Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-07-26

foot told them to fly for their lives
that the savages were coming in great
force-that he would take a circuitous
route and alarm the settlements. He
went to Loves, where Frederick
Beaver now lives, about a mile and a
quarter east of the town, and assisted
the family to fly, taking Mrs. Love on
the horse behind him. The four made
all speed for the town, but the fore
most Indians obtained sight of them,
and gave them hot pursuit. By the
time they had reached the Crabtree
creek, they could hear the distinct foot
falls of their pursuers, and see the sun
beams glsten through the foliage of
the trees upon their naked skins.
When, however, they got into the
mouth of the ravine that led up from
the creek to the town, they felt almost
secure. The Indians, who knew moth
| ing of the previous alarm given to the
town, and supposing that they would
| take it by surprise, did not fire, lest
that might give notice ftheir approach;
this saved the lives of David Shaw and
his companions When they got to
the top of the hill, the strong instinct
of nature impelled Shaw to go first in
to the town and see whether his
kindred had gone into the fort, before
he entered it himself AS he reached
his fathers threshold and saw all with
in desolate, he turned and saw the
savages, with their tufts of hair flying
- Ia hro nd q q
tomahawks, for they had emerged into
the open space around the town, and
commenced the war-hoop. He resolv-
ed to make one of them give the death
halloo, and raising his rifle to his eye,
his bullet whizzed true, for the stout
savage at whom ne aimed bounded in
to the air and fell upon his face. Then
with the speed of an arrow he fled for
the fort, which he entered in safety.
The Indians were exasperated when
they found the town deserted, and after
pillaging the houses, they set them on
fire. Although considerable part of
the town was within rifle range of the
fort, the whites did but little execution,
being more intent on their own safety
than solicitous about destroying the
enemy. One savage, who put on
military coat of one of the inhabitants,
paraded himself 80 ostentatiously that
be was shot down. Except this one.
and the one laid low by Shaw, there
was no evidence of any other execution,
but some human bones found among
the ashes of one of the houses, where
they, it was supposed burnt those that
were killed. There were no more than
IA or Is rifles in the fort; and COM
pany having marched from the town
some time before, in Lochry's ill-fated
campaign, many of the most efficient
men were absent not more than 20 or
25 remained A maiden, Jeannet
Shaw, was killed in the fort; child
having run opposite the gate, in which
there were some apertures through
which bullet from the Indians oc-
casionally whistled, she followed it,
and as she stopped to pick it up, bull
let entered her bosom-she thus fell
victim to her kindness of heart. The
savages with their wild yells and hid
eous gesticulations, exulted as the
flames spread, and looked like demoni-
acs rejoicing over the lost hopes of
mortals
Soon after the arrival of the ma
rauders, large party of them was OBJ
ser we'd to break of, by what seemed
concerted signals, and march towards
Miller's station. At that place there
had been a wedding the day before.
Love is delicate plant, but will take
root in the midst of the perils of gen.
tie bosoms.
A young couple, fugitives from the
frontier, fell in love and were married.
Among those who visited the bridal
festivity, were Mrs. H, and her
two beautiful daughters from the town.
John Brownlee, who then owned what
is now the fine farm of Frederick j.
Cope, and his family were also there.
This individual was we'll known in
frontier forage and scouting par
ties. His courage, activity and gen.
erosity, and manly form, won for him
among his associates, as they win
everywhere, confidence and attach
ment Many Indians were acquainted
with his character, some OF them had
probably seen his person. There
were in addition to his mansion a
number of cabins, rudely constructed,
in which those families who had been
driven from their homes resided. The
station was generally called Millerstown
The bridal party were enjoying them
selves in the principal mansion, with
out the least shadow of approaching
danger. Some men were moving in
the meadow-people in the cabins
were variously occupied-when sud-
denly the warhoop, like clap of thun-
der from a cloudless sky, broke upon
the their astonished ears. The people
in the cabins and those in the mead
ows mostly made their escape. One
incident always excites emotions in
my bosom when hear it related.
Many who fed took an east course,
over the long steep hills which. ascend
toward Peter Georges farm. One man
was carrying his child, and assisting
his mother in the fight. When they
got to the top of the hill. the mother
exclaimed they would be murdered,
the savages were gaining space upon
them. The son and father put down
and abandoned his child that he might
effectually assist his mother. Let
those disposed to condemn keep silence
until the same struggle of nature takes
place in their bosoms Perhaps he
thought the savages would be more
apt to spare the innocence of infancy
than the weakness of age. But most
likely it was the instinct of feeling,
and even q brave man had hardly
time to think under such circum-
stances. AT all events, Providence
seemed to smile on the act, for at the
dawn of the next morning, when the