Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-03

And differed from our race OF men
When this old joke was new.
Hal Beyfs, IN Defro3 Free PteJa
GRANDMA STEVENS.
How Che Furnished" the Bad In.
dians on THANKSGIVING Day.
When I was Q child. said Grandma
Stevens. l used to hear this story told.
] do not remember whether il happ ned
in Fankis County. Massachusetts,. or
in some place where my ancestors lived
before they settled there. but the inci-
dent occurred about the time OF the
French and Ind an war. My great
grandfather was q shoemaker in En-.
gand, and when he came to the new
country was in great demand 70 make
shoes for the settlers and their families,
ard with his shoemaker's bench and kit
of tools used to 60 far and near from
log cabin 10 log cabin. turning out
unique specimens Of his skin. for which
he received many an honestly earned
shilling.
During those early years there was
always more or less excitement among
the colonists on account of flying ru-
mors concerning he hostile attitude OF
Indians near or remote. and in most o(
the settlements block-houses were-built
o. places Of refuge ip case the savages
should show signs Of warl ke inten-
tons Ever and anon the more timid
of the settlers would take alarm 1t
sight Of some redman skulking about
their clearing, or ut . blue spiral ol
smoke curling up above the denss
depths Of the forest. thus betraying the
locality of . camp fire. and would make
. sudden stampede for the bloch. house.
There they would remain until Cen
tinued tranquility brought . ssnss d
security, when they would return again
TO thei. homesL Late one autumn al
the { miles in the vic nifty, excepting
that Of my grandfather Stevens. ha1
taken refuge in the block-house. but my
grandmother was plucky woman. and
very saving withal, and was In the habit
Of saving Mhen asked to join the rest Of
th, settlers:
mo, have always been On good
terms with the Indiana We bought
our farm and paid for It all the red
men asked, and we have followed the
Teachings of the Golden Rule most
faithfully in all our intercourse with
them. 90 they can have no motive ol
revenge in disturbing u.s. l viii say
where am and take the best care pos
able of what have got. Tho haste a
continually picking up and feeling -
the block-house makes much waseeL Al
for me and mine. we viii stay in the
house the Lord has given Us to Be our
own, and Il the savages pay ~ . visit
the Lord will give me light and strength
according 10 my needs. 20 that may
deal with them judiciously."
However, when il became necessary
for my great-grandfather Stevens to 70
with his shoemaker's bench and tools
TO the block-house. in order TO fulfill
his engagements. he started of with
his wife's CHEEKY consent
..DoD't trouble yourself about us.,"
she said; I'VE shall do very well. The
Lord made the red men as well - the
white men. and if every one would bear
that 10 mind there would b less trouble
in dealing with them and les wnste a
time and meana"
.Yes. that is II, less sCGsge!' ea3d
her neighbors. spitefully; ''truse 10
every time for counting in the wasts!'
Despite all this, my great-grand.
mother set about her preparations fou
. Thanksgiving dinner bountiful enough
for her own family and for any Of the
neighbors who were courageous enough
to accompany her husband from the
block-house.
Sugar was scarce enough n those
days with the colouists. excepting that
which was made from the sap Of the
maple. and it happened ct that particu-
lar .;sse that all the sugar made the
Spring before had been used or wasted,
on account of 90 much running to and
from the b'ock-houss; even my great
grandmother was almost out. through
having sold from her goodly store to hes
neighbon.
.'fhers will b neither Thanksgivins
padding. pies nor cake this year" said
young Jol athan Stevens. complainingiy;
''all on account Of there being notkine
but bees honey and pumpkin sugar 6
sweeten them with. and such good =
are hardly worthy the name or ~
trouble"
BE not too sure. my son." said hh
capable mother; sugar may b
more plentiful than you think.
There . time during Tie fssl
hard froGs in the Fall whom Ne
maple sap runs freely; We viii watch
our opportunity. and psehape -
sugar enough for . winters s1pply 1oe
ourselves and some 70 barter with on
Deighbors. beside surprising them and
your father with . variety OF toothsons
sweets on Thanksgiving Day"
As it happened, the late Fall sugar
run was more abundant and more pro.
longed that year than usual, and . good
supply Of sugar was made and aid By
against the winters needs. One bright
November day as my grandmother
Stevens was gathering sap In maple
wood only snort distance from her log
house, her alert eve detected the flssk
print of an Indians moccasin o. tn
damp earth. Dropping her bucket
yoke, she followed the trail to the hill
0cp. where she climbed tall tree. With
che agility OF . boy. and soanned the
% rounting country with her eagle
eyes until she was rewarded by seeing
one Indian, alone. crossing = corn-fsld,
on q ''long lope." two or three miles b
the northward.
at is as 1 thought" she said to her.
self; 'there is now but one. There i
no use of trembling before rstreatinl
Rr,o ~