The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-06-28

and agreed that it would be best II
tell her that her husband had doubt
less been killed by the Indians, no
mentioning that he had been first tor
tured
As the Aborn family had increased
the father, who at times had beer
troubled with insomnia. had slept IL
room by himself. Mrs. Aborn. wht
did not rellnQuish all hope that ht
would return. kept this room always
ready for him. But she kept it locked
and never mentioned it or to whom i
had belonged. After her husbands
capture by the Indians she sold hel
household negroes. feeling that shl
could not afford to keep them, buying
a strong woman who would serve all
domestic purposes. To this woman
the bedroom that was never opened
was mystery. She once mentioned
the room to her mistress, asking why
1t was kept locked, but received nc
satisfaction. After that she speculat
ed great deal about the room, telling
the field hands that she "'spected
Missy Aborn had ha'nt locked up In
dat ROOM The settlers, or, rather
their wives. who knew of the closing
of this room pitied the poor woman
whose husband had been doubtless tor
tured and burned at the stake by the
savages and would never return. They
assumed that she hoped her husband
would come back to her and she wish
ed him to find his room ready for bis
occupation.
Two years passed, during which
Mrs Aborn worked her farm as wei
as she could, and her neighbors or
their return from their hunting expe
ditions always supplied her with meal
for the coming winter and spring. Bui
1t was a forlorn country In which t.
bring up children, aud she was ofteI
tempted to remove to Indiana or Ohio
where she would have facilities fol
giving them an education. Finally she
resolved one autumn that If no tiding!
came from her husband during tbs
winter she would sell her plantation
and her negroes. keeping her horses
and, mounting her children and her
self on them, would go to some poin
on the river bank opposite Ohio, cross
the river and make home In one O.
the villages Of that state.
The winter passed without the re
turn of her husband or any news o,
him. Friendly Indians came and wen
to and from the settlement, and tn,
widow never failed to inquire If an.
of them had knowledge of a whit,
man she described to them. But. nom
Of them could give her any news o
him. In the spring she began he
preparations for removal.
One night when she had put he
children to bed she concluded to rid
over to the house of neighbor t
whom she hoped to sell her plantation
1t was a stormy night, but she wa
anxious to get an offer for the proper
ty and was not deferred by the wealth
er. During the evening band O.
friendly Indians came into the settle
ment and were soon wandering abou
In search Of what they could steal
One of them appeared at the kitchen
where Martha, Mrs. Aborn's maid O
all work, was at work, and, turning
she saw him standing in the doorway
She was wiping a plate, which sh,
straightway dropped on the floor, ant
it broke in pieces. The savage in a gut
tural tone peculiar to the Indian said:
me want bed Me good Indian. Nj
no hurt anybody"
Martha got up enough courage to tel
the redskin that every room but on
was occupied by the children and tina
was locked. The Indian Mortified he
by walking into the kitchen, taking Vi
tallow dip and proceeding to exam
inc the house. Seeing the children
sound asleep in their beds, he held tn
candle over each one of them in turn
giving grunt of satisfaction at tn
sight of their rosy faces. Martha fol
lowed him at distance, her complex
ion wearing the sickly light yellow o
a frightened negro. She saw him 6
into her mistress bedroom, and whel
he came out he had key in his hand
Going to the empty chamber, he un
locked the door and said to the wo
man:
Me sleep here You no tell
He accompanied his words with
savage look that tied her tongue com
pletely. She wished to tell of the In
dian who had gone into the only WI
cant room. but did not dare He woui,
surely know that she had told an,
would tomahawk her. When her mis-
tress returned it was evident that tn
negro had experienced a great scare
but, though Mrs Aborn Tried to In
duce her to tell what had frightene'
her. her efforts resulted in failure A
soon as Mrs. Aborn had gone to he
room Martha went out and reporte,
the Indians presence in the house
But she was either not believed o
those she told, considering that tn
group of red men who had come t
the village were friendly. did not thin
the matter worthy Of their attention
especially as the Aborn house wa
closed for the night
Oblivion finally reigned over the set
Element. Martha slept in one Of thu
negro cabins and early in the mornin,
returned to her mothers abode, dread
ing to find both her and her children
murdered Entering the kitchen. sh
went from there into the other por
tons of the house, and finding every
thing quiet. the older children ASLEEP
In their beds and her mistress slum
bering with the smaller ones. she mad,
up her mind that the savage was les
murderous than she had supposed hin
to be and set about getting breakfast.
Presently she heard a cry. Terri
fed lest the Indian. after all. was abou
to tomahawk her mistress, she raj
out of the kitchen into a passage
way. There she saw Mrs Aborn il
the arms Of the Indian. whose fac,
had lost its coppery hue during tn,
night. Mrs. Aborn's head was hang
ing limp on the Indians arm. it bein!
evident that she had tainted. Martha
supposing it to have been from fright
sought support against the wall Il
avoid collapsing herself.
The Indian was none other thai
John Aborn And this was his story
He and his companion huntsman hat
been set upon by Indians. Swift ha'
been killed and Aborn made prison
er. He was taken far to the south ant
adopted into the tribe. No opportuni
" had occurred for some time to re
turn north. and even then he had beer
obliged to delay going to his home
Those with whom he had entered thl