Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-08
A TRUE TALE.

AND ONE THAT Is STRANGER THAN FICTION.
One October day, about one hundred and
twenty-five years ago, two small boys were
returning from log school house, in Bath
county. Virginia. One hundred and TWEEN
ty-five years which means that what is
now Bath county, was a wilderness, with
here and there a stockade fort, for defense
against the Indians.
These two little boys were Daniel ana
Samuel Brown; their father had small fort
on Jackson's river, to which the nelghbors,
men, women and children were won't to
gather when reports came that dusky forms
had been sighted in the woods, and the
stoutest hearts quailed before the enemy that
not be faced, since he ever kept behind
their backs, alert, cunning, relentless.
eli Dan," whispered the younger boy,
the blood suddenly leaving his sun-burnt
cheek, "what's that anent the big maple
yonder ?"
Dan lifted his head with quick suspicion
and saw shadow pass into the denser
woods on his right. "Mebbe its buck,
SAM" he said with manly desire not to
scare the smaller boy.
"a buck" answered Sam, scornfully, to
be treated as he were coward, 'fts the
kind o'buck that wears blade, tell ye.
Let's put out"
s'You HE on, Sam, and get behind the
walls as quick as ever you can mamma
and dad are working in the three cornered
field, and am bound to 60 round and give
them warmth"
1t was with difficulty that Dan could per-
suade Sam to 60 to the fort, leaving him to
the perilous task of warning the workers
in the corn-feld. The forest-born lads of
those trying times were trained up to face
danger, and were often as cool and plucky
as the young Indian braves themselves. Dan
succeeded in persuadiug Sam to the fort, by
reminding him that those within the stock
ade must be on their guard The brothers
separated, but before Sam reached the fort
he saw the flames going up from the wood
en- walls, telling the cruel story OF death and
destruction.
Nor did Dan reach the three cornered
field. Cleaning eyes, concealed by bush and
tree, had watched the boys as they separa-
TED, and while half dozen savages had
preceded Sam to the fort, others made a
short circuit, and, intercepting Dan, gagged
and bound him.
He was a well grown boy Of eleven years,
stout of heart aud limb, and the men of the
woods admired the pluck and self-control
with which he stood his capture and i'm
prisonment. They kept him at first in Or
der to torture him for their amusement, and
compel him to gather wood, which they
signed to him was to build his own death
fire. They showed him the plated buck
skin with which he was to be bound, and
driven round and round tree, until the
rope having coiled its whole length upon
the tree, he would be forced into the fire
at its trunk. Evidently they expected tc
break him down.
But Dan was clever as we'll as brave, and
his WIGS were at work to save his life. He
bore himself with the proud indifference SC
much admired by the Indian, and every lit.
tie while he would lift his head suddenly, as
if listening for and expecting something.
Now nothing escapes an Indians notice,
and Dams captors did not doubt that he
had some reason to expect a rescuing par.
ty. SO they FASTENED to rejoin their com
rades near the fort, and the poor boy was
sickened, soul and body, BIZ the sight of the
dripping scalps in the pc session of those
who had gotten behind the stockade. The
Indians had, in fact, managed-:5 take two
scalps from each victim, and Dan, now sure
that his parents were dead, gave up all
hope of escape, and moved on passively
with the band, who. having obtained infor-
nation that Capt. Paul was on their trail
with twice their numbers, now hied off to
the northwest, taking with them the scalps
of their victims, their weapons and the boy
captive.