The Washington times., 1902-10-26

helped us put our horses under shelter
with his own.
1t was not often we had q woman'6
handiwcrk in corn bread and game to
feed ourselves upon. or bed covered
with homesoun sheets.
/ slept as the children slept. until .
voice rang in the clearing:
1.-The spirit of the Lord Is upon me,
and He hath anointed me to blow the
trumpet In the wilderness, and sound en-
alarm In the forest: for behold the
tribes of the heathen are round about
your doors, and a devouring fame fol-
loweth after them."
Every sleeper in the cabin sat upright
or stirred. We said in whispered chorus:
Johnny Appleseed!"
A tapping, light and regular. on the
window. followed. The man was on the
floor in a breath. heard the mother
cropping among the children, and whis-
pering:
Don't wake the baby!"
The fire had died upon the hearth. and
they lighted no candle. When Johnny
Appleseed gave his warning cry In the;
clearing, and his cautious tap on the
window. and was instantly gone to 9th!
er clearings and other windows. iei
meant that the Indians were near.
Skenedonk and l. used to the night
alarm and boots and saddle In hurry.
put ourselves in readiness to help the
family. / groped for clothing. and
showed small legs and arms into 1t. fhe
little creatures, obedient and silsnt.
made no whimper at being reused outI
of dreams. but keenly lent themselves to
the march.
We brought the horses, and put the
woman and children upon them. Ths]
very dogs. understood. and skunk around
our legs without giving mouth The
cabin door was shut after u without 1
noise, closing in what that family called
home; few pots and pans; patchwork
quilts; a spinning wheel; some benches:
perhaps a child's store of acorn cups
and broken yellow ware In log corner.
In a few hours 1t might be smok-
ing heap Of ashes; and the
world offered no other place so
dear. What we suffer for is enriched BY
our suffering until 1t becomes priceless.
So far on the frontier was this cabin
that no community biock-house stood
near enough to give It's inmates shelter.
They were obliged to go with Us to Fort
Stephenson.
Skenedonk pioneefed the all-night
struggle on an obscure trail: and he
went astray sometimes. through black
ness Of woods that rooted out the stars. !
We floundered in swales sponging full
of dead leaves, and drew back. scratch-
ing ourselves on low-hung foliage.
By dawn the way became easier and |
the danger greater. Then we paused |;
and lifted our rifles If twig broke j
near by. or fox barked. or wind rushed |
among leaves as a patter Of moccssins |
might come. Skenedonk and I. sure Of
the Northern Indians. were making ai
venture in the West. We knew nothing |
of Tecumseh's swift red warriors, ex-
cept that scarcely a year had passed
since his allies had tomahawked women
and children Of the garrison on the sand |
beach at Chicago.
Without kindling any fire we stopped
once that day to eat, and by good luck
and following the river reached that
Lower Sandusky which was called Fort
Stephenson about nightfall.
The place was merely a high stock
ade with block-houses at the angles, and
gate opening toward the river. With
in. besides the garrison Of hundred
and sixty men. were various refugees,
driven like our family to the fort. And
there. coming heartily from the COM
mandant's quarters to receive me was
George Croghan. still boy in appear
ance, though intrusted with this dan
gerous post. His long face had dark
ened like mine. We looked each other
over with the quick and critical scru-
tiny of men who have not met since /;
boyhood, and laughed as we grapsed |
hands.
You are as welcome to the inside Of |
this bear-pen," said Major Croghan. "as |
you made me to the outside of the one
in the wilderness
II hope you'll not rive me such an
other tramp after shelter for the night
as 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 genera, warning me Proctor and Te-
cumseh are turning their attention this
way I'm ordered to evacuate, for the
post is considered too weak to hold
How soon do you march,"
= don't march at all. l stay here.
I'm going TO disobey orders"
IF you're going to disobey orders, you
have good reason for doing so.''
Il have. 1t was too late to retreat.
I'm going to fight. l hear. Lasarre. you
know how to handle Indians In the
French way"
My dear Croghan. you insinuate the
American way may be BETTER
ut is. on the western border. 1t may
not be on the northern"
''Then you would not have advised my
the Indians here?H
When l got the secret order. sail:
Bring the French-bring the mission
aries-bring anything that will cut the
comb of Tecumseh,'"
"The missionaries and the French