The Princeton union., 1880-09-09

And when he tries to grasp it
He finds his effort vain.
A fairy hand from dreamlana. s.-
Beckons up here and there, ..... .....
And when we strive to clasp it
It vanishes into the air.
And thus our fair ideal ~" .-...
Floats away just before
And we with longing spirits
Reach for it evermore. zE .#. .FH
John kerzar, Hannah Dustin, and
the Indians. - .,.ss
1t was in August, 1892, that John Ker-
zar, who lived on the banks of the Mer.
rimac, few miles from the sea, went out
into his meadow with his scythe to cut
grass. He took his gun along with him
to shoot bear II he saw one in his corn,
or an Indian If one made his appearance.
He leaned his gun against tree and
went on moving, not knowing that an
Indian was crawling through the tall
grass toward him. The Indian reached
the tree, seized the gun and cooked it.
''Me kill you now," said the Indian.
John Kerzar was brave. He was quick
to think. He could yell louder than any
Indian; no use for him to run, that would
be certain death. With a yell like the
blast of trumpet and uplifted scythe,
he rushed upon the Indian, who, instead
of firing, dropped the gun and took to
his heels. Kerzar was upon him in an
instant, swinging his scythe and making
such a fearful cash that the Indian fell
dead at his feet.
Kerzar lived in Haverhlll. It was a
frontier settlement, and the Indians eth
er had spite against 1t, or else It was
more convenient for them to attack than
other settlements, for they made many
attempts to destroy the place.
Thomas Dustin was at work in his
field one day, when he saw large num-
Der of Indians coming toward him from
the woods. He had eight children, the
youngest week old. The mother was
in bed with the infant, tended by her
nurse Mary Neff. "Run for the garri-
son. he shouted.
The children started, the oldest boys
and girls carrying the youngest. Mr..
Dustin rushed to the stable and bridled
his horse, intending to take Mrs. Dustin
but the Indians were so close upon him
that he could not. He leaped upon the
horse with his gun, and galloped away
the bullets flying around him, leaving
his wife, baby, and Mary Neff.
The Indians entered the house, drag
ging Mrs. Dustin from the bed, anc
seized the nurse. One caught up the
infant by the legs and dashed its hea6
against rock.
Mr.. Dustin overlook mis- children. /
would be Impossible he thought to saw
them all; which should he leave? AL
were equally dear. How could he maxi
a selection? He would not, he woult
die in defending them, and do what h
could to save ell.
"Run!' he shouted, urging them on
then leaped from his horse and fred
sprung upon the animal, again loade'
his gun while upon the gallop, overtoo,
his children, dismounted, ired again, an
so, keeping the Indians at bay, brough
all his children in safety to the garrison
Not so fortunate his neighbors. In
few minutes the Indians mass acred twer
ty-seven men, women and children, sc
several houses on fire, and with nun
Der of captives started for Canada.
It was the middle Of March. The ri1
ers and streams were swollen. There wa
snow on the ground. Mrs. Dustin ha
but one shoe; the other foot was bare;
was torn by the stones, chilled by tn
cold. Every step was marked wit
blood. Her fellow captives tainted an
fell one by one, and the tomahawk an
scalping-knife finished them. All e,
cept Mrs. Dustin and Mary Nef WEI
killed. For four days they travele
through the dark forest toward the nortl
west. The Indians gave them little
eat. The third day brought them to ii
rendezvous of the Indians, on little !
land where the Contoocook falls into Il
Merrimac.
There the old smoked in silence their pips
To the piks and the white perch tht
baited lines flung;
There the boy shaped his arrows, and the
the shy maid
Wove her many hued baskets and brig
wampum braiad."
There were fertile intervals along Il
Merrimac where the deer found pastu1
The Indians could spear salmon in abu
dance.
They had captured little boy nam.
Samuel Leonardson near Worcester, Ms
sachusetts, and he had learned to ia
with them. H
Having been successful in their raic
all except twelve of the Indians start
out to make another attack somewhe
upon the English, expecting to retu
with captives, which they would sell
the French. Upon their return the who
party would go to Canada.
The woman who had seen her infa
dashed upon the rock, and 0 had e
dured such haroships, had brave splr
and preferred death to captivit
They who would be free, must the1
selves strike the blow. There was no
but God to lean upon. She determin
to make the attempt to be free.
"Ask the Indians where they stri
with the tomahawk when they want
kill person quick" she said tol Samu
"Strike 'em here,'' SAID the Indis
putting his finger on samuel's temp
Mrs. Dustin So " where he placed
finger.
This is the way to take a scalp" sa
the Indian, showing the boy how to +
the knife around the head and separ,
n