The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-04-01
THE STORY OF A SCAR.
a REMINIsCENCE OF THE SEMINOLE WAR IN
FLoRIDA-AN OFFICERS NARRATIVE.

In city, recently, on business, having to
wait an idler among party of business men
in the Office of the gentleman with whom l
had to do, every moment seeming to stretch
its slow length along to an hour, the situation
became unbearabie, and having ascertaned
when / might expect to meet my man with a
degree of certainty, l went to occupy the
time in p ramble
had been absent from the city several
years, during which time the enterprise of
man had wrought many changes. Interest
ed in observing these, and having once fol
lowed the occupation Of a seaman, about
noon found myself among the shipping.
The day was 'scOrcher." Wilted and
parched, 1 stepped into a restaurant Of an in
viting appearance, and took a seat by a table
at retired part of the room. While / was
waiting for the refreshment / had ordered
man entered who drew my attention.
Above the medium height, slightly built,
but evidently all nerve and muscle, he APP
peared about fifty years Of age, though l af-
terward learned he was seventy. Smartly
dressed. with diamond studs in his shirt font
and an elaborate display of gold chain fes-
tOOned across his vest he had a blending of
the dandy. the business man and the sailor.
The other tables being all occupied he
came to that Ivy which ! sat. 1t may have
been the particular notice took of him that
decided his choice, for | acknowledge | am
given to the imperUnence of regarding close
ly, If not staring at strangers who interest
me.
My companion of the moment, observing
this, remarked
"Ynu are aGmiring my beauty spot"
He had a scar on his face, extending along
the cheek to the mouth.
can honorable wound got in the late war;
I replied, slightly bIushing for my impoite-
ness.
''No," he answered "Tve carried it more
than forty years"
"You must have beena mere boy then
cone of Tom Collins boys; more"
smiled equivocally. As the only answer l
could make 10 a saying familiar to sailors,
but unfit for print.
''Yuu seem to We an idler and curious"
Here be drew ont his watch-a massive gold
article-and opening the case with touch of
the thumb, glanced at the dial. 81 have a
few minutes to Srare, and III tell you how
] got it''-referring to the scar
"It happened in Florida, during the Semi
mole war l was with party sent by the
Navy department to explore the east coast
in advance of the troops. Bayou, lagoon, a
river, there were none If any size, from St
Mary's to Key West that we did not scour
We had ascended one of those rivers as far
as we could 60, and were returning, when
we came in sight Of an Old sQuaw on pony
coursine the bank. The instant she was dis
covered our commanding officer sent party
in chase, then signalled for the whole com
mand, quite a fleet Of light boats, 10 close at
a certain point of the shore.
''We had with lis n man who acted as both
scout and Interpreter lie was one of those
queer chaps one occasionally meets drifting
about alone in out-of-the-way places as fine
a looking fellow as you could wish to see.
/ Like most men who live alone. he was no
chatterer. He let his eyes supply the place
( of his tongue and they were wonderfully
/ eloquent. They promptly and plainly told
the lieutenant commanding that their owner
thought our closing on the beach mad man.
Guyer, Notwithstanding the place where we
landed was an open pine barren the pines
: growing out of white sand that would yield
/ nothing else-eXccgt fleas, plenty of them.
"The squaw was taken. Indeed she
' didn't strain any OF her driving gear in the
/ attempt to get away. Accustomed to his
man, the lieutenant consulted the scouts
( eyes. They said she's a SPY and decoy.
+ And she acted the TaIt to perfection II
was only when the rope was around hpI
neck and thrown over the branch of a young
pine that she would speak. 4 mile or so dis
tant was a patty of about hundred Indians
with lot of cattle and slaves they'd stole1
from the planters. This was the old woman.
story.
The eyes, again consulted, said. Dom
believe her. But the officer, naturally head
strong. wouldn't listen. He had more whis
key aboard than was good for him. aud
SOutherner, death on catching runaWays
These must have gone into lis brain with tn,
whiskey, and completely turned lis head
For lie was gallant and loyal officer, an,
would not else have gone beyond his instruc
tions, which strictly forbade his seeking al
engagement with the enemy.
''When the scout saw that the lieutenan
was determined on the adventure he pro
posed To go alone in advance, to recunnotre
But the lieutenant would not permit him
apprehensive that the Indians would TAX
ing us up in line like SO many marines, h
stepped to the front, and with the air o
Cesar, made us a speech in which he remir
ded us of our duty to the government, til
: honor of the flag, and the private money W
should gain 10y the capture of the slaves II
then gave the command to advance
''He stalking on before, leading the var
we crossed the barren at an angle of forty
r five with the river, going about half mile
when we come to a bog, or stream of blacl
mud, so soft that we sank knee deep at ever
! step. l had advanced ten yards, perhap:
when ] was startled by the report of a hun
drrd rifles, mingled With which was the his
of a storm of bullets. followed by that horr
flying yell in which savage men, be they En-:
lish or Anglo-Saxon, give vent to rage.
= confess that my heart never before. nor ha
|, it since, beat as it did at that moment; an
+ l stood wholly dazrd.
Il soon cooled down. however, and craw
+ ed, snake-fashion to the head of the pain
where | could look through the Juft of stall
to the direction whence came the firing c
the eHemy's side. | could see none of q
: foe excepting one of those blacks the liel
i tenant was after. Tall, rather slim, ana
. straight as an arrow, he was entirely nake
j. except for white cloth wrapped about Il
Thighs and the lower part of the stomac
A sprinkling of gray in the close krots th
: covered his small. round head (remarkab
, well shaped, the head, for one of his race
II showed he was advanced in years He wa