Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-08

!
ways thought of as "the green wilder
ness" To be sure, there were many
evergreen trees in the forest but ever
before the frost.
About the Princes plantation
which grew tobacco mostly-were tle
homes of other colonial planters, anc
all dwelt in neighborly friendship anc
sympathy. They all had a commor
enemy-the savage Indian. Many Wal
had been waged between the red mer
and the early colon;sts. and ev "
though peace treaties had been made
there remained in the red mems hearts
hatred for their white brothers, and
in the hearts of the civilized men was
fear of the savage whose word in
peace could never be fully relied upon
There were two children in the
Prince household, Betty Ann and her
younger brother, Henry Wilke. Betty
was 10 and Henry 10 years of age,
They attended school in a little log
cabin on the edge Of their fathers
plantation, where all the children OF
the neighborhood assembled each
morning during the school season,
which was mostly in warm weather
During their recreation hours the
children would play at fighting In
dams, some of them representing the
savage red men. They as often car
ried away the children who played at
being the colonists as did the colo
nists take them captive or Stay them.
| 1t was rude, savage way OF playing,
! but they were living In rude, saw
age world, with little of civilization
about them.
One morning when Betty Ann start
ed for school, she was alone. Henry
was i'll and confined to his bed But
Betty had pleaded with her mother to
allow her to go to school as usual,
though alone.
"Ill call Jackson to follow behind
you all the way said Mrs. Prince,
stepping to the back door of the one
great living room and calling to a ne
gro servant who was chopp1ng wood
in the yard Jackson came and fol-
lowed behind Betty all the way to the
schoolhouse On arriving there Betty
found only two pupils, who told her
they were waiting for her and Henry
to explain to them that the teacher
had fallen from his horse on the pre-
vious evening and had been badly
hurt and that there would be no
school until he had recovered from
his injuries.
"And now there is just one more
scholar to come and that Is Susan
Brady" said Betty AIMS informant,
Gertrude Smith. She and William
Smith, her brother, had been request
ed by the teacher (who lived at their
honey to remain at the schoolhouse
till the last pupil had arrived, and to
tell each the news of his injuries and
the postponement of school until the
following week.
81 do wish she'd come" put in Will
liam, a restless little fellow who was
anxious to get home where he might !
run and play to his hearts content.
"Why, if you don't wish to remain
here till Susan comes l will do it for
you," said Betty Ann. Susan goes
right past my house and we'll go away
together. Did you say that all the
others have been here and gone away
again. she asked Of Gertrude.
Eyes, the Goodman Children the
the Davises and the
Clarks," said Gertrude. And you were
so late. But Susan is worse than YOU
''She has farther to come" ex-
planned Betty Ann. But you and Will
liam go on your way homeward and
I shall wait for Susan"
"Well, if you will be SO good, agreed
Gertrude, also glad OF having the
chance to go home at once.
After the Smith children had got out
of sight by a turn in the thickly
wooded roadway Betty Ann began to
feel bit nervous. 1t was the first
time in her life that she had ever
been alone. And for the first time in
her life she knew that she was the
only living human creature within a
long distance Of the school house. Ger
trude and William we're putting extra
acres between the school house and
themselves very rapidly, and after a
few minutes Betty Ann ceased to hear
their shouts and laughter.
Betty Ann was a brave little girl,
though, and sat down on the doorstep
to wait the approach Of Susan. Had
she been quite sure that Susan would
come by the big road which ran past
her own home Betty Ann would have
gone on homeward, meeting Susan on
the way. But 1t often happened that
Susan's father went to mill early Of
mornings, and the mill road ran about
half mile west of the school house,
but in thicket which cut off all view
Of it. On such occasions Susan would
ride in her fathers wagon and would
get out at the point nearest the school
house and run across fields to 1t.
After some minutes had passed Bet
~ grew bit more nervous. It was all
so still in and about the little cabin.
She was half inclined to hasten home
ward, leaving Susan to find out for
her tardy self that school had not
been taken up that morning But her
promise to the Smith children made
her abandon the idea.
A noise in the underbrush near to
he school house caused Betty to |
lump to her feet in alarm. Then low |
vocal sound! Betty Ann stood fixed as
stone, terror in her heart. Had some
indian stolen upon her there? She |
listened intently. Another vocal sound