Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-07-19
Sy1omlh's Column.
MIR. MARTINS SCALP.

I
had to gnaw while he was drawing the peg
had struck to his insides and made him
sick, but l knew it couldn't be that.
I've drawn pegs that were drove into
every kind of earth, and it never hurt
me. Earth is healthy, unless it is lime
and don't you ever let anybody drive
a peg into lime. If you were to swal-
low the least bit of lime, and then drink
some water it would burn hole though
you just as quick as anything. There
was once boy who found some lime in
the closet, and thought it was sugar,
and of course he didn't like the taste of
it. So he drank some water to take the
taste out of his mouth, and pretty soon
his mother said: IL smell something
burning, goodness gracious the house
is on fire." But the boy he gave a
dreadful scream, and said, "Ma, it's
me |" and the smoke curled up out of
his pockets and around his neck, and
he burned up and died. l know this
is true, because Tom McGinnis went to
school with him, and told me about it.
Mr.. Martin came to see Susan last
night for the first time since We had our
game; and | wish he had never come
back, for he got me into an awful scrape.
This was the way it happened. | was
playing Indian in the yard. l had
wooden tomahawk and wooden scalp
ing-knife and bownarrow. l was
dressed up in fathers old coat turned
inside out, and had six chicken feathers
in my hair. was playing was Green
Thunder, the Delaware chief, and was
hunting for pale-faces in the yard. 1t
was just after supper. and l was having
real nice time, when Mr.. Travers
came, and he said, Jimmy, what are
you up to now?" So | told him / was
Green Thunder, and was on the war
path. Said he, Jimmy l think l saw
Mr.. Martin on his way here. Do you
think you would mind scalping him ?"
said | wouldn't scalp him for nothing,
for that would be cruelty; but if Mr..
Travers was sure that Mr.. Martin was
the enemy of the red man, then Green
Thunder's heart would ache for revenge,
and | would scalp him with pleasure.
Mr.. Travers said that Mr.. Martin was
notorious enemy and oppressor of the
Indians, and he gave me ten cents, and
and said that as soon as Mr.. Martin
should come and be sitting comfortably
on the piazza was to give the war
whoop and scalp him.
Well in few minutes Mr.. Martin
came, and he and Mr.. Travers and Su-
san sat on the piazza, and talked as if
they were all so pleased to see each
other, which was the highestpocracy in
the world. After while Mr. Martin
saw me, and said, "How silly boys are
that boy makes believe he's an an In
dian, and he knows he is only little
nuisance" Now this made me mad,
and thought would give him good
scare, just to teach him not to call
names if fellow does beat him in a
fair game. So l began to steal softly
up the piazza steps, and to get around
behind him. When had got within
about six feet of him 1 gave war
whoop, and jumped at him. 1 caught
hold of his scalp-lock with one hand
and drew my wooden scalping-knift
around his head with the other.
| never got such fright in my
whole life. The knife was that dull
that it wouldn't have cut butter; but
true as l sit here, Mr.. Martins Who'll,
scalp came right off in my hand.
thought l had killed him, and | dropped
his scalp, and said, "For mercy's sake
l didn't 60 to do it, and I'm aufull,
sorry" But he just caught up hi
scalp, stuffed it in his pocket, and jam
t med his hat on his head, and walked off
saying to Susan, Il didn't come here t.
) be insulted by little wretch that de
f serves the gallows.'
| Mr.. Travers and Susan never said
: word until be had gone, and then the
laughed until the noise brought fathe
e out to ask what was the matter. Whe
: he heard what was the matter instead G
3 laughing, he looked very angry, sal
: that "Mr. Martin was worthy mar
My son, you may come up stairs wit
me"
If you've ever been a boy, you kno'
o what happened up stairs, and | needn
: say any more on very painful subjec
| didn't mind it SO much, for [ though
Mr.. Martin would die. and then | woul
be hung. and put in jail; but befor
> she went to bed Susan came and whi
a pered through the door that it was a
e right; that Mr.. Martin was made tia
:. way, so he could be taken apart easy
and that | hadn't hurt him. sha
have to stay in my room all day to-day
VI and eat bread and water; and what
e say is that if men are made with scall
,e that may come off any minute if be
% just touches them, it isn't fair to blam
:. the bOy.-Harper's Young People.
d Increasing Use of Compound Oxygen
hui