The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-12-10

tain"
The man he had called to his side
looked for moment. and, with white
face, confirmed the discovery.
at is an Indian! The boy will have
To pass within three feet of him. They
arc going to ambush Rodney Masonl"
"Dou't let tho women and children
know. Keep them from the port
holes" was the reply.
On came Rodney with the milk. He
was once more whistling his favorite
tune. The full buckets seemed to hang
heavy on his hands.
The men at the leopholes watched his
advance breathlessly. They saw him
nearing the stump where the Shawnee
lay, and wondered if the Indian would
let him pass.
All ut once, with a yell that seemed
to terrorize everyone in the blockhouse,
the figure by tho grass.fringed stump
sprang up and confronted the boy.
He was an Indian OF large stature, and
and was painted for the war trail, as all
could see. AS he leaped into view,
brandishing a tomahawk, Rodney stop
ped and recoiled. The sight sent a
SILVER to his heart.
"White boy milk cows for Injun, the
Shawnee said, reaching for the buckets.
"Good white boyW
Give up the milk needed in Holman's
Fort? Let the Indians have it when he
had risked his life to get it for the
women and children?
All this passed through the boys
mind, but at tho same time Rodney
realized he could never outrun tho saw
age with two buckets OF milk in ms
hands.
He had but little time to decide. He
thought he saw other dark forms in the
grass. He believed he was surrounded
by the red pests.
"Come, white boy, give Sassacus the
milk" cried the Indian, advancing an
other step.
the next moment, rs the Shawnee
stopped toward them, he caught up one
with both hands.
"You want the milk? Well, you
shall have It." he exclaimed, and
dashed the whole bucketful in the war
rior's lace.
Il was most ludicrous scene go far
rs the Indian was concerned. He was
covered from head to feet with milk,
blinded and sputtering. Before he
could recover from his astonishment
Rodney had caught up the other bucket
and was running toward the block
house.
The distance was not great, but the
boy knew that he could not outrun the
Indian, burdened as he was with the
| \ A. 4 20
Cover his retreat, men, you can drop
tho Indian in a minute! Go to the
gate, some of you and stand ready to let
him in," cried the commandant Of Hol-
mans.
You may believe that all was excite
ment within the blockhouse.
The best marksmen aimed ut the
Shawnee from the loopholes, others ran
to the barricaded gates and stood ready
to open them the instant the boy hero
reached them. II was all over in two
minutes.
Several Indians sprang from the grass
to follow Rodney, but they were
dropped by the rifles. And the gates
were opened to let Rodney in and closed
before the fifty painted Indians now on
full charge at the stockades could
reach their mark.
Rodney was grasped by scores Of
hands. The little milk still remaining
in the bucket was doled out to the chill
dren.
All that day the aavases tried by arti-
fee to tempt the defenders of Holman's
from the stockade, but were unsuc-
cessful, and when night came they
deliberately killed the cattle and went
off.
But bravery Of Rodney Mason had
added another chapter to the thrilling
history of the young state. And for
many years afterward it was told how
he MIXED Brindle and Bess for the
children when Holman's was besieged
by the red hordes OF the forest.
1 should add, perhaps, that when the
tribes had made peace with tho settlers
an Indian came one day to Holman's,
and. singing out Rodney Mason, shook
the stalwart young white good-natured-
ly BY the shoulder.
"Nlilk heap good, but Sassacus get all
he want-ho! no!
1t was really Sassacus, the Shawnee,
and he had remembered his white bath.