The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-09
CHAPTER III.
us. HUNTINGToN MAKEs a M1srAKE.

ldko VI -1dpISNiie anu Tue COUNTRY sur
rounding it was covered with a dense
forest. Bears and wolves and deer and
all manner of wild beasts and game
roamed through the region, and the only
paths we're the Indian trails. a grant of
10000 acres of this region, known as the
"Maple Patent" was owned by an Euro
pean company. There were no settle
ments or settlers within its boundaries,
and the only white men who visited it
were trappers and hunters.
When the war ended that changed the
colonies to a nation IL had not only drawn
the attention of all Europe TO the new re-
public and started vast wave OF emigra-
ton to its shores, but the conflict had
also stirred up the people of New England
to restlessness. At this time the Maple
Patent was cut up and offered for sale. 4
small band of patriotic New Englanders
who had fought through the revolution
and had found themselves nearly i'm
poverlshed at its close, had, in one of their
campaigns, passed through this tract and
discovered that the forests were composed
principally of the naples, from which it
took its name, and beech, elm, ash, birch,
hemlock and Eastwood, all excellent for
wood and lumber, and when the trees were
once cleared away, the soil was deep and
fertile.
Water was plentiful, for spring brooks
and creeks abounded, and there were sites
for grist and sawmils on every hand. So
they left the home OF their childhood and
came to this wooded wilderness. \ sturdy
race, who believed in hard work and
economy, and homes, and churches and
school houses, and great work they ac-
complishedl Other settlers tlOcked about
them, the wild beasts were driven out, the
forests subdued, and on the day referred
to the whole of the Maple patent was
settled with thrifty farmers, and there
was not then nor Is there today, in the
United States, a more peaceful, more pros
porous farming country. The teaching
and example OF those Puritan pioneers
are still apparent on every hand; cheese
factories and creameries for it is a dairy
country line the streams, and churches
md school houses meet one at every
turn. 1t is a snowy region. and
In the winter hill and valley are covered
to the fence tops, but in summer nowhere
is grass more green or foliage more luXu-
RANT. Well-kept, shaded roads lined with
maple trees, lead in eve.y direction by
magnificent farms, with trim fences and
great painted barns, with vistas of long,
winding valleys and gently swelling hills.
with meadow and woodland, titled
ground and pasture, ribbony streams aud
glistening ponds ever intermingled, and il
is no wonder that the men and women
bred here love its quiet scenes and restiul
peace.
Squire Warren took pride in being an
American. There never was a man who
believed more firmly in the immortal
truths set forth in the Declaration of In
dependence. In his mind monarchies
were but crumbling relics of barbarous
past. Aristocracy and nobility and social
ranks of life of all kinds were vampires
that sucked the life blood from the suffer
ing masses of Europe. y man was 20 be
judged solely by his own merits. Show
him an industrious man, brave man,
man of principle, and whatever his color
and condition, the squire was ready to
take him by the hand and call him
brother. He talked and sincerely believed
this, and yet-and vet the most worn book
in his library was the genealogy of the
Warren family. which traced his ancestors
as Americans through honorable positions
TO the DAYS of the Nav Flower,
and back of that as Englishmen to the
Norman conquest; and what delighted
him above any other topic was the relat-
ing of tales and anecdotes of the hardships
and trials of his ancestors pioneer life,
their sufferings, privatiOns and sacrifices
for the struggling colonies.
The squire lived in the finest house in
the village. 1t was built on the identical
spot where his father helped his grand
father (old Maj. Warren of the revolutiOn)
put up the first log shanty, when the little
band of New Englanders came TO settle the
Maple patent. The squire, although ad-
mitted to the bar, had practlced very
little law. Next TO Col Huntington.
he ranked as the weslthiest man
in the neighborhood; he had been
justice of the peace for fifteen years, was
the leading man of his political party in
the Maple patent, but would accept no
advancement in politics, and the
most available president or chairman of
charitable or public gatherings, societies
and village organizations. He was uni
versally respected as a good, solid, leading
citizen and a man of great influence and
Importance Rather late in life he had
married a city girl, much TO his sister
Martha's disappointment, but after the
birth of Laura, thirteen years before, Mrs.
Warren had suddenly died and the
spinster Martha had resumed her place as
housekeeper and had brought up the
child.
On the morning after "Prof. Allison
Hershey's" fasco, the squire, tall, broad
shouldered, straight and rather spare.
stepped briskly around to Aunty Davies
modest hotel to thank that lady and her
grandson for the boys brave rescue of his
daughter the day before from the black
bull
To his surprise, Nancy ushered him into
the midst of a small female convention.
Besides Mrs. Davies, who seemed very
much agitated. and was in tears, there
were two widows, four spinsters and two
married women in the room.
''Good morning, ladies" said he.
"Good morning" came from different
parts of the room, and then there was a
complete and oppressive silence.
Mr. Warren looked around inquirlngly.
Mrs. Budget, a short, choleric, corpu-
lent widow. spoke:
Squire Warren" she said, impress
sively, "do you know what awful doin's
has been a-goin' on here?"
The squire shook his head, with a won
dering expression.
Them impicus play actors has run
away an left their chill o. sin behind EN-,
an Althery Davies dom knaow no bet
tern to declar' she'll keep it-when /
knaows, an the Lord knows an we all
knaows it's all she kin do to keep soul and
body together now in her'n Try"
The convention at once resumed the
debate at the point where Mr.. Warren's
entrance had interrupted it. Almost oil