Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-04-19

were DfOCnefs, and that, while WOrk1n
on their farm, some distance from tn
house, the Indians had come, murdere
the whole household, eet fire to th
building, and had then disappeared
Seeing the fire, the brothers hal hasten
ed home. found all the inmates dead
and the fire 30 far progressed that it wa
impossible to check it. They thel
started OF, and shortly after had faliel
In with the three women and children
who had escaped from the Indians, af
ter having suffered the loss of their hus
bands and fathers.
They all now continued on their jour
ney toward Mankato, young Josepl
Meeker finding he had heretofore beel
travelling in the wrong direction.
They had not proceeded very far whel
the were apprised of Indians being near
and decided that they had better concea
themselves In the most available plac'
they could find, and, if discovered
to protect themselves as best they could
While attempting to carry out this pur
pose, they were suddenly surrounded
by large body of savages, who appear
ed to be drunk, and very noisy.
| One of the Indians told the whites, II
broken English, that If they would keel
perfectly quiet and not attempt to es
cape, they should suffer no violence al
their hands. He had hardly finished
speaking. when one of his companions
caught hold of one of the women in
such rough way as to cause her to CRY
out with pain. At this the savage rails
ed his tomahawk and struck her vic
lent blow on the head, repeated it, and
killed her on the spot.
This seemed to be q signal for the 9th
ers, and general massacre ensued.
AS one of the Indians made leap to-
ward little Joseph, the heroic lad raised
his gun, shot him through the heart,
and then, with great presence of mind,
threw himself fiat down by his side, aa
If he had also been killed. Something
now seem to alarm the Indians, for they
all made off il hast, not even waiting
to plunder their victims.
During the remainder of that eventful
day, which was now drawing to close
young Joseph Meeker lay as still as
death, in the same position he had fal-
len. About dusk, not having heard
anything to alarm him for some time,
ne ventured to get up and look about
him. A terrible and revolving sight
met his view. Stretched upon the
ground. all around him, lay the bloody
remains of his companions, and also of
two Indians, one of whom he had killed
himself.
AS it was now growing too dark for
him to venture farther that night, for
fear of missing his way, he drew back
into some bushes and sat down, almost
wishing he had been killed with the
rest and relieved of his miseries.
While sitting there, rejecting on the
strange fact that he should have been
spared, on two occasions, when all
with him had been killed, he fancied he
heard some one groan, and. after listen
ing attentively some little time, he
heard it again.
He then went back to see if any one
was still alive, and, if so, to do what he
could to help him or her. When he got
back among the dead. all was quiet. and
not sound could be heard. Could he
have been mistaken? Was it imagina
ton, caused by the terrible strain he
had passed through? He felt sure he
had heard some one groai,, and yet ev-
erything now was perfectly still. He
was about to retrace his steps, when he
was again startled by the same peculiar
sound.
= -H---<a~osueU va.....s..o oeUr o1Io,
and convince himself that there was no
one still alive. The first person he came
to was the man who had first spok en- to
him. He placed his hand on his face to
see if 1t was cold, and found 1t still
warm, and the blood was flowing from
wound in his side.
While he was still examining the
man, and still undecided whether he
was dead or alive, he was again startled
by low moan, which he was certain
proceeded from the mans lips. Being
thus satisfied that there was still life in
the man, our little hero at once set to
work to stop the flow of blOod as best he
could. He had just succeeded in secur
ing a bandage over the wound, when
the poor sufferer, with another and
heavier moan, opened his lips and faint
ly articulated
water! water rv'
"In minute, SIR" said little Joseph,
as he bounded away to brook near by.
filling his hat, and then hurried back
with it, losing little more than half
by leakage, but leaving enough to give
the famished stranger q reviving
draught.
God bless you lad! this brings me
new life!" exclaimed the man in q CRATE
full tone. "WhO are you?"
"I'm Joseph Meeker. sir-the boy
that Joined your party before the Indi.
ans came and murdered ALL"
"How did you escape ?n
II shot the Indian that was going to
kill me, and then threw myself down
beside him and pretended to be dead. 1
lay still there till little while ago,
when got up and went into the BUSH
es, There / heard YOU moan. sir. and
came to you."
"You are brave, noble boy!" said
the man, lifting himself up on his hands
and glancing around as well as he could
for the gathering darkness.
"Oh, this is terrible! terrible he ad-
ded. "All killed but you and me and
I, perhaps, mortally wounded. Can
you help me into the bushes, 30 that the
next psrty of savages will not be likely
to see me, and then get me some water
before you go?'
"I'm not going, sir. while you live" +"
returned Joseph, as he proceeded to as
sist the the wounded man to place of
concealment. "I'll stay with you, sir,
and do all can for you"
"And again say. God bless you !"
rejoined the man. but rather feebly A;
aud soon afterward he tainted dead
away, and the poor boy though he was
dead in reality. He did not leave him,
however, aud, an hour or so afterward
the man revived Joseph brought him
more water, and continued to do all he
could for him through the night.
Early in the morning Joseph heard q
tramping sound, aud. to his great joy,
beheld party of soldiers on their way
to Menkato. They stopped, buried the
dead, and took the wounded man with
them on a litter. little Joseph going
along; and thus was the poor boy saw
ed
Eventually the wounded man, whose
name was Nathan Paxon, entirely re-