Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1892-08-11

the first canoes that came up the Merri-
mac brought the news that war was de-
clared with France. The weapons and
defenses were duly looked to, but no
precautions were taken, for it was long
months journey through the wilderness
TO Canada; besides it was not likely the
enemy would move at once.
May Day came at last and tall May
pole decorated with wreaths of flowers
and stripes of colored cloth stood in the
broad stretch Of greensward before the
gate of the stockade. Around this pole
the children danced and played old
English games. A bountiful outdoor
repast called the merrymakers from
their fun. Hastily eating what was
placed before them, the older negroes
left the others at the feast. Going
across the clearing they disappeared
among the heaps of rocks at the foot of
the craggy hills. All the mysterious
things Sam Quashee had been laboring
upon for the past months evidently were
hidden in the cliffs. The children i'm
patiently awaited the advent of the
weird procession whose grotesque
strangeness would cause them that de-
ightful terror all children enjoy.
An hour passed, but as yet there were
no signs of life about the heaps of rocks
The delay was unaccountable. SaI
Quashee's oldest boy, Bob, proposed that
they start across the fields to meet the
delayed procession. The other chill
dren eagerly agreed, and off they all
started.
Picking their way over the soft
plowed land, they went toward the
hills, all the time on the alert, expect.
ing to turn and flee at any moment be-
fore the approach of the Mumbo
Jumbo.
"Why, they are not at the cliffs at
ALL said Mary Clark when the chill
dren had reached the middle of The
clearing. Look over the edge of
pines"
Sure enough, they could see dark fig
ures among the burned trees at the bor-
der of the forest hastily concealing
themselves from the gaze of the little
crowd so suddenly turned upon them.
81 saw emp cried Luke Sanborn.
Zone of 'em had feather hat on.
could see it just as plain, but didn't
see anybody on stills with false face.
Let's go over"
"It's too far away to see any stills OF
false faces and we had better stay here,
said Patience Tenney, the oldest of the
group.
Just at that moment there sounded
from the fort the harsh blare of the
trumpet used to call the laborers from
the fields at mealtime. Looking back
the children saw a sudden flash of fame
and deep roar of cannon reverberated
among the hills. The next instant the
crackle of musketry came family from
the Merrimac: it was answered from
the fort; a blood curdling war whooI
burst from the edge of the clearing neal
them and three Indian warriors raised
from among the stumps and came leap
ing toward them!
Almost before they could turn toward
the fort loud drum peals sounded from
the rocks at the foot of the hills. AS il
in reply to the war whoops there rang
forth the wild, savage, African battle
cry. There stalked forth into the clear
ing two immense, hide0us giants, &C
companied by four strangely bedecket
creatures beating on tomtoms an(
screaming forth the battle cry of tn
Ansgari cannibals. Fearful, huge, red
distorted gashes of mouths, knobby
black cheeks, terribly staring white
eyes, altogether diabolical faces hat
these two giants, stalking stiff1y out O
the clearing. Scarcely less terrifying
were the bepainted creatures with moos,
horns rising above their heads, wht
leaped and danced along before til,
giants.
Away, with loud shrieks, the children
rushed toward the fort. The Indian
halted amazed. The giants and thei
attendants halted too. They had jus
discovered the Indians. They hac
thought the firing of the cannon a salut
in honor of the day.
! The Indians hesitated, and the Mum
bo Jumbos hesitated.
4 But one cannot stand still on stills
The tallest of the Mumbo Julnbos stag
gered forwardtand one of the Indian
turned and fled. The other giant ad
vanced, the attendants struck thei
drums again, and again the horrid Ans
gari war song pealed forth, and the sec
ond Indian followed the first. The thir,
Indian dropped on one knee, and befor
the Mumbo Jumbos could turn he drev
q bead and sent bullet crashin
through the wooden forehead of San
Quashee's mask.
The giant neither fell nor faltered
and with ,a,cry of terror the last Indial
rushed after his companions down th
river edge.
Slowly, as 'beftting their brave con
quests and the softness of the ground
the procession of Mumbo Jumbos passet
across the field and through the gate O
the fort where the children had just pre-
ceded them. The idols of Africa hat
overcome the redskins. The rising gen
Grafton of Clarks, Tennys, Sanborns ant
Marsdens would never doubt that fact.
Meantime the white coated body of
French officer went floating down tn
river, and two canoes rapidly disap
peared up the river. The attack upol
Fort Clark had been repulsed. The wa
with France had begun.-Atlanta Con
stitution.
What Good CJ0tI,es re- For