The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-09-02

| WHICH StOOu nlIn III SUCH SOOu StedC
upon that one eventful crisis in bis
life-the unique and savage combat
in which he figured, and to which
shall arrive in due time.
Years sped onward with Sam Plum
mer, varied with many almost equal
ly startling hair breadth escapes from
Indians, from panthers, from rattle
snakes even; for Sam declared thai
these reptiles were then SO numerous
in his surveying expedition that he
could hardly step over log in the
forest without hearing one; and he
had to stuff the legs of his trousers
with leaves, so that their fangs should
not reach his skin; and yet through
all thesa perils Sam fourished, al
though years began to tell on his ap-
pearance The buffalo gradually dis
appeared, leaving only their skulls
and stamping grounds"-bare spots
of earta where they had killed the
growth under foot by stamping" to
keep off the fiies-to mark where they
had been; and other changes were
fast taking place.
With the departure of the trapper
and with the other 81 gns of advancing
civilization, neighbor began to plant
themselves almost within sight of
Sans home near the Three Forks.
Simon Kenton had gone eff to Ohio,
and was dead; although, as Sam re
lated, the famous pioneer, within his
own knowledge, he was routed out OF
his camp about thirty miles west of
Big Sandy, one morning, the Indians
coming upon him so suddenly that he
didn't have chance to even seize up
on his gun, compelling him to run
and walk-after hot chase by the
savages-some seventy miles that day
and night, before he fell in with par
ty OF hunters who could furnish him
food and other relief. It was 80 sud-
den aid clean sweep of his entire
hunting geaa that the veteran appear
ed quite ashamed of it; and Sam de
clared that his friend never liked to
about surprise so disastrous as
that
Next, Sam missed Boone, who had
found home and a grave in Nilsson
ri; while of many others who had
shared his perils apd adventures,
scarcely any were left.
And now | must introduce to nv
readers one more parsonage, whose
agency in bringing about the fight
adverted to in the beginning of this
chapter, was more passive than active
INT OF i'll rn0I. For hon, o0,,1l L al l.
erwise when woman is in the case
a pretty woman at tbat-or how could
mischief occur between man and man
without woman being at the bottom
Ofite
Miss Ann Harlan, then, was belle
and a beauty in her own neighbor
hood, the vicinity of thA Thl-es Forks
And as to her loOks-sne was rather
tall, yet slim and 1.-THE; and, although
her feet and hands were not of fairy
proper. ions, yet her fine oval face,
abundant brown hair, laughing bIne
eyes and the merry expression that sat
on her dimpled cheeks, had made the
heart of many rustic observer at
public gatherings beat uncommonly
fast. And yet nothing Of coquette,
Ann had not sought to do the mis-
chief, of which. as it resulted, she was
unwittingly the cause.
Blu: perhaps | should have stated
ere this the circumstanC es which pro
ceeded TIE catastrophe. Happening
in the neighborhood of Three Forks,
to get the veteran surveyor to look
into the particulars of some old land
lines in another part of Kentucky,
had stopped over night with him and
from his merry quips and pranks
soon found he was, like Keats old
Lord Maurice.
Not whl. the tanner for all of his gray hair
Riding cut together the next morn
ing, we encountered his old comrade
and neigbor, Tom Rose; and l could
not avoid observing that the greeting
between the two was about as dry as
wonld be the rubbing together of two
brickbats. Then Sam remarked, with
curious and funny twinkle in his
blue eye, with his head cooked to one
side:
"Tom Rose and me had fight the
other day"
"About what7" was my natural and
surprised qnery.
about gal"
Nodding my desire for explanation
Sam continued:
You see, Rose was courtin' Ann
Harlan, and l heerd talk of it. Hap
pening over at her fathers house, not
long ago, said:
$50, Miss Ann, Tom Rose is cour
TIM you, is hes
| Yes, said she, laughing.
but you'd better have me, Miss
Ann. Pm cider than Tom, but I'm
smarter
"'All right, I'll have you, MIR. Plum
mer,' was Ann's reply.
WELL" continued Sam, IL though
no more of it until few days ago
when was out in my field stackins
oats. Seeing Tom come MARCHING
into the field on quick step. but sill
suspecting nothing, yet being theI
just through with my task. slid dowl
from the stack, when, without wore
l jill pltCuCs AuUO AuC. A1bcI q ulgQCN
hard fight l whipped him, havlnl
ended it by knocking out the onl1
tooth Tom had in his jaws. Tha
seemed to satisfy him, for he picke.
up the old snag and mached out o
the field with it in his hand, An,
now the very next time l meet Tor
Rose at Ann Harlan's, mean to max
him take her by the ear-as b
would horse that had been adjnde
ed to me- and hand her over to m
regularly, or I'll whip him againw
| And one of these two gray heade,
bo. who fought this remarkable bat
tie for n gal,'' one, Sam Plummel
was only 81 years of age Tom Ros
S2!-need l add, both widowers7
But this WAS not the last of Sam
bOyish pranks. Having occasion
take him a horseback j urney of fnearl
$50 miles from his home. near th
: Three Forks, in order to verify an oil