Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-08-14

General Dieskan commanded the
French and Indians, and, if we had
been English troops, led by thick
headed English officers, wouldn't be
here to tell the story. AS it was, we
fell into an ambuscade and the advance
guard was thrown into confusion. John
son said he was wounded, but he wasn't
hurt bad enough to stop him from run
ming away. But we didn't miss him,
for Lyman was there, cool and quiet as
if he didn't think it was much of a
shower after all. The Indians were
firing under cover. and the Frcnchmen
coming on in line of battle with bay
onets at the charge. 1t was a ticklish
moment; but Lyman called to the
stragglers to drop, and the front rank
fired over them. 1t was the French
mans turn then. Then Charley Sell
wynn gathered up the stragglers and
charged the Indians in the woods, driv-
ing them out and piling them on to the
French, while our main body poured
volley after volley into the struggling
mass. But Dieskan was lion, and he
few around among his men, and while
the Indians skulked to the rear, firing
at us as they went, he got his regulars
into order and led them to the charge
himself, shouting: En- avant, mes en-
fans! Vive lie France!' The men took
up the cry, and came on shouting: 'Vive
lie Francer
But we stood firm; our front rank
knelt, the second stopped and the
third fired over their shoulders, and
poured storm of bullets into them at
short range. Their front rank and most
of the second fell in piles. Dieskan
himself staggered, ran a few PAGES,
calling to his men to follow, and
tumbled head first on the ground, which
was wet with blood. Then the French
line wavered, and Lyman led us to the
charge. The French tried to rescue
their leader, but our boys, firing as
they advanced, drove them back, and
George Marden captured two of their
cannon and turned them on their
owners. Then they began to break,
and although they kept up a running
fight for awhile, they finally gave it up.
We took a lot of prisoners and boat
loads of arms, and Lyman said we had
gained a great victory and that King
George would thank US for it,
''But he didn't, did he, Jabe?" asked
one of his listeners.
NO, nor Lyman either; but he made
runaway johnson baronet, as they
call it, and sent him a lot of gold and
silver clothes, and called him the hero
of Crown Point" added Jabe, with a
smile that proved that he appreciated
the royal sagacity, though not in way
to flatter has majesty.
Tell US, Jabe," said q woman with
child in her arms which bore a strong
resemblance to the orator and was
making silent but effective efforts to
reach him, tell us how Master Marden
got that Indian boy that follows him
about like his shadow"
''Well, you see, there was two of
Them said Jabe, transferring the in
FAINT to his own broad bosom, where it
presently fell asleep. ''After the bat
tie I've been telling you about, Marden
chased the Indians until it was too dark
to see them, and on his way back to
camp he found two young half-breeds,
boy and girl. They might be twins,
they were so like in features, size and
every thing. The boy had been hit by
a bullet, and his sister was trying to
bandage his wound with leaves and
strips from her blanket Our boys
haven't much love for the redskins, but
the look that the girl gave Marden out
of her big black eyes melted his heart
like lump of sugar, and he gave orders
to bring the boy along. We made a
kind of stretcher with our rifles and
coats and laid him on it, the girl
walking beside him, holding his hand
and saying a few words in French now
and then almost in whisper, but it
seemed to help him to bear the pain.
We brought him into camp and the sur
geon-he was French prisoner
extracted the bullet-the girl
holding his hand all the while and never
finching. Marden used to visit the
hospital sheds every day to talk to the
wounded, and he was so gay and cheer
full that the men got to look for him.
and their pale faces would light up when
they saw him. The Frenchmen called
him the Chevalier Joyeuse, for he could
speak their language as glibly as any
of them. and he would sing French
songs until the poor fellows almost fan
cied themselves at home. Dieskan
loved him for his kindness to the pris-
oners, and wanted to give him the cross |
of st. Louis which he wore, but Mar
den would laugh and turn it off with |
They were both interest |
ed in the young half-breeds. 1 never |
heard what their history was, only that |
they had been made prisoners by hos |
tile tribe and rescued by French soldiers |
after the boys tongue had been cut out. |
But if you had seen the way the girl |
followed Marden with her eyes, you |
would say it was as good as a love story. |
Dieskan promised to do something for
them when he got his liberty, but he
vas sent to England because the French
had no prisoner of equal rank to ex-
change for him; but all the others
we're sent to Montreal in exchange for
men, women and children captured by
he Indians in their raid across the
oolder.''
'.Well, Jabe, what became of the
,irl? and how did the boy come back to
Mr. Marden?"
Il don't know where the girl is" said
Tabe. The boy looked sick and weak
When he went TO Canada, but he must
lave found his way back to Marden
bout six months later"
''And Marden kept him for his sisters
ake?" asked listener.
"He wasn't in love with her." said
abe emphatically You don't suppose
gentleman like Mr.. Marden would fall
n love with poor half-breed girl, if
he had pretty face. No; he is a
man and he pitied them
oth-that's ALL"