The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1883-02-27

prlueS 3 uay, hEu tue neAt was tuel
groom's. called The Unfair and this was
a more festive occasion than the marri
age itself. So you see my story hap
pened not at a wedding, really, but at
the Unfair.
Everything went merry enough until
the middle OF the afternoon. There had
been dancing, and playing, and great
glee after dinner, when suddenly like
clap OF thunder out OF clear sky. ter
rihle war whoop burst on their ears, aud
host of painted savages rushed into
the mansion 1t seems they had attack
ed Hanna's Town about noon, most of
the people escaping into the fort; and
then, before anybody could get away to
give US warning at Miller's, they had
come unawares upon our place. go q. e
sMost of our people were captured "a
few men who were moving grass In the
meadows, and some who we're at home
in their cabins, ded into the woods and
escaped All the wedding company were
taken the br de and groom, Mrs. Hanna
and her daughters, John Brownlee and
all his family but one little child, which
was rescued by ayoung man and hid in
a rye field, in oil. forty-fve souls Most
of them were released and came home
in couple OF years, among them the
Young married couple; but some we're
omahawked on the march. Brownlee
was cne of these He had been leader
ko Id; 10, 81
Itions, and some OF the red men recog-
nizsd him and remembered with anger
bis bravery. One the retreat BrowBlee
was loaded by them like pack-horse
with great bundle of things they had
stolen in cur cabins; and they had taken
In addition his youngest child. about my
age, and 50 was walking beside his wife
At one spot he stopped slightly to ar
range his load. when an Indian sunk q
tomahawk in his BRAIN. AS he fell to
the ground the same dripping blade cleft
open the skull Of the yellow-tressed lit
tie child. And 81 nv mother (your
great -grandmother), also in the line Of
captives, screamed at witnessing such
butchery, the monster who did it turned
and hewed her down. Mrs. Brownlee
saw the bloody deed and the DEATH
throes Of her husband and babe in siIen,
horror, and from that moment was never
sane again. She drifted along with the
rest of the captiyes, especially cared Tor
da, and by British officers who pitied
her condition was sent back to West
moreland; dczen years later ste was
yet silent, with hands always clasped and
eyes fixed on the ground.
"But my own share in. that fearful
event remains TO be told
sMv mother was at the mansion, and,
as I said before, was taken prisoner and
slain. NV father had also been there
most Of the afternoon, but as my grand. :.
mother remained in our own cabin in
charge of me, baby, he had stepped
home for few minutes to look after
our welfare. 1t was at this moment that
/, the war-whoop sounded and the attack
hegan. A glance told my father that
nothing he could do wouli avail to save
nv mother or rescue any but grand.
mother and me, il even this could be
done. But as our cabin was at the far
ther side Of the hamlet, at the very foot
of Georges Hill, he decided to try and
escape into the thick woods little dis
tance up the slope. Catching me in his
arms and taking bis mother by the hand
he hurried us toward the forest. Hardly
had we started when the rowing eyes OF
several savages spied US and pursuit was
instantly made. Grandmother was old
and feeble. and the fright and haste al
most cvercame her So that she could
hardly walk NV father, seeing this and
noting how fast the Indians we're gain.
ing on US, balanced 10 his mind which
to give up and which to try and save,
his mother or his child. And this ques-
ton was settled when he reached the
edge of the woods: for at that point he
dropped me upon the ground, and, de-
voting all his strength to his mother, es
capped the savages and reached Georges
Farm, o few miles distant What would
become of me he could nnt imagine,
though he said that until darkness shut
down, and he came back to search for
wife and baby, be had constantly before
his eyes vision Of my scalp of glossy
ringle,s in red mans bloody hands.-|
When night came he stole to the clear
| ing to examine the state of affairs AS
he crept out from among the trees and
listened and gazed all was still, but not
all dark Below him at several points
were glowing beds of Goals, and the
smoky air told him that the hamlet was
not only bereft Of Its people but burned
to the earth. Warily crawling down the
bill be came first to the smoldering re-
mains of the Courla cabin, next we're
the embers of the Dunlaps' little house,
and next to this stood our own. But.
as he approached, what was his amaze
ment to discern, instead OF bed Of
ashes, the outlines Of the cabin dimly
seen in the da. kness, A fire had been
built against its walls, but owing to the
green state of the logs it did not burn.
"As he stood before the open door
thinking how much of love and happi-
ness had been sudderly snatched from
beneath its roof, a sweet, sad longing
possessed him to enter. He did so, and
bv some instinct of his mind, or infu-
ence of higher power, CROPPED his way
to the bed, where at that hour, but for
the awful disaster. his wife and babe
would have been peacefully sleeping =
Putting out his hands with almost wall
for his lost ones. what was his astonish-
ment to feel humsn form on the cot
With shudder Of mystery, hope and
fear, he felt along-it was child's form
-and lifting it to his breast, his heart
told him it was /, his baby girl, alive
And as he clasped me in his arms, the
events Of the past six hours seemed like
horrid nightmare. But too sadly did
he learn the reality of-things before an-
other day passed. Knowing the crafti-
ness of the Indians, he dared not re,
main longer in the cabin lest some party
OF them. prowling to catch such return
Ing settlers az he. might come upon him :
so he carried me to the woods aud wait.
ed for morning.
"How such mere infant as escaped
and found my way back to the cabin