The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-08
A HORRIBLE YELL, AND

I myself have known the weather to
be SO cold there that ice formed in the
river more than six feet thick.
1t was about the middle of August,
1777. that a messenger came to Mr..
Spafford's farm and told how Burgoyne
had been travelling southwark from
Canada with thousands of British regu-
lars and many hundreds of Indian allies
who were wild with desire to kill,
scalp and burn. The messenger added
that one Of the savages, a warrior so
tall and heavy as to be a giant, and
known as the Wyandotte Panther, had
murdered the beautiful daughter of a
Scotch clergyman, Jenny McCrea, who
was visiting friend at Fort Edward.
After this act General BurgOyne had
lost control Of his Indians, and in small
bands they We're oyer-runnlng the
country. Mr.. Spafford must come at
once and join a company Of Vermont
farmers. who, under Colonel Stark
were going to protect their homes and
drive Indians and Hessians alike from
the country. So Mr.. Spahord vent
and was badly wounded at the battle
OF BENNINGTON. After that he was taken
home and stayed until winter came,
when he insisted that his wife and
daughters should go to make a long
visit in a large town some twenty miles
away.
Thus it happened that when New
Years day came David Spafford and
his father were living alone in the
farmhouse. taking care Of the horses
and cows. and hoping each morning
word would be brought that peace had
been declared.
one night while they were in bed they
heard a man shouting and kicking at
the door. David jumped up and let him
in. He was a farmer who lived five or
six miles further in the mountains. His
clothing was torn. his face was covered
with blood, and he had snowshoes on
his feet.
7 can't stop!' he cried out. ct only
came TO let you know that Indians have
burned my house and murdered all my
family, and I am now fleeing for my
life. They viii soon be here and you
must start at Onee!"
Then he turned and sped into the
darkness again. For a moment David
stood as if stunned. The awful news
completely terrified him; but no time
was to be lost. He glanced up the
mountainside, and the clouds away off
glared with the reflection of the burn
ing buildings. The lad knew it would
be simply impossible for his father to
escape on snowshoes, for his wounds
had left him so stiff in both legs that
he could scarcely walk about the house.
Yet something must be done at once.
In such a time ones wits work quick
". and David Spafford had with to
spare He suddenly remembered that
he had pair of snowshoes exactly like
those worn by the man who had given
the alarm. So ne dressed rapidly and
put on, the snowshoes and ran back and
forth between the house and the barn
several times, making half a dozen
tracks in the snow. Then he took the
horses and COWS out Of the barn and
laid the whip on them so vigorously
that they ran out toward the road as
fast as they could go. By this time
Mr. Spafford had managed to dress
himself.
Good he said to his son. Now,
do you think you can carry me to the
barn2''
sI'H try" David replied, and, taking
his father on his back like a sack OF
-four, he succeeded in getting him TO
the barn and buried in the hay NOV.
ITS growing colder" said Mr.. Spaf-
ford. aand if the crust keeps harden
ing on the snow we have one chance OF
escape. Haul the bobsied across the
barn floor until it is just in front OF
that door IN the rear, then bring our