The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1905-08-31
CHAPTER ".

see, here and there on the high ledge
above us, little patches OF snow-the
/ fading footprints Of winter. Day and
night we could hear the wings Of the
wild fowl roaring in the upper air as
they flew northward. Summer was
coming-the summer of 1S12-and the
war with the British. The president
had called for a hundred thousand vol
unteers to go into training for battle.
He had also proclaimed there would be
no more whipping in the ranks Then
my father told me that, since 4 could
have no peace at home. should be of
to the war and done with It,
We we're working rear 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 up a moment, his horse lathered
10 the ears.
"Injuns," he shouted cit out o.
here quick n mex fer the Cornersl
Yen be all massacreed ef ye don't"
Then he whacked the wet flank OF
HIS horse with a worn beech bough. and
on he went.
We ran to the house In a great panic.
shall never forget the crying Of the
children. Indians had long been the
favorite bugbear of the border country.
Many a winters evening We had sat In
the freight. fear-faced, 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
be 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 a feather bed in
his arms. He threw II over the back
Of the COW and bound II on with a bed
cord. That done. he gave me the lead
| iag-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. l took the three
older children and set them on the
feather bed that was bound to the
back Of the COW. They chung to the
BEDFORD, their hair flying, as the old
COW ran to keep up with US, for at first
we we're all running. In a 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 Arv Law and his
family coming, in as great a hurry as
we. Arv had a great pike-pole in his
hand. Its upper end rose 20 feet above
his head.
What ye goin' t dew with thet?"
my father asked him.
Coin { run IL through the fust In
jun see" said he. II We broke the
lock O. my gun"
There was a crowd 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
/
were youths, some oddly armed with
sings or clubs or oross-guns. had
only the sword my father gave me
and mighty longing to use 1t. 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 fiint-lock. on the
shoulder of a man beside him. had a
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 brush-heaps afire, and scurried
back with the fear OF redmen at our
heels. The men were now sitting in
easy attitudes and had begun to talk.
Don't blieve there s no Injuns
comm" said Bill Foster. eft they
wus they'd come"
"Cordin' t my observation" said
Arv Law, looking up at the sky, "In-
juns mos gen'ally comes when they git
ready"
IAN Z amt when yer ready T. hev
EN-, nuther." said Lon Butterheld.
"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. "Scairt 'em-thet's
whut's tn matter"
Man ct meks light o. this pole
oughter hev Z carry It." said ArV. Al