Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-25


| rest, or, attracted perhaps by the prospect o.
securing better land, would settle alone, IA
| from any white neighbors.
| Ten or twelve miles from the Illinois river, or
| the banks of one of the tributaries OF Ina
stream, family from Virginia by the name O.
Fleming had settled on claim near Pot
| diantcwn.
or wigwans, and at that season of the year
| when the braves were not away on q hunting eI-
| petition, had over 1900 inhabitants.
No other white family lived near the Flemlngs
| within eight miles, but as the Pottawato mics
were friendly 10 the whites, the Flemings felt no
anxiety for their safety, and took no precaution
| to insure it otherthan TO bolt securely at night
the door and windows of the rude log cabin In
| W hich they lived, and to keep two or three
| good rifles hanging on the walls, loaded, READY
| for use.
The Fleming family consisted of Mr.. Fleming
| and his young WIFE
Mrs Fleming ha been q handsome. dashing
| gll, the daughter of wealthy Virginia gentle
man, but, although little used to hardship OF
any kind before marriage. had developed rs
daring that were hers by Inheritance; traits
that had distinguished for generations one OF
the proudest families of the ''od Dominion. -
She had been a skillful horsewoman in her
girlhood, and under her husbands training she
had learned to row boat or load and shoot a
rifle with much skill and daring as he.
Autuckee. young chief of the Pottawato-
mics, had often expressed great admiration
for her skill as horsewoman. and had even on
r.
liable furs if he would find handsome white
girl who would be his ''squaw.''
III was a warm, pleasant June afternoon.
Mrs. Fleming was spinning at the big wheel
the wooden yarn that later She would weave into
WOODEN cloth for winter wear, for like other wo-
men of that period she carded and spun the
that they wore. The cabin was like those of the
other settlers of that day-built Of logs, the
spaces Between the logs filled with mud ''chink-
ing, or "daubing.' At one end of the cabin,
which contained but one room, was the fire
place, occupying nearly all of one end of the
room. An iron ''crane' on which kettle and
iron and tea-kettle could be hung. swung from
one side OF the rude chimney Of rough, un-
dressed stones. over the Fireplace rough
wooden shelf was placed against the logs, and
on this an old wooden clock licked loudly and
anonymously.
The puncheon floor was bare, but an attempt
had been made at adornment by lacking to the
rough logs highly colored picture of wash
ington Crossing the Delaware" and q page of
an illustrated newspaper, Brother Jona-
than
AS Mrs. Fleming spun she sang, or hummed
an old song, entitled 1.-THE Rose Tree:''
"a rose tree in full bearing
Had sweet flowers fair TO see;
One rose beyond comparing,
For beauty ad attracted me. -
step came hurriedly along the path that Leu
to the woods, and Mr.. Fleming called out in an
''Aleck Boyd is down by the ford. He has
found the den of wolves that have been stealing
our sheep. I've come for the other rifle, for
We re going to clear out the whole pack, if pos
sible."
He took down the gun from the wall, exam
tned the lock and started of at a quick run to-
ward the bottom trail,' as it was called, O
path that led through the woods.
Outside all the air fragrant with wild
flowers that grew in great profuslon in the open,
woodland places. Inside the whirr of the spindle
as the big wheel made its swift rounds, the tick
ing of the clock and tones of the singer blended
toge her in adrowsy hum.
~ declare, - said Mrs. Fleming to herself,
''if it isn't after O'Clock. l must go to the
spring for water SO as to have supper ready
when George returns.''
led through the wood to the bottom trail,'' a
path that wound through the timber land that
followed the course of the creek.
AS she ran lightly down the path that zigzag-
ged along the side of a small hillock she thought
she heard sound and glanced fearfully over
her shoulder, but no in sight. Then it ,
flashed across her mind that she ought not to
venture out, even a short distance, without her
rifle. simultaneously came the thought that
her husband had taken the gun and that she was
wholly unprotected: There had been vague
about sixty miles distant, were about to wage a |
war of EXTERN lnation against the white settlers
and had already taken the warpath. She peered |
cautiously around but did not slacken her pace, |
which she had increased almost to run. IN |
the semi twilight of the thick woods the sun |
light penetrated here and there in long, arrowy |
chickens in the distance could be plainly heard, |
and now and then the ''squawk'' of a wild tur |
key in the bottoms.
She dipped her pail in the spring, and turned, |
with swift, cautious footsteps, to retrace her |
was, when a sound of voices reached her, and |
crouching in the bushes, straining her hearing |
to catch the faintest sound, she heard the deep |
cultural tones of the Indian language, and soon
saw, through the opening between two large |
trees. two Indians dart forward and
throw themselves fat on the ground. From the |
head dress they wore and the color of the paint
on their faces she recognized them as belonging
to the Sacs and Foxes.