The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-02
THE DEVILS DEN.

Above, on the top branches, almost of an
oak tree two woodpeckers quarreled over
the selecting of a nest, and overhead a
crow flew, screeching forth the change of
weather
Ali around, thick and heavy. the trees
grew. Not a ray of sunlight seemed to
penetrate this forest. The ground was
damp and swampy. Fallen trees and
limbs made it almost impossible for any
one to go far into this forest. Near the
outer edge Of the woods was large pond
and croaking frogs jumped into the water
from the bank. Everything was wild
looking and the stiffness was something
terrible. Such place was the Devils
Den" when Isaac Simpson first landed
there with his wife and two daughters in
1915.
Isaac Simpson was aged about forty
years Tall and heavy built Lucy Simp-
son, his wife, was not more than thirty
years OF age. She was tall. graceful and
rather sickly looking. Not the woman
hardly fitted for the wife OF a pioneer in
the wilderness. Maria was the eldest
daughter q girl about thirteen years of
age. She was as graceful as her mother
Her ewes were large and very dark; her
voice sweet and tender Little Alice was
the baby, just five years old, very delicate
and more nervous than child her age
should be. She cried great DEAL as
though she suffered from some pain. She
had always been sckly from her birth,
but, if not claimed by the angle OF death,
bid fair 10 be a beautiful woman.
After DAYS of toll Simpson, with what
~. l. H. L..
succeeded in erecting log cabin-a crude
affair, but a home. When Simpson had
filled the cracks between the logs with
clay and a rough table had been made,
the little family removed into the cabin
from their old covered wagon, which had
been their home since thew had landed in
the Indiana wilderness weeks before.
The first of March Mr.. Simpson began
the claring OF ground and p!owing sod for
his first years crop The corn which he
had brought from Ohio for seed was soon
planted, and of mornings when his AK cut
deep into the hearts of the trees he
hummed a song which had been taught
him when child.
OF evenings, when his work was done,
he sat outside near the cabin door and
smoked his pipe. His wife would bring
her sewing and sit near him. While
hand would roam in the clearing near bv,
picking wild flowers and ferns which grew
so thickly about.
In April, one evening, Mr.. Simpson sat
outside as usual, while his wife and Maria
We're finishing the days work within. All
day long black clouds had been gathering
in the west and now n dreadful stiffness
filled the air. Not leaf stirred The sky
became overcast with dark clouds and all
about the stiffness, the inky cloud and
the flashes of lightning in a distance told
that storm was brewing. Mr.. Simpson
arose from where he had been seated. and
knocking the ashes from his pipe, entered
the cabin. Taking little Alice on his
knees he watched the sparks as they dis
appeared up the tall chimney. Mrs.
Simpson and Maria eat at the
farthest side OF the room tuck
ing quilt-a quilt which would
have the honor of being the first made in
their new Indiana home. Mrs. Simpson
slowly pulled her needle through the cot
ton-batten and Maria sat with her needle
idle in her hand. Very few words had
been spoken siuce the storm broke. The
water poured down in torrents, making
little streams go gushing in the lowlands.
The thunder rumbed and streaks OF blind
ing lightning shot through the air. The
silence of the room was only awakened
now and then by Alice calling her fathers
attention to the sparks which snapped
and flashed in the fireplace, finally disap-
pearng up the tall, wide chimney.
Look, papa look Mt de beautiful sparks.
Amt 'em pretty" exclaimed the child as
she clapped her little hands in delight
"Ah, yes. Alice" said Mr.. Simpson,
they are beautiful. If they were all gold
how rich We would be. My, my, wouldn't
we though"
IF de beautiful sparks was all dold how
wich us would be, echoed the child. put
| ting her hands on her fathers face and
stroking his whiskers in a tender, loving
way.
"Oh, what If the sparks were really
| gold. III they only were. we would pick
them up and have a great big house built
like our old home in Ohio" Mrs. Simp-
son exclaimed sadly. Isaac" she con
tinued, Il miss the old place 80 much: /
miss the large comfortable house, the
| fruit. the green fields and the beauty OF
the old farm"
Isaac Simpson had been one of the lead
ing farmers IN Clinton county, Ohio. His
| farm was the finest and his crops always
the best. A friend of his had been un-
! fortunate in business, and Simpson placed
| his name to a note Tor a large sum which
he had to pay, making him bankrupt.
His farm was sold TO pay the debt of an
other, and thus il was he had located in
the Indiana Wilderness.
! Alice had fallen to sleep and Simpson
arose and placed her on bed where she
continued TO sleep, unmindfufof the sto rm
without, which had not for an instant
abated in its fury. The rain splashed on
the rough boards overhead and poured off
onto the ground, where it soaked away.
The needles were laid away, the quilt
carefully rolled up and placed in one
corner of the cabin. The old-fashioned
clock struck eight Simpson took the long
handled shovel ana covered up the bright
Goals with ashes from the hearth, and in a
short time the little family were soundly
sleeping.
The storm seemed to become fiercer
and tiercer. The rain continued to fall in
torrents. The forest echoed and re-echoed
with the the report of thunder. Binding
flashes of lightning zig-zagged through the
heavens. All at once binding streak
darted downward and entered the chimney
of the cabin. The report which followed
was terrible and the trees seemed to groan
from fright.
In a few moments blaze issued from
the cabin roof aud then grew larger and
larger. The rain ceased ali of sudden
and the flames RAPIDLY spread and con-