, ike all his
race, he never forgot punishment, and
rendered furious at being overcome by am
una,med youth, he determined to have re-
vcnce. Twice | was fired upon by al I'M
seen foe, but luckily, without injury.
Ny father, while returning from a long
days hunt, was waylaid by party of saw
ages, who sprang upon him in the dark
ness. and he only escaped by leaping down
precipitous bluff inro the river, swimming
across, and hiding himself in tie hollow
truuk of fallen tree. Twice our cabin
was set ON fire, but we chanced each time
TO discover aud cXtInguish the flames be
fore serious damage was done.
Not long after these events, made
visit to the settlement to purchase some
household articles, and returned only to
find my parents gone, and our cabin heap
of smoking ashes. Fearing lest there
might be some Of the savages yet lurking
in the vicinity, | Immediately set out again
for the settlement 10 obtain help to rescue