Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1894-04-02

which brook meandered with low
musical gurgles. Alders lined the
valley, and the trunk of fallen tree
of huge dimensions lay beside the
narrow path.
ssIndians, Indians!" rose from the
white lips of Ezra Kimbal as he
sprang backward. He had caught the
glimpse of red legs behind the alder
bushes.
Instantly a dozen SavageS rose up
from their hiding place behind the
fallen tree trunk and the copse of al
ders. Before Laban could spring out
of the way or in any way shrink from
the encounter he was seized. 4 stall
wart brave leaped after Ezra, who had
taken to his heels through the brush
wood. The pioneer boy heard his red
foe lust behind him. How should he
escape his clutches? He had but
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 It was done SO quickly that the
Indian could not turn or evade the
stumbling block in his way. He
pitched headlong over it and fell
PROSTATE upon the earth. With
sharp fierce yelp Rover rushed upon
the fallen savage, thro5tling and tear
ing him in terrible manner.
In the excitement Ezra sprang to
| his feet and dashed off.
s'Run TO the fort and arouse the set
tlers!" shouted Laban after him.
But Ezra did notneed the incentive.
A few shots were fired after him, but
he escaped without scratch to alarm
the settlement.
Not SO fortunate was Laban. He
was led away through the wilderness.
His captors travelled all that night,
never hating till they were miles
from the little settlement on the Mer-
rimac.
The band OF warriors had been de-
tached from large war party, and in
the morning the two bands united,
halted where two streams met and
cooked hasty breakfast. They then
continued their march, arriving at
the end of a weeks time at an Indian
village on the northern extremity OF
Lake Champlain.
There, after time, the young cap
tive was formally adopted into the
Indian tribe, an old chief taking him
into his own wigwam as a son.
Those were dark days for Laban
Whitaker, but he manfully repressed
his grief and appeared content. Lit
tie prospect was there of his ever be-
ing able to return to his home.
Many a time he awoke from his
sleep with shudder at the thought of
the life before him. He resolved to
seize the first opportunity to escape.
But, oh, the hopeless waiting!
Taught cunning by the crafty savag-
es, he made the best of his situation.
He went hunting and fishing with the
Indians and rapidly became favorite
in the village. The red squaws plait-
ed rich mats for his wigwam and |
made handsome leggins and mecca
sins for their young, palefaced brother. |
The months sped by, summer and
autumn passed, and the cold northern
winter set in. One December day |
when the ground was frozen hard and |
the lake was one sheet Of glittering |
ice band Of warriors returned from /
a foray they had made among the |
white settlements to the southwark. |
no
lage over the scalps and the plumber.
1t made the white boys heart throb
as he recognized among the spoil, IA
miliar articles Of household use
shears, knives, housewife and pair
of candlesticks, such as he had often
seen in home at Penacook. But what
gave him the greatest start was that |
he saw dangling from one huge red
SKINS belt a string Of shining steel |
skates.
Evidently none of the Indians had
ever seen any Of these articles before.
They crowded around the lucky war
rior whose prize they were and ex-
amined them with the greatest curl
osity. What were they? What was
their use? The warriors could not
tell
Does the young paleface know?
questioned the braves as they gath
cred about the young captive.
Laban touched the skates reverent-
Iy and answered that he knew their
use very well.
'FSpeak, my son!" cried the old
chief who had adopted him. "Tel my
nation what are these pieces of