The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-10-25
Written for the CARBON ADVOCATED
SQUIRE Blob.
AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE OF THE
MAHONING VALLEY.
BY W. y. HARRINGTON.
BY W. D. HARRINGTON.

In the Mahoning Valley, in years long ago
There liv'd a good farmer, Squire Kindarus
Blob;
An honest man he, many good deeds had
done,
By earning and saving a fortune had won.
The hills to his right and the hills on his left
For dark shining treasures had not YET been
cleft;
He dream'd not Of them. but he courted the
soil,
And garnered its fruits by the strong arm of
toll.
The swift-glidng strcamlet spring mornings
he heard
Commingling its notes with the song Of the
bird
The Indian war-whoop and the bears surly
growl
The whip-poor-wi threat and the hoot of
the owl,
The rattlesnake's hiss and the catamount's
wowl,
The gray fox's bark and the hungry VOLTS
howl;
All these were familiar to Kindarus Blob,
Of the Mahoning Valley, in years long ago
Few neighbors had he, but each to the other
| Was welded together like brother to brother
Brave men and true, in the battles of life,
Stood shoulder to shoulder in peace and in
strife.
They fought with the forest, victory Won,
They defended their rights with the Minute
Mans gun.
As generous as brave was Kindarus Blob,
lie had the respect both of friend and of foe
or foes he had any, but foes he had few
But friends he had many, devoted and true.
! The Delaware Brave as he trayeld that way,
Did never neglect some due homage to paw
To pale friend Kindarus-or trinket bestow
To little Irena, only child of Squire Blob
And the pipe OF. peace smoke, and receive at
the end,
Some gift of goodwill from the hand of a
friend.
As time glided by, in peace and good health,
1t added some sorrow, but a great deal of
wealth.
He turnd every whim of the savage to gold.
have said that the Squire had one only
child,
A sweet little girl, gentle, loving and mild
When she was nursing, one morning in
May,
The wise hand of God took the mother away
This shed dark gloom DER sqr. Blohs life
But the love of his child took the place of q
wife.
He gathered about him worthy household
And lived like stole, untring and bold
Among them, the woman who cooked for
the Squire,
An Iroquois maiden, old Ayrey-or Ayre-
As everyone called hcr-a good larmer.cyok
Who heroic interest in everything took
That belonged to the master. She kept a
strict sight
To things that were passing by day and by
night.
Old Ayre had brother, prophet was he,
Who had his wigwam in the Cherry Valley
His name when translated in Language
that't rife,
Quite sing'lar enough, is Man-wth, ,a-KniGe
"Old Knife" was christian, Moravia's hand
Had touch'd his crude heart and now d d
he stand
As peace mediator-and one very good
He prevented his people from thirsting fol
blood.
He, with his sister, the thrifty Old Ayre,
Were sources of strength and of wealth tC
the Squire.
A man who has wealth must manage in brie
To keep it corceal'd from the eye of the thief
If bank he mas none, nor iron-b bound cell,
A hollow in the wall may answer as well
Ifno one coniectures the door to the hole,
No place can be safer to put away gold.
In The base of his house, on a plan Of his own
Was the good farmers bank clos'd up will
stone.
, It was here that he kept all his treasure
reserve,
And guarded the secret with cunning an,
nerve.
Nobody suspicioned this ruse of the Squire,
No, even the watchful and artfu Old Ayre
The stones Of the wall were alike, and t.
5, know
h Which one was the door must be counted b!
# "Nlne stones from the corner and nine stone
Sc high"
= That was the sign that the Squire knew
Y by.
y : As year followed year, Irena had grown
e To pretty young lady, like a rose that ha
e blown,
% ,%r Many changes had come, and lucky squir
IS Blob,
e More ambitious, reserved and exacting di,
n grow.
y In fact, il was noticed by all now of late,
If He attracted some note at the Seat of tn
Is State.
rs Just at this time DER from Europe there cam
! dashing young gent after fortune an
it fame.
He made his headquarters at the home q
Squire Blob,
a And traded with the Redmen as a partne
id in Co.
5 In the army of Prussia this young man ha
20 been
And the way that he told it did much homo
win.
He won, by the way, the good will of tn
Squire,
And set the young heart Of Irena on fire.
JIe was a poor dealer in skins, it was clear
Which was very annoying to his partne
the Squire.
The Indians would sell a black sheep for
bear,
And make him believe that good fur Wa
but hair;
n A cat ior a beaver he sometimes brought il
A skunk for a sable-or some other skin
That was worthless 10 sell, he thought wa