The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-01-12
A DOUBLE AMBUSH.
BY GEORGE H. cooMER.

grew up with the names Of the grea'
hostile chiefs, Osceola, Alligator Wild
Cat, and Tiger Tail. making part
of my childhood.
A sense of peril was always present
with us. / remember the feelings
with which we heard of the slaughter
of Lieutenant Dade and his COM
mand. The tragedy took place in
open battle, yet it seemed dreadful
that so many braye men should be
shot down in the dark woods, with
the painted savages yelling around
them.
In the spEing when was thirteen
and my brother Arther fifteen the
war was at its worst. and my father
talked strongly of removing to a
greater distance from the danger.
Among our few slaves, consisting
only of two black families, was half
idiotic young negro named Jason,
who had the privilege of wandering
pretty much as he pleased. He would
often remain all day in the forest,
either lying asleep or mocking the
gobble of the wild turkeys.
One day he returned with an ap-
pearance that startled us. His woody
head had been completely shaved,
and his black face dyed to bright
scarlet. He had, however, received
no real hurt, and seemed not in the
least terrified by the ordeal through
which he must have passed.
We gathered from his broken SEN
tences that he had fallen in with In
dians and it was plain that they had
been in some measure true to the pro-
verbal respect of their people for
idiots. An ordinary person they
would have sacrificed without mercy;
but when Jason stared aimlessly at
the tree-tops, or gObbled Ikea turkey,
they simply set their mark upon him,
and let him go.
The incident showed that our dam
ger was more imminent than had
been supposed but there was fortu-
nately squad of United States caval-
ry picketed within a few miles of us.
and my father lost no time in nOify-
ing the officer in command of what
had occurred. The soldiers, however.
could find nothing of the enemy and
in the meantime we passed couple
ofdays in very anxious suspense. The
movements of Indian warriors are
erratic, and to white men unaccounl-
able.
My parents began to regain conf
dence, believing that the Seminoles
were gone from the neighborhOod, as
they doubtless were for the time.
Father said they were probably scouts
and there was no telling how they
might have scattered themselves, or
at what point some of them might
appear next. He hoped, however,
that the presence of the soldiers had
led them to abandon any design they
might have entertained of attack ing
US.
On the third day after JasOn's adj
venture we were feeling much reliev-
ed. The negro men were at work in
the fields, and father had gone to a
considerable distance from the house.
Mother, Arthur, and myself, with the
female servants, were within doors.
Presently, not far off, we heard the
gobble of wild turkey, or what
seemed such, although, as turkeys
were not in the habit of approaching
so near the house. we imagined Jason
to he at his old silly pastime again,
initiating the call which he could so
we'll counterfeit.
The notes we're continued with
great regularity at intervals of min.
ute or two, and so natural were they
that Arthur would have been all on
fire to seize his rifle and hurry In
quest of the game, had he not remem-
bered how often he had been led upon
fruitless chase by the vocal powers
of the poor idiot.
1--WE all excel in something" said
my mother, "and Jason was made to
call turkeys. But / do wish he would
be quiet; it makes me nervous to heal
him"
JASON" said a little negro gir
who just then came in from the real
ofthe premises "why, missus, Jasor
done gone asleep in de shade at dt
back oh de wash-house. / done SCI
him dis minute"
Arthur fastened out doors, looked
behind the wash-house, and having
assured himself that the black boy
had nothing to do with the gobbling
returned quickly for his rife.
alt is real turkey" he.said, "ant
he's somewhere in the hollow"
The hollow was made by depres
sion of the ground about fifty rod
from the house front, and running
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