Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-12-08
hook IIl-ARRIvlNe.

with blockhouses at the angles, and gate
| opening toward the river. Within, besides
| the garrison of a hundred and sixty men,
| were various refugees, driven like our
family to the fort. And there, coming
heartily from the commandments quarters
TO receive me, was George Croghan stu
| a boy in appearance, though intrusted
| with this dangerous post His long face
had darkened like mine. We looked each
| other over with the quick and critical
scrutiny of men who have not met since
boyhood, and laughed as We grasped
hands.
You are as welcome to the inside of
this bearpen." said Major Croghan. "as
i you made me the to the outside OF the one
in the wilderness"
1T hope you'll not give me such an
/ other tramp after shelter for the night
as I gave YOU" said.
The best in Fort Stephenson is yours.
| But your rest depends on the enemy. A
runner has just come in from the general
warning me Proctor and Tecumseh are
/ turning their attention this way. m
ordered to evacuate. for the post is con-
/ sidered too weak to hold"
| How soon do you march?'
''I don't march at all. stay here. I'm
| going to disobey orders"
eff you are going to disobey orders. you
have good reason for doing So"
/ i nave. III was TOO ldlc " iGliCde' IA
/ going to fight. 1 hear, Lazarre, you
/ know how to handle Indians in the French
way"
''NIy dear Croghan. you insinuate the
American way may be better"
1T is, on the western border. 1t may
not be on the northern"
Then you would not have advised my
attempting the Indians here?"
IT shouldn't have discouraged 1t. When
1 got the secret order, 1 said: Bring the
French-bring the MISUNDERSTANDING
anything that will cut the comb Of Te-
cumsehr'
The missionaries and the French like
being classed with-anything." said.
Were Americans here" Croghan
laughed. 1.-THE dauphin may have to fight
i in the ditch with the rest of u.s..
"The dauphin is an American, to, and
used to scars as you know. Can you
give me any news from Green Bay In the
| Wisconsin country"
IT was ordered to Green Bay last year
to see If anything could be done with old
Fort Edward Augustus"
Does my Holland court-lady live
there?''
mot now" he answered soberly. She's
dead
That's bad" 1 said. thinking of lost
opportunities.
rs pretty Annabel de Chaumont ever
coming back from France"
mot now. she's married"
That's worse he sighed. II was very
silly about her when / was a boy"
We had our supper in his quarters, and
he busted himself until late in the night
with preparations for defense. The whole
| place was full of cheer and plenty of
game, and swarmed like little fair with
moving figures. A campfire was built at
dark in the center of the parade ground,
heaped logs sending their glow as far
as the dark pickets. Heads of families
drew towards it while the women were
putting their children to bed; and soldiers
of duty were lounged there the front Of
the body in light, the back in darkness.
Cool forest night air flowed over the
stockade, swaying smoke this way and
that AS the fire was stirred, and smoke
turned to fame, it showed more and more
distinctly what dimness had screened.
A man rose up on the other side OF it,
clothed in a coffee sack, in which holes
were cut for his head and arms. His hat
was a tin kettle with the handle sticking
out behind like a stiff queue.
Indifferent to his grotesqueness, he took
II of and put it on the ground beside him,
standing ready to command attention.
He was a small. dark. wiry man. bare
footed and barelegged, whose black eyes
sparkled. and whose scanty hair and
breast. Some pokes of leather. much
scratched. hung bullying from the rope
which girded his coffee sack. From one Of
these he took few unbound leaves, the
fragment of a book. spread them open,
and began to read in a chanting, prophet
ic key. something about the love of the
Lord and the mysteries of angels. His
listeners kept their eyes on him, giving
an indulgent ear to spiritual messages
that made less demand on them than the
violent earthly ones to which they were
accustomed.
Its Johnny Appleseed," man at my
side told me. as If the name explained
anything he might do.
When Johnny Appleseed finished read
ing the leaves he put them back in his
bag, and took his kettle to the well for
water He then brought some meal from
the cook-house and made mush in his
hat.
The others, turning their minds from
future mysteries began to talk about
present danger, when he stood up from
his labor to inquire:
as there plenty in the fort for the
children to eat?"
Plenty. Johnny, plenty" several voices
assured him.
Il can go without supper if the children
haven't enough"
Eat your supper, johnny, Major Crog-
han VIII give you more III you want IL,
said a soldier.
And well give you jerked Britisher,
II you'll wait for it," said another.
Johnny never eats meat" one of the
refugees put in. He thinks it's sinful
to kill critters. All the things in the
woods likes him. Once he got into boiler
log to sleep, and some squirrels warned
him to move out, they settled there first;
and he done It, / don't allow he'd pick
a flea of his own hide for fear he'd break
its leg so II couldn't hop around and make
a living"
The wilderness prophet sat down quiet
| ~ to his meal without appearing to notice
what was said about him; and when he
had eaten, carried his hat into the cook
house. where dogs could not get at his
remaining porridge.
Now he'll save that for his breakfast"
remarked another refugee. There's
nothing he hates like waste"
Talking about squirrels" exclaimed the
man at my side, Il believe he has a
| pasture for old, broke-down horses some
where east in the hills All the beasts he
can find he swaps young trees for. and
they go of with him leading them, but he
never comes into the settlements on horse
back"
Does he always go barefoot" asked.
Sometimes he makes bark sandals. If
you give him a pair of shoes he'll give
/ them away to the first person that can