The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-08-17

finder TO light his pipe.
Two or three years later Kenton was
again a prisoner in the hands of the red
men. Bound hand and foot he was about
to be burned at the stake. As a last re-
quest he called for his pipe. His hands
were loosed, so that he might use his
flint, steel, and finder. He waved away
the savage who was bringing them; he
extended his hands toward the sun,
and made an incarnation. The glass,
unseen by the savages, was circled by
his thumb and forefinger. The tobacco
in the bowl began to burn. Great clouds
of smoke were soon rolling from Ken
tons mouth. The Indians We're amazed
Never had they seen a pipe lighted
without fire.
Smoking out the pipe, the willy NEGRO
mancer again mysteriously lighted it.
One of the Indians holder than the 9TH
ers. approached for the purpose of max
ing sure of the deer thougs that tied
the feet-footed Kenton. AS he bent over
the captive to do this the burning glass
was focused upon his head. There was
a smell OF burning hair and flesh. The
Indian jumped to his feet. rubbing his
Kenton set the leaves at his side on fire.
He struggled to his feet and beekoned
the -ndiain 10 unbind his ankles. The
frightened savage dared not refuse the
request of this wonderful medicine man.
Kenton approached the heap of fagots
prepared for his roasting. The Indians
quickly got out OF his way. They hid
themselves. shuddering, behind the trees
70 watch this worker OF magic.
Waving his arms above his head, he
picked UP a powder horn than had been
dropped by one of the ssvages He trail
ed some Of the powder along the ground.
Again the bun Hing glass was to work
wonder. Focused on the powder, there
came an explosion and the horn was
blown to pieces. This was too much for
the red men. Fearing that worse was
coming. they gave a wild shrek and fed.
Kenton did not tarry 10 see the course
they took. He ran through the bushes
and took his way unopposed to the white
settlements.
When the Indian wars were over Ken
ton. brave and generous backwoodsman
that he was. experienced much the same
men that was given TO Daniel Boone.
After the Indians were gone a rapacious
set of land grabbers and spectators
came in. Lands which Kenton had
bought were lest to him through tech
meal flaws OF title he was even i'm
pFisonea Tor debt near the place where he
had raised the first cabin. planted the
FIRST corn. and where he had met tae
savages in many a fight.
This was in KentuckS. which he had
long considered his home Beggare6. by
lawsuits and losses, he removed 10 Ohio
about the year lSoo
IN Chic for a time he was held in uauoh
regard. Notwithstanding his poverty. He
was a soldier in the war of lSls. and for
a time was : brigsdier general in the
state militia After the war Of - as
II was called. he returned 70 his cabin IN
the woods near UFbana, Ohio IN 1870 he
moved 10 Mad river. in sight Of the cid
Indian town CT Wapnatomiee, where he
had once been tied 10 the stake
Even here the poor old nan was pur-
sued by judgments and executions fre-a
ne Kentucky courts He stiu had some
tracts o. mountain lands IN that state.
but they had been forfeited for taxes.
though the amount 81 such taxes would
today De considered riGiculousav small
He trisd borins for salt. These ventures
were failures His last resource vas to
Apply 70 the Kentucky legislature % re-
lease the forfeiture
In 1874 = broken eid man ef seventy