The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-01-23

/ hOlbt utAb tliC tiCth
1--WE all saw him in an instant
when Levi leveled his gun to shoot
but father restrained him, saying
Wait till we see if there are others
HE looked directly across the
creek, but we were concealed from
his view by the clustering hazel and
willow bushes that skirted the shore
of the little stream of the wilderness
At length he came cautiously to the
| edge of the drift in search of tracks,
but our moccasins, being clean from
walking on the leaves, had left not a
mark visible to his keen eye. He
after few moments accommodating,
returned to the horse, passing within
ten feet of fathers gun, which stood
at the root of tree, and commenced
taking off the saddle. Father fired
my rifle, aiming at his head barely,
in order to save the horse, only, how
ever, sadly discomfiting his gaudy
headdrcss. He was instantly about
face, but with this position Lewis
gun cracked, when the Indian sprang
for the creek, but fell at it's edge
among the bushes and drift and lay
motionless, his head and shoulders
under the water.
ITO render fathers position more
awkward or at least unpleasant, at
this particular juncture, his horse
took fright and broke for heme. He
well knew that perfect state of
alarm and confusion would reign in
the family domicile should the horse
arrive first, and, fearing to recross
the dam, we all set off down the
stream in search of crossing for
father, but went to the mouth with
out an opportunity offering.
"He here told us to 90 forth on
our journey, stating that he would
withe some logs together and run
down the river home, only about
three miles, you know. But we could
not think of leaving him without a
gun, and set about constructing his
raft, which was the work of but a
few minutes, l cutting and trimming
the withes. He intended to keep the
centre of the river, an easy task when
rising, as every floating substance
tends to that point.
'In a few moments ne set sail ON
his rude craft, driving out into the
Monongahela with Booths creeks
current with the rapidity of mad
dened steed, and was carried with
fearful force down toward home. But,
fearing the rifle of struggling In
dian ON the northwestern shore, he
struck a stroke or so with his pole
which drew him from the draught of
the current nearer the eastern shore,
ON to which he run at the mouth of
Cobun's creek, wrecking his raft,
while repairing which he heard a
turkey gobble several times, and, on
setting oft again, Rugged the shore
closely in order to make the mouth
of Decker's creek, at home. But
just above, at the carved or chart
cred rocks the old turkey gobbler
saluted his raft with an ounce shot,
which struck about three inches
from his left heel in the dry chest
nut log on which he was standing.
The providential act of his polling to
the eastern shore undoubtedly
saved his life, for had he made for
the other the very Indian who
aped the turkey would have shot
him, and you see he barely escaped
as it was.
But the horse ran up to the
door, snorting, champing his bit and
covered with blood and foam two
hours before father arrived. The
saddle was removed, when an ounce
ball was observed protruding from
the skin and flesh, just back'o the
shoulder, having passed, as they
reasonably supposed, through the
riders thigh, breaking it and dis
abling him in such manner as to
render his captivity and death
certain.
''The wild cry broke from every
tongue on the ground that Morgan
and two of his sons had been killed
by Indians that morning a few miles
above. All the force of the place
was Immediately in arms-some fif-
teen or twenty men-who repaired
at once to the mouth of Decker's
creek to cross, but the canoe was on
the opposite side. This, however,
was small obstacle to the expedi-
ton, as one Joe Speight, a Dutch
man, who had no gun, Immediately
volunteered to swim for it, while
they should cover his coolness with
their deadly rifles. He had about
reached the craft, when father drift
ed around the point into the mouth
of the creek, and was hailed by some
one of the crowd as to what was the
matter
"'All is well, he said, which ran
through the eager crowd like an
electic shock, quoting at once their
fears and wailing; but Immediately
succeeded such wild shout of Joy
that poor Speight, ignorant of all
that had passed, mistook it for
genuine Indian attack, which impress
sion so affected his nerves, that he
could not loosen the craft, and stand
ing ON the shore, commenced wiring
ing his hands and screaming in the
widest manner.
"'Oh, mine Ghot. Oh, mine Lordt
Oh, Shesus Christ! Oh! oh! oh ]!
Shute 'em! Shute 'em! Shake Speiler,
will you shute nopody for me?'
cat this crisis in Speight's affairs
some one for mischief fired off his
gun, and, father stepping up in his
rear, who Speight perceived through
the bushes though failed to recog-
nize, he sprang into the creek with
frantic scream which eclipsed all
his former efforts, if possible, and in
a dozen strokes struck the opposite
shore, where he was hailed with the
widest expressions of joy and mer-
riment, though somewhat commin-
gled with sorrow for his severe fright.
Father, descending the bank, got
into the canoe and padded over,
when he soon explained matters in