The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-06-27
King Philip, the Chief Of a
School Tribe.

One cool, cloudy September after
noon many years ago Philip Moss and ], ,
neighbor boys and school-fellows, were
sauntering down blackberry Lane, with
our backs to the great Gypsy Woods,
where we had been investigating the
nearing nut-harvest. The ground was
dry and firm and a faintly-perfumed
west wind gently rustled the leaves
overhead. Many of the birds had gone
south for the winter, and those remain
ing had mostly stopped their idle sing
ing to hustle about and pack up for
leaving. The crickets and grasshop-
pers among the grasses were sing
ing away merrily, unconscious (poor
things that Jack Frost would soon
put an end to their songs and their
lives. The squirrels, too, were frisky
and chatty, apparently glad, as were
we, that they were to remain and enjoy
the big nut crop. 1t was Just the kind
of weather for field and forest ramble-
for implanting in boys mind mem
cries and sentiments that would last
him lifetime.
AS we came down Pilgrim Hill
covered wagon turned from the high
way into the lane and toiled toward us.
A man and boy walked ahead of the
faded horses. A COW was led behind
the wagon. After her trudged great
gray-and-white dog, that at first we had
mistaken for calf. When we had
nearly met the weary procession turned
aside and halted at the door of an old -,
deserted cabin that stood a hundred
PAGES from the lane, at the foot of a
wide, briery slope-an open waste,
over which the cows of the neighbour
hood wandered at will. 1t was famous
place for blackberries and black snakes.
From the mouth of the cavernous
wagon little girl sprang lightly into
the arms of the man. A woman fol-
lowed more deliberately and was ten
derby handed down. Her face and
hands looked very white in contrast
with her black dress. She must be
an invalid, we thought. Curiosity
prompted thousand suggestions, for
strangers were rare in that inland Ohio
settlement, but the instinct of good
manners prevented us from intruding.
We had seen enough, however, to sat
isfy us that these people had come
from distance to take possession of
the old cabin, which in our recollection
had been tenanted but once, and that
for only few months by a wood.
choppers family. We were not slow
to communicate our observations. Soon
the newcomers were the talk of the
neighborhood Surmise and suspicion
of them developed into wild and cruel
stories. The days of belief in witch
craft were over, but | am disposed tC
think there was slight lingering taint
of it in that community of ours. The
new people seemed shy and did not &c
about introducing themselves. One
day, my friend Philips grandfather
Uncle Joe Moss, a kind-hearted, though
inquisitive old man, called at the cabir
when he happened to pass that way
He was received by the woman with
civility and the utmost frankness. Hel
story was brief and straightforward
They had come from the eastern side O
the Allegheny Mountains, the state
county and town all being plainly shown
in our school aliases. The woman,
widow of year, was named Mar,
Rankin. Her husband, John Rankin
had been carpenter and had died
after long suffering, from injurie
received in a fall from a house-top
leaving his family in poverty. He
children were named Robert and Katie
The man with them was her brother
Thomas Van Cleve. He was an in
valid, but his ailment was of the min,
rather than of the body. When hi
poor head became confused he begal
to wander about, and he would take T.
the road and tramp, tramp, tram
wherever beaten path might lead him
This Ohio estate-a long strip of rug
ged land along the creek-came int
her possession through her father
soldiers inheritance from the grateful
country he had served, and which ha
bestowed it upon him because, perhaps
it had nothing poorer to give. So sh
had come with her loved ones and sci
tied down here, hoping that the Ian
might yield them subsistence and affor
them home; that her children Nigh
be reared and educated in quiet, re
spectacle neighborhood and that ne,
scenes and employments might benef
her unfortunate brother and overcom
his disposition to stroll. She thanke
her visitor for the friendly interest h
had shown; trusted his friends an
neighbors were all well and prosperous
prayed God they would think kindly c