The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-08-27
ADOUBLE AMBUSH.

we lived IN Florida (SalQ MIS-. wall
ters) through all the Seminole war, which
lasted seven years, so that l grew up
with the names of the great hostile
chiefs, Osceola, Alligator, Wild Cat, and
Tiger Tail, making part of my child
hood.
A sense of peril was always present
with us. I remember the feelings with
which we heard of the slaughter of Lieu
tenant Dade and his command. The
tragedy took place in open battle, yet it
seemed dreadful that so many brave
men should be shot down in the dark
woods, with the painted savages yelling
around them.
In the spring, when 1 was thirteen
and my brother Arthur fifteen, the war
was at its worst, and my father talked
strongly of removing to greater dis
lance from the danger.
Among our few slaves, consisting only
of two black families, was half-idiotic
young negro named Jason, who had the
privilege of wandering pretty much as
he plea. ed. He would often remain all
day in the forest, either lying asleep or
knocking the gobble of the wild turkeys.
One day he returned with an appear
ance which startled us. His woolly
head had been completely shaved, and
his black face dyed to bright scarlet.
He had, however, received no real hurt,
and seemed not in the least terrified by
the ordeal through which he must have
passed.
We gathered from his broken sem
fences that he had fallen in with In
dams; and it was plain that they had
been in some measure true to the pro-
verbal respect of their people for idiots.
An ordinary person they would have
sacrificed without mercy; but when ia
son stared aimlessly at the tree-tops, or
gobbled like turkey, they simply set
their mark upon him, and let him 90.
The incident showed that our danger
was more immediate than had been sup
posed; but there was fortunately squad
of United States cavalry pioketed with
In few miles of US, and my father lost
no time in notifying the officer in COM
mand of what had occurred. The SOL
diers, however could find nothing of the
enemy; and in the mean time we passed
couple of days in very anxious sus-
pense. The movements of Indian war;
riors are erratic, and to white men I'M
accountable.
My parents began to regain conf
dence, believing that the Seminoles
were gone from the neighborhood, as
they doubtless were for the time. Fa-
ther said they were probably scouts, and
there was no telling how they might
have scattered themselves, or at what
point some of them might appear next.
He hoped, however, that the presence
of the soldiers had led them to abandon
any design they might have entertained
of attacking us.
On the third day after Jason's adven-
ture we were feeling much relieved. The
negro men were at work in the fields,
and father had gone to considerable
distance from the house. Mother, Ar.
thur and myself, with the female sery.
ants, were within-doors.
Presently, not far off, we heard the
gobble of wild turkey, or what seemed
such, although, as turkeys were not in
the habit of approaching so near the
house, we imagined Jason to be at his
old silly pastime again, initiating the
call which he could so well counterfeit
The notes were continued with great
regularity at intervals of minute OF
two, and so natural were they that Ar.
thur would have been all on fire to seize
his rifle and hurry in quest of the game
had he not remembered how often he
had teen led upon fruitless chase by
the vocal powers of the poor idiot.
"We all excel in Something" said
my mother, "and Jason was made to
call turkeys. But do wish he would
be quiet; it make me nervous to hear
him.
"Jason," said little negro girl who
Just then came in from the rear of the
premises; "why, missus, Jason done
gone to sleep in de shade at de back OF
de wash-house. done seen him di:
minute"
Arthur fastened outdoors, looked be
hind the wash-house, and having as
sured himself that the black boy haC
nothing TO do with the gobbling, re
turned quickly for his rifle.
cit is real turkey" he said, "ant
he's somewhere in the hollow"
The hollow was made by depression
of the ground about fifty rods from tn
house front, and running parallel will
it. Upon its further side was decayeC
stump, some four or five feet high
standing below the sloping bank, AM
with its top just visible from the house
OF this stump the portion next to thu
slope had so fallen away as to leave
large cavity capable of containing
man.
The gobble indicated the turkey
whereabouts pretty definitely.
"He's somewhere near that stump,
said Arthur; "perhaps inside of it, sit
ting up on the rotten wood toward tn
top. I'm afraid he'll get high enough
TO see me. But I'll make circuit, an,
creep around where the ground i
lower"
He went out at the back door, so as t.
make sure of not being seen. The Liant
on our right, a few rods from the house
was very low, the depression stretching