Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-25
SAND IN THE BARRELS OF FLOUR"
Story of Indian Siege, Told by Andy McGgan Who
Takes Occasion to Preface the Tale With Few Remarks
Public Opinion and Why Men Go to War
By B. X. LITTLE

acquaintance took me on his knee and told
me little incident of his own early youth.
1 never dare recall what he told me on a
dark night, when I'm alone in the house.
Yet that man lived to be more than 9O
And remember even now his perfect calm
as he told It,
A Tear for the Indian
He made me see that little settlement In
the Pennsylvania woods, with its 10 tidy
farms and its central stockade. People
squeeze tear for the Indian today" Andy
broke off to muse with few graceful at
tentions to his cigar. "And yet our good
people gave the Indian his chance Not
merely that, they set him an example of
thrift
WELL that particular year in the little
settlement upstate was very dry The cab
bages withered, the wheat was parched and
just ready for the torch and the settlers
only rain was the rain of arrows into their
stockade. Yet the oak palings that formed
that stockade were not more firm and stout
than the hearts that defended it inside. Even
the women could shoot.
And this was the third siege they had
withstood, mind you. They had plenty Of
powder and ball. good spring of water and
a brave man scouting toward Philadelphia
a
plentiful reserve store of -four and hams that
they had prudently ordered month before
from trader in Philadelphia.
But the siege dragged on. To the red man
1t was only game. 40 the white fancy,
1t was something more. The arrows multi
piled as the powder diminished. Yet always
help was on the way, they felt sure And
always there were the extra barrels of -four
and hams in reserve.
AT last, though, the day came when moth
ing was left but that extra store. And they
knocked in a barrel-and then a second bar
rel-and a third
And they found nothing.
THAT trader had taken their money and
sent them sand-sand and DEATH That fell
low had packed the end of their siege in the
first OF his barrels.
For three days longer they starved Some
how the devils outside must have sensed
what had happened. 1t was only a choice
then Of which It should be--a quick shot
within. or hell outside. Those painted fiends
would be sure to make up for the long wait
they had been given
The End of the Siege
And there were the women.
"The order was given--to each father a
shot for each one of his family. and a last
then. and the time was short. MY old
friend-as a boy-saw IL all.
"One by one the guns spoke Only one
of the men balked-a father with an only
daughter. He didn't much care to shoot.
When the devils finally broke in, lone
boy was left And they took him away, to
improve their race With his breed. But after
a month he escaped, and reached Phila-
dephia
Here he might have lived on the rest
OF his life without more incident. Neverthe-
less another exciting INCIDENT did occur to
hiTl.
'One evening. when ne was on his way
home from work on farm, a chaise ap-
preached him on the road-a very elegant
chaise. And In the chaise was that WE'LL
known trader, the very man. incredible
ye. there Re was"
well" ] said breathlessly
For moment Andy smoked In silence
"Iou see" he said, finally. circumstances
had for the time being created that young
fellow Judge. Jury, public opinion. ana aIls