Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1905-01-26
An
Anxious Night

IT HE trouble began when Charles
| ii. was the English king, when
Maine was a part of the province of
Massachusetts, when the city OF Port
land was the little hamlet Of Cssco
Neck-just 100 years before the first
shot of the revolution.
Naturally the Indians resented the
encroachments of civilization, but the
final incentive to the outbreak known
as king Philips war" is not definite
ly settled. Neither is the reason
known why that chief chose to change
the Indian name to philip" That
does not matter Certain 1t is, how
ever, that after his death atrocities
were committed by his followers for
which he was not responsible.
At that tme-1676-the territory
lying between the Piscataqua and the
Kennebec rivers was at the mercy of
hostile Indians. The colonists found
themselves outnumbered, outwitted
and outgeneraled by enemies used to
fighting under cover of the forest
which was their home. In the sum-
mer of that year a farmer called An
thony Bracket, living at Back Cove"
on Casco Neck lost fine cow He
suspected that a neighboring band of
Indians had taken it, and reported his
loss to Simon, a chief of rather doubt
full reputation, but who professed
friendliness. Simon agreed very
readily to discover the offender, and
one morning he presented himself at
the farm in company with several
other Indians. Here are the fellows
who killed your cow" he said. There
upon the band rushed into the house
and seized the firearms and weapons
of every kind. That Mr.. Bracket did
not give them up without remon-
STRANGE one may be sure; but Simon
only answered: $50 it must be" and
informed him that they were all his
captives, and that resistance meant
death.
OF course hey chose the lesser evil,
and submitted with what patience was
possible. Mr. Brackets arms we're
securely bound to his side, but his
wife was spared that painful ordeal
because she was Obliged to carry her
baby. The negro servant, Jared, was
made a sort of pack-horse for the
plumber which was taken. The chill
dren trotted along beside them. II
was a sul.ry August morning. The
sun was hot and the path rough, as
they slowly and YEARLY skirted the
cove
When they reached the north shore,
they encountered another Indian band
in high glee over the recent capture
of a house on the Kennebec, well
stored with provisions and spirits. AS
they boosted of their booty, Simon be-
came impatient to share the prize. He
began to regret the encumbrance of
his prisoners, whose progress was
very slow. After consultation with
his friends, therefore, Simon proposed
to his captives that they follow by
themselves. and even offered them a
part of the spoils if they would also
bring the loads they were now carry
ing. He assured them that escape
was impossible since the forest was
infested with spies to prevent such
an attempt. Mr.. Bracket accepted
the suggestion with eagerness, but his
wife was more wary. She seemed
reluctant to be left without an escort,
and hesitated to close with the offer
Simon grew the more urgent, and
finally consented to leave them some
food, and also to allow Jared to re-
main with them Impatient to be
gone, Simon hastily assented to this
arrangement, and soon the sorry lit
tie family was left alone to pursue
their way at their leisure.
They had not travelled very far
when they came upon an old canoe
or rather the remains OF canoe, for
many of its seams were gaping, and
there were cruel rents in its sides At
first sight they hailed it joyfully as a
means of escape, but upon examina-
ton the idea was given up. 1t had
evidently belonged to a deserted house
near by, in which the tired travellers
were glad TO rest awhile, and which
had apparently been abandoned in
haste. Traces of the former inmates
were many, A pot still hung upon
the crane over the dead embers. I'm
washed dishes stood upon the dresser.
A baby's shoe lay on the floor. Near
a rude cradle was a table on which /
4 woman's work-basket was over
turned. Mrs. Bracket sighed, as she
righted II mechanically, her thoughts |
Tar away. Suddenly she uttered lit
lie cry. Here was the way OF escape!
She had found a needle and a skeln of |
thread, and she could mend the old |
sanoe. True, the needle was rusty and |
he thread knotty-perhaps rotten;
but at least there was the chance,
md she could try.
No time was lost In beginning. !
Jared was sent to fetch the boat. with