Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-06-28
JACK-O-LANTERNS.
They Frightened Away Band or Mur'
derous Redskins.

They Frightened away CanA "a
derous Redskins.
A correspondent recounts the
thrilling experience OF two e1rls'
Prudence and Endurance Place, twin
sisters, who lived in the Cocheco val
lev nearly two hundred years ago. AZ
that time the country from PorJs-
mouth to Cssipee was an unDroken
wilderness. and settlers were few IN
the beautiful valley.
The Place family lived in log
house in a small clearing. Indians
occasionally called at the house; out
Mr.. Place treated them courteously,
and never sent them away empty
handed. When Prudence and En-
durance we're IA years of age, MI.
and Mrs. Place, with the younger
children, went on visit to Ports
mouth, leaving the twins to keep
house.
During the first day of their home
keeping the girls gathered the big
yellow pumpkins from the field, ana
laid them in a pile near the back
door. While resting from their Ia
Dor. they amused themse YES by cut
ting two hideous "jack-o'-lanterns"
from large pumpkins, each seeking
to Guido the other in carving the
grotesoue features. They stuck them
on poles, fixed the candles inside,
and made ready to astonish their
father on his return by showing the
grinning ogres at the window. lie
would know what they were, for he
had taught them to make "jack-o-
lanterns.
While Endurance prepared the
simple supper and set the house to
rights for the night, Prudence went
out to drive home the cows and
sheep. She had to go further than
she had expected, and, as she came
near brook. she was startled to see
three Indians on the other side, talk
ing earnestly, gesticulating, and
pointing now and then towards the
log house in the clearing.
Prudence was alarmed at their sus-
picious conduct. Turning back, un-
perceived by them, she fed home
ward, and told her sister what she,
had seen. They've found out father
an mother have gone away, an
they're comm here to steal, an per-
haps kill u.s." they said to each other.
For minute the frightened girls
knew not what to do. The "iack-O-
lanterns" were lying in a corner of
the room, and, like an inspiration 1T
occurred to Endurance that with
these horribly grinning faces they
could scare away the Indians. Quick
ly they decided what to do. Near
the back door was pit dug for stor-
ing potatoes, now covered with board
and brush. Taking their "jack-o'-
lanterns" they scrambled into the
pit, and concealed the entrance clev-
erly by drawing the boards and brush
into place.
After what seemed hours of wait
ing and listening, the girls heard
stealthy steps about the house, which
was in total darkness Then, listen
ing intently, they heard the Indians
in the garden, evidently searching
for them. Now was the moment for
action!
The candles were lighted in the
"jack-o'- Lanterns, and they were
thrust up through the brush. The
Indians caught glimpse of the
frightful faces. and, filed with super.
stitious terror, fed. believing they
had seen devils. In the morning,
when Prudence and Endurance vent
ured forth from their concealment,
they found in the garden a tOma
hayUl1 and three aaUlp'S feathers
The spot was ever afterward regarded
with superStitious awe by the Indi
ans. not enc of whom was ever known
to approach the log house Of the
Places