Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-02-09
WHITE MANS WINGS.

new country was fertile, and on a broad
plain in bend of the great river pros
/ porous little hamlet was growing.
The home of the Whitakers was one of
the Il garrison houses of Penacook. Dur
/ ing colonial times houses in a new settle
mcnt were built so as to be easily defended
III case of an attack from savages. Strong
walls of hewn timber, carried up as high
rs the roofs, were erected around each
I house, and at the corners were sentry box
es where some one of the family watched
when an Indian raid was Appreciated
Sometimes a number of dwellings were in
closed in such n fertilization.
I Laban was the youngest of family of
nine One of his elder brothers was grown
mp and married, but the young couple
made their home with his father In so
large a household it usually devolvcs on
one of the younger members to do the
chores. This part of the labor fell gcner-
ally upon I.aban.
But he was a stout, sturdy boy, quite
willing to perform the duties that fell to
him. These were to go TO the mill when
ever the family supply of rye and In
dian was exhausted, to cut and carry in
the firewood, and in summer time to weed
the garden and to herd the COWS.
There were no fenced Enclosures for pas
turage purposes in early Penacook The
cows of the settlers ran at large in the
woods and meadows, and the bows took
turns in guarding them through the day
and driving them up at night. As two
boys watched at Il time, and as there were
about a dozen lads in the settlement. it
consequently became Iabans turn once "A
week TO be out with the cows.
1t was not hard work, and when it was
not stormy weather Laban rather liked it.
The danger attending il was just sufficient
TO give certain ZeSt to the employment
for it was in the time of the French and
Indian war. Two or three years before
this Il band of Indians had lain in ambush
in the forest and shot down seven of the
settlers as they We're passing from the town
to IA garrison n few miles distant. Since
then although other settlements had felt
the scnurge. Penacook had not been mo-
Tested. Still the settlers were not uncon-
scious Of the danger that any day might
sweep down upon them.
Sentries stood ON guard day and night.
Every pioneer carried his musket to his
work in the fields, and on Sunday the con
gregation went armed to man to the lit
tie log meeting house. Even the minister
kept his liTelock by his side i'm the pulpit
as he read from the word of God. Such
was life ~ the New England frontier $50
years ago.
One bright June day Laban and another
boy named Ezra kimball went out togeth-
or to watch the cows Both boys had their
illntlock musketS, and with them went
Rover, a large brindled mastitf that be
longed to the Kimball lad
The cows had fed farther than was usu-
Al that day and when the long afternoon
drew to II close the boys were mile from
home. They had no thought of danger,
however, as they drove their lowing charge
through the bosky glades and along the
forest paths toward the little settlement.
The soft, balmy air was fun of charm.
The smoke rising from the chimneys of
the cabins down in the valley, where the
settlers wives were cooking their late sup
per, gave Il pleasant touch to the land
scape.
a great hush had suddenly come over
the forest. Not birds note was to be
heard. The stiffness, like that of Sab
bath, struck the boys attention, and they
looked at each other with sudden fear
blanching their tanned faces. Rover's
sharp bark in front treasured them how
ever, and they hurried on through the
glmmering twilight
Before them was little dell, through
which brook meandered with low, mu-
steal gurgles. Alders lined the valley, and
the trunk of a fallen tree of huge dimen
sions lay beside the narrow path.
Indians, lndiansn' rose from the white
lips of Ezra Kimball as he sprang back
ward. He had caught the glimpse of red
legs behind the alder bushes.
Instantly dozen savages rose up from
their hiding place behind the fallen tree
trunk and the cOpse of alders. Before La
ban could spring out of the way or in any
way shrink from the encounter he was
seized
stalwart brave leaped after Ezra, who
had taken to his heels through the brush
wood. The pioneer boy heard his red foe
just behind him. How should he escape
his clutches? He had but IA moment to
think, but it was long enough to save him.
He allowed himself to fall suddenly an
inert body across the wild wood path. 1t
was done so quickly that the Indian could
not turn or evade the stumbling block in
his way. lie pitched headlong over it and
fell PROSTATE upon the earth. With n sharp,
fierce yelp Rover rushed upon the fallen
savage, throttling and tearing him in
terrible manner.
III iho CAClAcHltnb Ezra SpfanG TO his
feet and dashed off.
Run to the fort and arouse the set
tlersN' shouted Laban after him.
But Ezra did not need the incentive A
few shots were fired after him, but he es-
capped without IA scratch to alarm the set
Element.
Not so fortunate was Laban. He was
led away through the wilderness. His
captors Travelled all that night, never halt
ing till they were miles from the little set
Element on the Merrimac
The band of warriors had been detached
from larger war party, and in the morn
ing the two bands united, halted where
two streams met and cooked hasty break
fast. They then continued their march,
arriving at the end of week s time at an
Indian village on the northern extremity
of Lake Champlan.
There, after time, the young captive
was formally adopted into the Indian
tribe, an old chic: taking him into his own
wigwam as a son.
Those were dark days for Laban Whita-
ker, but he manfully repressed his grief
and appeared content. Little prospect was
there Of his over being able to return to