The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-08-30
An Indian Si0ry.

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In the year of 1851, while Clinton and
Wa.hin gton were watching each others
movements near New York, General
SCHUYLER, having resigned his command
on account of some unjust charge against
him, was staying at his house, which
then stood alone outside the stockade or
wall of Albany. The British commander
therefore seeing his opportunity, sent
out John Walter Meyer with party %
tories and Indians to capture General
Schuyler When they arrived at the out
skirts of the city they learned from
Dutch laborer that the generals houss
WAS guarded by six soldiers. The Dutch
man, the minute the band was ont of
sight, took to heels and warned the gen
eral of their approach. Soon after
servant announced that there was
strange man at the back door who wished
to see the general. Schuyler understood
the trap, gail cred his family in one of
the upper rooms, and giving orders that
the doors and windows be barred, fired
pistol froln the top story windows TO
alarm the neighborhood. The guards,
who had been lounging in the shade Of a
tree, started to their feet at the sound Of
the pistol; but alas! too late, for they
found themselves surrounded by a crowd
of dusky figures, who bound them hand
and foot before they had time to resist.
And now you Can imagine the little
group collected in that dark room mp
stairs; the sturdy general. standing reso-
lutely by the door, with his gun in hand
and his black slaves gathered around
him, each with some weapon: and at the
other end of the room women hudd!ei
together, some weeping, some praying.
Suddenly a crash Is heard which chills
the very blood, and brings wildly to
each ones mind the tales OF Indian mas
sacres so common at that day. The
band had broken in ut one of the Win
dows. At that moment Mrs. Schuyler.
springing to her feet, rushed toward the
door, for she remembered that the babe,
only a few months old, having been for
gotten IN the hurry of the flight, was
asleep in its cradle on the first floor.
But the general catching her in his arms
told her that her life was of more value
than the child's, and if any should go,
he would. While, however, this gener
GUS struggle was going on, their daugh-
ter, gliding past them, was soon at the
side of the cradle. All was black as
night in the hall, except for a small
patch of light just at the foot of the
stairs. This came from the dining room,
where the Indians could be seen pillag.
ing the shelves, pulling down the china,
and quarreling with one another over
their ill-gotten booty.
How to get past this spot was the
question, but the girl did not hesitate
She reached the cradle unobserved, and
was Just darling back with her precious
burden when, by i'll luck. ore of the
savages happened to see her. Whiz!
went his sharp tomahawk within a few
inches OF his baby's head, and, cleaving
an edge of the brave girls dress. stuck
deep into the stair-rail. Just then one
of the tories. seeing her fit by, and sup
posed her to be a servant, called after
her: "Wench. wench, where is your
master?' She, stopping for moment,
called back: Gone to alarm the town
and hurrying she was soon safe again
with her father upstairs. And now,
very nearly all the plumber having been
secured, the band was about to proceed
to the real object of their expedition,
when the General, raising one of the up
per windows, called out in lusty tones,
as if commanding large body of men:
Come on, my brave fellows. Surround
the house. Secure the Williams who are
plundering." The towards knew the
voice and e.ch and every one of them
took the woods as fast as their legs would
carry them, leaving the General in the
possession of the field. The old Schuy-
Ter house looks now as it looked then.
except that the back wing for the slaves
has been torn down, and some few alter
atoms have been made around the place,
but when you are shown the house you
can still see the dent in the stair-rsil
made by the Indians Ratchet more than
q hundred years ago.-St. Nicholas.
L.,