Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-11-27

months passed, and all mourned him
as dead except the stricken wife.
All through the long days and weeks
and months she c.ung to her faith in
God, and prayed, and hoped, and
waited.
Rob did not go to school in Balti-
more; he took care of his mother and
the children, and read his fathers
books all his play time, and old
Chloe dropped many q tear on the
lids of her dutch-ovens when she
stopped to blow up the embers,
cease" as she said 'sMisis'n never
stand it, bress de Lord ~
Two years "He's Dead" said all
neighbors to each other; but to Rob
and his mother they never dared sug-
gest it.
Two years Another November
night, swirliDg blasts of snow hid
ing the mountains, and from the sit
ting-room windows at the Ridge,
the burning logs piled high on the
hearth, cast bright shadows across
the path that led from the gate into
the dark wood whittier Rob had
watched his father vanish on that
bitter morning two long years ago.
He stood now at the window looking
into the glow cast from the burning
logs and he looked so long that his
eyes were dazzled, for black shape
seemed to detach itself from the
black mass of the woodland and ad-
vance slowly. He rubbed his eyes,
but no, there it was, coming toward
the gate at halting pace.
Could it be an Indian Rob was
a brave boy, as you know, but his
heart gave quick leap of fear. The
ragged figure approached into the
glow near the gate, and-oh ! then
Rob gave a shrill scream Of joy, for
there stood his father, unkempt and
haggard, but Enthusiastically his own
dear father !
Oh, there was wild rejoicing with
in; and after supper served by Chloe,
with the exhuberant demonstration
peculiar to her race, the poor wan
derer told the story of his absence
and silence:
He had been captured by a party
of Indians on the day he left home,
and after some parley among them
selves they decided to scalp him, but
upon inducements which he held out
they concluded to reconsider the
matter. So they took him to their en-
campment where he soon made him.
self so useful in surveying their lands
and in imparting matters of practi-
cal information that they made a
favorite of him and treated him very
kindly, subjecting him to the strictest
watch. One year after his captivity
he made an effort to escape, but was
thwarted by the vigilance of the
guard and put under more strict
watch than before. However Prov
idence favored him at last, and I'M
der cover of the darkness and the
confusion consequent upon festival
of their tribe he effected his escape,
and, after many hardships, succeed
in reaching his own home. For
weeks he Travelled horseback, but
his ammunition giving out he was
forced to sacrifice his horse in order
to save himself a horrible death by
starvation, and the rest of the pas
sage he made on foot.
'There was no need for the Presi-
dent to set his seal upon that Thanks
giving" / say in conclusion.
And my boy, who has listened
breathlessly, cries, 80, but that's
only story !"
Then 1 tell him that it is a true
story and it was the "Aunt Lucy"
after whom Grandma" is named
to whose husband happened all l
have told him.
so, then, that acaS Thanksgiv-
ing -
And / think so, too, little readers.