The Cairo bulletin., 1904-11-22
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See here and there on the nigh ledge
above us, little patches of snow-the
fading footprints of winter Day and
night we eculd hear the wings of the
wild fowl roaring in the upper air as
they flew northward. Summer was
comiEg-the summer of 1S12-and the
war with the British. The president
had called for hundred thousand vol
untecrs to 60 into training for battle
lie had also proclaimed there would be
no more whipping in the ranks. Then
my father told me that. since | could
have no peace at home, | should be off
to the war and done with 1t.
We were working near the road
that day Thurst Miles came gallop-
ing out Of the woods, waving his
cap at us. We ran to meet him
my father and ] and the children. He
pulled mp moment, his horse lathered
TO the ears.
"Injuns." he shouted Git out O.
here quick n mex fer the Corners,
Yen be all massacreed eff we don't"
Then he whacked the wet flank of
his horse with worn beech Dough, and
off he went.
We ran to the house in great panic.
! shall never forget the crying of the
children. Indians had long been the
favorite bugbear of the border country
Many winters evening we had sat in
the freight, fear-faeed, as my father
told Of the slaughter in Cherry Valley;
and, with the certainty of war, we all
looked for the red hordes of Canada
TO come. in paint and feathers.
Ray" my father called to me. as
he ran, "ketch the COW quick an bring
'er long.
caught her by the horn and brought
Ter TO the door quickly Mother was
throwing some clothes in a big bundle
Father met me with feather bed in
his arms. He threw it over the back
Of the cow and bound il on with bed
cord. That done, he gave me the lead
ing-rope to tie about her horns The
hoofs of the flying horse were hardly
out of hearing when we were all in the
road My mother carried the baby. and
my father his sword and rife and one
OF the little ones. i took the three
Older children and sci them on the
feather bed that was bound to the
back of the COW. They chung to the
beG-cord, their hair flying as the old
COW ran TO keep up with us. for at first
we were all running In moment we
could hear the voices of people coming
behind One of the women was weep
ing loudly as she ran. At the first
cross-road We saw AIRY Law and his
family coming. In as great a hurry as
we. Arv had a great pike-pole in his
hand It's upper end rose 20 feet above
his head.
What We goin' t dew with theft"
my father asked him,
Coin t run it through the fust In
jun | see, said he. Il We broke the
lock o my gun.
There was crow1 at Jerusalem
Four Corners when we got there.
Every moment some family was arriv.
ing in a panic--the men, like my ia
Their, with guns and babies and baskets
The women, with the young, took
refuge at once in the tavern, while the
men surrounded it, Inside the line
were youths, some oddly armed with
slings or clubs or cross-guns. | had
only the sword my father gave me
and mighty longing to use it. ArV
Law rested an end of his pike-pole
and stood looking anxiously for red
devils among the stumps of the far
Their clearing An old hint-lock, on the
shoulder of a man beside him, had
barrel half as long as the pole. Da-
vid Church was equipped with ak and
gun, that stood at rest on either side
OF him.
Evening came, and no sign of In
dams. While 1t was growing dusk
borrowed a pail of the innkeeper and
MIXED the COW, and brought the pail,
heaped with froth, to my mother, who
passed brimming cups of milk among
the children. AS night fell, we boys,
more daring than our fathers, crept to
the edge of the timber and set the
big sh-heaps afire. and scurried
back with the fear of redmeh at our
heels. The men were now sitting in
easy attitudes and had begun to talk.
Don't b'lieye there s no Iniuns
comm" said Bill Foster. Eff they
wus they'd come"
"Cordin e. my observation" said
Arv Law, looking up at the sky, In
iuns mos gen'slly comes when they git
reSdy."
An t amt when yer ready t hey
'em, nuther," said Lon Butterfield.
'B'lieve they come up n peeked out
o the bushes N see Arv with tibet
air pike-pole. n med up their minds
they hedn't better run up ag'in' it"
said Bill Foster. START 'em-thets
whuts tn matter"
Man ct meks light o this pole
oughtcr hev L carry it," said Arv, as
he sat inpassively resting it upon his
knee
"Cne thin s sure. said Foster; "ei
AIRY sh'u'd cuff an lnjun with tibet air
he'll sqa'sh i'm
Squ'sh inn" said Arv. with a look
Of disgust. "'Taint med t squ'sh with.
cal'late t pint It at EN- n jab'
And so, as The evening wore away
and sleep hushed the timid. a better