Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-11-13
scALPINe soUAsHEs.

How Little Winfield scott Played Indian
With His Fathers Hub0ards.
Winfield Scott Davenport! 1t was a
very long name for very little boy,
but great-grandfather was responsible
for it, for when he was given the privi-
lege of naming his first great-grandson
he said, in his most decided way: Call
him Winfield Scott"
You see he had fought under that
noted General, and was great admirer
of him.
As the child grew older he displayed
great liking for military matters. He
and little girl friend, Tiny, would
make long marches around the yard.
waving flags, footing horns and charg-
ing valiantly on the old cat, the fussy
turkey gobbler, and once completely
routing family of pigs that were root
ing in the onion-bed.
The little General" as his papa
sometimes called him, dearly loved to
hear stories about wars, and was es-
pecially delighted when great-grand-
mother told about the Sioux massacre
in Minnesota, where she lived when she
was first married. The General thought
Indian warfare must be very exciting.
He had many imaginary battles, and
to have seen him scalping invisible In
dians you might have thought him
very ferocious warrior
One October day he happened to be
down in the vegetable cellar. Now the
nights were getting pretty frosty, and
papa had thought it safer to gather his
winter squashes, and there they lay,
great pile of dark green "Hubbards"
and golden "Mammoths."
The General gave little SILVER of
mock fear as he looked at them in the
dim light.
They look like big lot of peaked
headed Indians!" he exclaimed.
Wouldn't it be fun to make believe
scalp 'eml" Whereupon, with what he
thought very blood-curdling YELL he
gave Mohawk Indian warhoop, about
which he had read in Peter Parley's
little history, and, brandishing his
Ratchet, made a charge on the pile.
Nearly every squash had tough
green stalk, about five inches long.
This the General called the scalp
lock-" and he hacked it off, quite re-
gardless that his blows sometimes cut
great gashes into the squash itself
An hour later. as this hero sat before
the fire in the dining-room, making a
worsted harness for SNOWFALL, his pet
kitten, Papa Davenport strobe into the
room, saying Indignantly: who's been
hacking away at my Hubbard squashes?
Was it you, Winfeld?"
big lump came into the Generals
throat He almost wished that that
story of George Washington and the
Ratchet had never been written, because
since then every body felt that it would
not do for soldier to tell lie.
So he said, slowly, with downcast
eyes: IL did, papa-I-I was scalp
ing 'em!"
''Scalping them! Child, didn't you
know that when the stem is off they
decay good deal faster? l wanted to
keep these squashes as long as | could,
so as to get good price for them by and
by. Now l shall have to sell them right
away. I'm sorry, my boy, but shall
have to punish you for this bit of mis-
chief. March out into the yard and get
me SWITCH"
Papa could be very severe when &C.
casion required, and the General knew
that marching out and getting switch
meant whipping!
But it would not do for soldier to be
a coward, so he drew up his small legs
from the rug and went soberly out of
the room. Papa looked sober, too, and
mammals face was very sad!
Presently the General returned. He
chubby hand with something in it.
Papa" he said, trying to speak brave
ly, II couldn't find any switca-Jack
trimmed the hedge last week, you know
l looked for a shingle in the wool house,
but Jane had burnt them all up under
her kettle. But, papa, sturdily repress-
ing little choke in his voice and hold
ing out his hand resolutely, there is a
stone / thought you might ttr01o at me
I'll stand putfeckly still, you know"
Papa suddenly turned and looked ont
of the window, while mamma bent over
her buttonholes. Then papa cleared his
throat and lifting the General up in his
arms, said, gently: We'll, little man, if
you are truly sorry, l think I'll let you
off this time.
And when the General gave papa
grateful hug the stone dropped from his
fingers and rolled on the floor. where
the kitten chased it until mamma
stopped and picked it up, and with a
tender little smile put it in her work
basket. Mary e. Brush, in Youths
Companion.
1t is a noteworthy fact that Angli-
can Bishops are unusually long-lived.
The Bishop Of Worcester is eighty