Milford chronicle., 1889-06-21

their ears, which lifted them little way
from the floor. One Of the children began t.
creep and cry, moving the kettle The other
began TO do the same. The cries caused the
kettles to ring. Two creeping kettlesl They
looked like two big beetles OF water turtles
and such the Indian might have thought
them to be, but they beloved like two brazen
animals, and-did you ever hear child cry
under kettle" said Uncle Zebedee, with a
curious smile.
We all confessed that we never had.
''Then, child, you just get under one Of
those kettles and boiler. You needn't be
afraid-there amt no Indians now TO do ye
any harm. Holler loudT
did so.
''Do you hear thatF' said Uncle Zebedee.
'You never heard such a sound as that be-
fore. Hollow as a bell. Just like a man
with lungs Of brass and no body. There, let
another little fellow try it."
Another child was placed under one Of the
kettles and uttered continuous cry. The
sound rang all over the room.
There, said Uncle Zebedee, "did any one
ever hear anything like thatl 1t rings all
over the room, scary like.
''Wel, the children did not know about the
Indian, and they began to creep toward the
light Of the window, moving the kettles like
two enormous beetles and crying and making
the kettles rumble and rumble all around,
boom-oom-oom, just like that. The Indians
black eyes glowed like fire, and he raised his
gun and fired at one Of the kettles. But
nothing came of it; the shot did not harm the
child under the kettle. It frightened both Of
the children, and made them cry the louder
and louder and scream as though they were
frantic. 'Ughr said the Indian. Him no
goot'
''The kettles were all alive now, moving
and echoing. He was more puzzled than be-
fore. What kind of creatures could these be
with great brass back and living paws, and
full of unheard Of noises like thosel 'Ughl
ughr said he, just like that The kettles kept
moving and sounding, and the Indian grew
more and more excited as he watched them.
Suddenly he threw up his great arms and
turned his back, and-now it all goes from
me again.
"He said 'Ughr and threw up his arms and
turned his back" prompted aunt.
."And the maid opened the stair door and
fired" continued Uncle Zebedee. "She drew
quickly back, and waited for the family to
return. The children continued to cry But
they were safe, as they could not overturn
the kettles and bullets could not reach them. |
The family came in an hour in great alarm. |
They had seen human blood in the road, but
no Indian.
ga few days afterward the Indians body |
was found in some hazel bushes by the brook. +!
It was buried in the meadow there, andn- |
'The Indians grave" said aunt, prompt |
ing.
"Yes, used to NOW over it when I was !
boy, and"-
THAT is all, Uncle Zebedee," said aunt
''You've got through nown
''Yes, I've got through now. don't think
that shall ever tell that story again, and"-
There was something pathetic, and yet
beautifully prophetic, in the continuance
The slanting sun shone through the old win
dow, and the chippering of birds was heard
in the fields.
Uncle zebedee never did tell the story
again. The final conjunction of his long,
peaceful life came soon after he told the tale
to me. The violets and moses cover him in
the old Dorchester burying ground. The old
house is gone, the two kettles, the gun and
even the gray stone from the field that rude
y marked the Indians grave -Hezekiah
Butterworth in Youths Companion.