The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1907-10-17


bricks as souvenir of a home of hero
ic memories-of happy memories. too,
If we except a single tragedy of the In
dian war. The great orchards were
gone, the old barns and their swallows.
Only the well remained and heap of
burned bricks and the blackcned out
line of the cellar wall.
1t was a house full of legends and
stories-wonder stories that once led a
stranger to look upon it with kind of
superstitious awe. 1t had its historic
lore, and, like all great colonial houses,
its ghost lore, but the most thrilling
legend associated with the old walls
was krown as 'The Two Brass Ket-
ties" The legend may have grown
with time, but it was well based on
historic facts and was often told at the
ample firesides of three generations of
Dorchester people.
The dinner, like Uncle Zebedee's
prayer. seemed never to end After the
many courses of food there was an
"and"-and pies and apples and nuts
and all sorts Of sweetmeats.
"Uncle Zebedee," piped.
"Well, dearie.''
"Aunt said that You would tell us the
story of the two brass kettles after din
ner''
"Why, dearfe; yes, yes. I've been
telling that story these eighty years,
come October. Didn't you never hear
It? I thought all little shavers knew
about that The two brass kettles--yes.
They're in the old cupboard now.
Bring them out, and will tell you all
about 'em. I shan't live to tell that
story many more years Maybe shall
never tell it again."
The servants brought out the two
kettles into the kitchen where we
could see them through the wide din
ing room door
PUT 'em in the middle of the fioo-
before the window" said Uncle Zebe-
dee. "There, that will do. That is
just where they were when the Indian
came You see the Window he
added.
1t had great, deep set easement.
Grapeyines half curtained it now on
the outside, and the slanting sun shone
through them, it's beams glimmering
on the old silver OF the table. 1t
was past the middle of the afternoon
of the shortening days of autumn
"You have all heard of Philips
war;" Continued Uncle Zebedee, leaning
forward from his chair on his crutch.
Everybody has. It destroyed thirteen
towns of the old colony and for two
years filled every heart with terror.
Philip struck here, there and every
! where. No one could tell where he
would strike next. The sight Of an
Indian lurking about in the woods or
looking out of the pines and bushes
| usually meant massacre.
Zone Sunday in July. in 1915. the
family went to meeting, leaving two
small children, boy and a girl. at
home in the charge of maid named
Experience The kitchen then was
as you see 1t now. The window was
/ open; the two brass kettles had been
secured on Saturday and placed bot
/ tom upward on the floor just as you
/ SEE tueul there.
.''It was a blazing July day. The
hayfelds were silent. There was an
odor of hayricks in the air, and the
bobolinks, suppose, teppled about in
the grass and red winged blackbirds
piped among the wild wayside roses
Just as they do now. l wish that you
could have seen the old hayfields in
the long July afternoons, all scent and
sunshine. 1t makes me long for my
boyhood again just to think of them
But shall never NOW again.
"Let me see. The two children were
sitting on the floor near the two ket-
ties. Experience was preparing dinner
and had made a fire in the great brick
oven, which heated the bricks, but did
not heat the room.
We'll, on passing between the oven
| and the window she CHANGED to look
| toward the road, when she saw a sight
that fixed her eyes and caused her to
throw UP her hands with horror. just
| like that"
Uncle Zehedee threw up both hands.
like exclamation points, and let his
crutch drop into his lap.
well, the maid only lost her wits
for a few moments. She flew to the
window and closed it and bolted the
door. Then she put one of the children
under one of the brass kettles and the
other child under the other kettle and
took the iron shovel and lifted it so and
| waited to see what would happen.
and"-
Uncle Zebedee lifted his crutch, like
an Interrogation point, and we could
easily imagine the attitude Of the ex-
cited maid.
| 1And-where was II"
'The children were under the two
brass kettles, and the maid was stand
| Ing with the fire shovel in her hand
Eo,' said aunt. "La. I've heard that
story ever since was little girl.''
Eyes, yes; have 1t all now,' said
Uncle Xebedee .'She was standing
with the fire shovel up SO, when she
discovered that the Indian had gun
| a gun.
"You see that old fintlock there over
the sideboard? used to fire it off ev-
cry Fourth of July, but the last time
fred it kicked me over once Don't
you never fire 1t, children. It always
kicked, but it never knocked me over
before. / don't think am quite as
vigorous as used to be, and
what did the maid do with th.
gun!" asked aunt.