The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-06-21
TWO BRASS KETTLES.
a New England Legend OF King
Phillips War.

/ had gone to the old Minot House. in
Dorchester. Massachusetts, to take din
ner with my aunt We two. my aunt
and /, had wandered over the old house,
up the huge stairway, and down into
the cellar. Suddenly aunt opened the
door of an old pantry. on the floor of
the porch, and said: Child, look
here,''
What, aunt?"
1.-The Two Brass Kettles"
Two enormous brass kettles met my
eyes They were turned over on the floor,
and each would have held the contents
of a half barrel.
Those are the ones. my dear"
what ones, aunt?'
The ones that saved the two chill
dren from the old Indian straggler."
''What Indian straggler?n l asked,
with intense interest.
''Oh, the one in King Phillips War.
Didn't you ever hear the story2"
mo, aunt"
well, I'll get Uncle Zebedee to tell
1t to you after dinner. Come"
But what could any one do with
such kettles as these? Where did they
hang them?" | continued
Come here, and / will show you"
She swept away, and l shut the door
of the dark room, which was lighted
only by opening the door, and followed
her. We went into the kitchen. She
pointed to an enormous fireplace. and
said: There, child"
but, aunt, how did the Two Brass
Kettles save the children?" l asked
again.
.'Oh. they crawled about all over
the floor here. there and yonder," point
ing.
Which crawled about. the kettles or
the children, aunt?"
A din here fell upon the air and ech-
oed through the great. fortress-like
rooms 1t was the huge bell for
meals.
Come child. let's 60. Uncle Zebedee
will tell you all about it."
In a moment We were in the dining
hall. How grand it all seemed! The
sideboard was full of baked meats and
steaming pies. Over it hung flint
lock gun or a blunderbuss. The room
had been decorated for the occasion
with creeping-jenny. and boughs load
ed with peaches that had been broken
off by September gale. There was a
whitewashed beam across the room. on
which were great hooks and staples.
The table was oak. and the chairs were
Of a curious old pattern. At the head
OF the table was a great chair, and in it
sat Uncle Zebedee, good old man, now
nearly ninety years of age.
After the family were seated. Uncle
Zebedee was asked TO say grace. He
had a habit OF saying land" after end
ing sentence and this made another
sentence necessary, often when he had
nothing more to say. 1t was SO even
in his prayers. and was very noticeable
in his storytelling. There usually fol-
lowed the ..and' when the story was
done.
1t Was queer structure-the old
Minot House in Dorchester 1t was
really brick house encased in wood
fort house it was called. 1t was built
in this way to protect the jewellers
against rude Indian assaults. There is
but one house standing that resembles
1.-THE Cradoca Mansion in Medford.
There were many such houses in the
old colonies. but one by one they grew
gray with moss, and vanished. The
Minot House itself was burned about
twenty years ago, after standing about
two hundred and thirty years
The old people of Dorchester and
Neponset must remember it. 1t rose
solemn and stately at the foot of the
high hills overlooking the sea meadows.
The high tides came into the thatch
margins near it, and went out again,
leaving the abundant shell-fish spout
ing in the sun The fringed gentians
grew amid the aftermath of the hay
fields around it The orioles swung in
the tall trees in summer time, and
ospreys circled and screamed ia the
clear sky over all
But the orchards here were the full