The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-11-12

Indians, hideously dAu9ed with war
paint, absolutely naked, and they we're
dancing Ia the moonlight, brandisllIng
rifles and clubs and tomaliawks, and
were yelling like cacodemons. =
Dr. Perrinc did not lose his self.
control. Quickly extinguishing the
the light, hc hurried his family tn the
batl,ouse. The perrinc house, like all
Of the dwellings on the island, was
built out over the water, on stout piles
driven into the sand, and was ap.
preached by u bridge. The space bc.
meath the house was boarded, forming
a large bathtub, which was reached
by u trap door and u fight Of steps.
Closing the trap door on his family,
DR.. Perrine asccnded to the platform
On t0pof the house and addressed the
Indians In their own language. The
Seminoles listened quietly, and the
refugees 10 the bathhOuse were re.as.
surcd.
The Doctors voice ceased. There
was a ringing whoop, a shot, and his
lifeless budy plunged downward to the
water. Then there was a rush for tho
house. The rooms were searched and
the trembling women below could
hear the cries OF rage and disappoint-
ment. Once the trap door was lifted
and an Indian pcered down into the
darkness, but the four figures huddled
In one corner escaped his lynx eyes,
which were accustomed to the gloom
Of the everglades. Then the house
was set on fire and the fugitives had
only one way to escape. Adjoining
the bathOuse, separated from II by
one side Of the stOckadc, was a SINH
lur inclosure, used as a turtle-kraal,
where turtles and fish were kept,
which was rs necessary there as poul.
try yards arc In this climate. Young
Perrine managed to remove several Of
the stakes, and the family crawled
into the kraal. For three hours they
sat In the uncomfortable quarters,
hardly daring to draw a long breath,
and listening to the cracking Of the
flames and the shouts OF the savagcs.
At last the boards above them began
to burn, and they were forced to the
extreme end Of the kraal, where they
stood up tn their necks In water.
Young Perrinc knew Tint it meant
death to remain In the kraal, and he
determined to make an effort tn cs-
cape. Removing n pOrtlon Of the
sttckadc, he crawled out of the kraal
and made his way along the beach.
She sun was just rising above the
horizon, and the Seminolcs were 50
busily engaged In plundering the other
houses that they did not see the boy.
He went h the boathouse and drag
gcd out q fOur-oarcd skiff. 1t was
only a moments work to help his
mother and two sisters through tho
kraal and into the boat, and they were
soon speeding down the bay toward
tile open sea.
They had gone about a mile when
their fight was discovered by the In.
dians, and there was an immediate
pursuit. The boy and his sister
rowed with phenomenal strength; but
the light canoe, manned by half.
dozen Orawny savagcs, gained On them
rapidly. Nearer and nearer they ap-
preached to the open sea, and nearer
and nearer crept the canoe. Exhaust.
ed with the violent struggle, they
were about to give up the attempt,
when vessel rounded the point Of an
island, flying the Stars and Stripes al
her peak. 1t was the United States
frigate OtsegO, commanded by Lieut.
Francis Key Murray. A shot was hred
from q howitzer on the deck, and the
Indians retrcated. The fugitives were
taken on board and conveyed to Ke.
West.
The murder Of DR.. Pcrrine created
a great stir in the North, and tho
government prosecuted the Seminole
war with more than usual vigOr. Thu
prominent chiefs were captured ant
the major portion OF the tfibes wal
transported to a Western reservation
The Perrine family came North ant
settled IN Palmyra, N. Y, their nativ,
town. Henry Perrine is now q retiret
business man, and with his sccOnt
wife, who was Mrs. Folsom, lives,
believe, 10 Buffalo.
JOHN NORTHERN HILLIARD.
A Western paper prints the follow
Ing marriage queries: "Wilt thu