The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-09-07
A WARWHOOP.

1 ~~~A
esque valleys Of eastern Connecticut
nestles the pretty, old fashioned village
of Windham. A century ago this was
one of the most important towns in the
state east of the Connecticut river. Here
were located the county Jail, the county
courthouse and other public institutions,
which, with it's prominent public men,
raised the town to a position of influence
and wide reputation.
During the last half century, or a Lit.
tie over, these institutions one by one
have been removed to more thriving cen.
tiers, bright and ambitious young mer
have sought other and more promising
fields of activity, and the town, once sc
important, has been shorn of its old
fame and power, until it has become
simply a relic of the good old times
n typical New England village, the ev
eryday existence Of which has become
dreamy and m~onotonous, and which
lives chiefly in its Evolutionary history.
A century and a half ago Squire Ell.
derkin and Colonel Dyer were the two
most prominent men of Windham and
were well known throughout the state,
Both were lawyers, both were promi
nent in public affairs, both were wealthy
for the times in which they lived, both
had large social followings, and both
were intensely jealous of each other.
Squire Elderkin was a tall, lean, bill.
E5as looking man, with heavy, raven
black hair and piercing dark eyes. He
was Of aristocratic lineage, and inman-
ner cold. selfish and ambitious. He was
q learned lawyer, an able advocate and
Il merciless wit. Few could give a more
rapierlike thrust than he-a thrust that
never failed to reach its mark and al
ways left a ranking wound and an ugly
scar.
Colonel Dyer was a different kind of q
man in every respect. In person he was
short and stout. He had q merry blue
eye, a beaming countenance and a good
word for every one. Few could tell a
better story or more surely make one
laugh without knowing the reason why.
Genial, happy. sociable, always bubbling
over with fun and good humor, he never
was happier than when surrounded with
company, and his wide circle of friends
always found him a royal entertainer.
AS a result he became one of the most
popular men in the state. His magnetic,
winning qualities were more than a
match for the squire's learning and
brilliancv.
Colonel Dyer was prominent, too, in
military as we'll as political matters.
Windham in those days was a frontier
town, and the red men caused a great
deal of anxiety at times. Whenever the
situation became threatening Colonel
Dyer was called to lead, and he always
proved a willing soldier and a skillful
commander.
Squire Elderkin was very envious of
the c%olonefs popularity and made him
the butt of many a keen, piercing shaft
of wit. The colonel in time became very
sensitive to these wounds, and although
hatred was foreign to his nature he con-
ceived a thorough dislike for the squire
and frequently IN defense made a sharp,
singing retort. The situation went ON
from bad to worse until finally there
was many a sharp encounter between
the friends of the contending parties.
The little town, which had hitherto been
blessed with happiness and contentment,
became a factious, quarrelsome commu-
nifty.
Where these divisions would have end
ed, if an event destined to make ..oli
Windham" famous had not interviewed.
no can tell.
The spring and early summer of 1868
was o season of intense anxiety for the
settlers of New England. The memo
rable French and Indian war, with its
unparalleled atrocities, was at it's height.
Massacres, in which whole villages were
destroyed, were of frequent occurrence.
Windham had been especially stirred
mp by the bloodcurdling reports that
were frequently borne from the north.
Several times rumors of threatened in
vasion by the warlike savages and their
more savage allies aroused the town to
u wild pitch of excitement. On these
occasions the villagers put implicit faith
IN the colonel's military sagacity and
leadership. He was always placed in
command, and his word was lawn
short, he was the Miles Standish of this
interior Connecticut town.
In early summer of this year the Con
necticut settlers were called upon to rem.
der additional assistance in the struggle
against the French. The French forts
at the north were now the objective
point, and Colonel Dyer Immediately be,
gan raising a regiment to help in the re.
duction of Crown Point. The men were
sant forward as fast as they enlisted
while Colonel Dyer remained to continue
raising recruits.
One dark, sultry night of this
bio year the long looked for and dreaded
crisis seemed at hand. Late in the even
ing an excited alarm was given by The
village parsons slave. The negro wa.
badly scared and rushed from house Il
house, wildly shouting: 1.-THE French arr
coming. The French are coming
The excited villagers ran to their win
dOws and doors and were met with /
din and roar that filled them with amaze
ment and terror. Such shrieks! Sucl
1n7laf, The yery heavens saornad Hl1oS