Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-06-27

the fort was our play ground. We never hcari
the word ~recess" at school The tcscher
used 70 say, THE boys may 40 nut I" at the
proper time they would be trapped IN" by the
rat-tet OF the ruler on the window sash then
The girls would be allowed N 40 out, hut the
| boys and girls we're never permitted IN mngle
on the fort together. The boys took great
comfort with large copper camp kettle which
tie soldiers lett behind thom u was about the
size Of an ordinary barrel. After filling Il with
stanrs, they would roll it dawn hill, enjoying
| the noise as only boys can. One day thev
persuaded little fellow to &c, into the kettle
in the place VI stones, assuring him that Il
would he "capital fun" The little chap GOULD
not see II as the others did, after reaching the
bottom Of the hill, bruised. bewildered aud .
little ont Of temper. | nslce that tho school.
boy OF to-day is very much as he was seventy
years ago, aud history thus seems ~ repeat
itself.
The bost male teachers atainablc were al
ways employed bv those having charge of the
schoos. Among those WIN taught here, who
we're then highly appreciated and now aiiec-
tionaely remembered, are the following; Rev.
Mr.. Barlow, Seneca Allen Thumas W Powell,
Mr.. Gage (aftsrward the husband Of Frances
ID. Gage, the auth oress) Mr.. Adams and Galen
B. Abel, There were others but their names
have faded from my mind. In my earlier
years we were taught by lady teachers in the
old Fcrt Ne igs school house. One of these,
Miss May celer, daughter of Major Keeler
who taught for two successive summers, has
left the impress of her sweet face and gentle
patient manners indelibly upon my heart
Alter recitations were over she
would give lessons in embroidery and
other kinds Of needle work. Miss Gihen,
OF Cleveland, and Miss Brown, ,of Perrysburg,
also instructed us. We were Taught one sum.
mer by Mrs. Marshall, Presbyterian of the old
school On one occasion, during the reading of
the Testament, Inadvertently laughed at some
trihng thing, and she so strongly impressed
upon my mind the Nervousness of the oflease of
making light of the word Of God, that | have
felt It's influence through the sixty years that
followed.
Among the incidents which have heard
my mother often relate, is the following: One
morning, in the summer of 1871, n man came
riding down the river, warning the settlers
that large bady of Indians, hdeously painted,
was counting from above and their appearance ce
and actions indicated that they were upon the
war-path. The rumor created terrible alarm
in the vicinity, and the thought of each were
Immediately directed to finding n place of safe.
ty for themselves and their children. Father
took his family to the woods, some distance
away, and there left them mother and her four
childrcu) concealed in a brush heap, with the
promise TO return AS soon as he was red of
their safety, and enjoining them to keep quiet
and closely Concealed. All that long day they
remained there scarcely daring to move for
fear OF attracting the attention of some lurking
savage. In his haste father had forgotten to
bring onything l., eat, but lear of the Indians
kept the little ones quiet and caused them to
forget their hunger, except the baDy, which
nursed until it drew blood
AS the dread hours of that long, wearv, ter
rible day passed slowly, one by one and father
failed To come, mothers anguish grew almost
uncomfortable, for she imagined that he had ial-
len at the ha nds OF the Indians. When he fin
ally appeared, just as the darkness of night
was closing around US, there was Il most joyful
reunion. 1t seems that the uncertainty of the
purpose of the Indians had prevented him from
returning to us sooner. The savages were
merely out upon "a mrk' aud had gobbed mp n
number OF white men and pestered them just
by way of amusement. Another escapade uf
this kind, on their part might have prov oked
the settlers tu open war upon them, for they
could not appreciate tho shabby jpke. The
settlers gathered together that evening and re
lated their varied experiences, all thankful that
their lives had been spared. During these ear
ty years father was oiten away from home for
n day or two at a time, and mother would dar-
ken the huuse aud rema in awake all night, on
guard over her children.
A writer has said "There are few minds
but might furnish some instruction and enter
tain,nent out of their scraps-the odds and
ends of thought. They who cannot weave "A
uniform web may at least produce n piece of
patchwork, by jot,ing down obsei vations,
thoughts and conclusions gathered from way
side opportunities and sources, in the course o f
long experience" W ith this thought in mind,
the foregoing rambling and somewhat discon-
nected "reminiscences of my chi dhaOd years in
the Valley have been furnished.