The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-02-10
MYSTERIOUS
A Pioneer Story
| sy WALTER WILCOX
A Pioneer Story

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sssssss:s'
hundred years ago q young cou-
,ft virginia. crossed the Allegheny
Dtaius and settled in Henderson
|tv. Ky. 1t was a wild country In
dars but very beautiful, nature
,,pr to tempt the pioneer with its
n scenery. its immense trees. Its
,s,on OF wild flowers. And such |
D,ation was necessary. The settler
knew at what moment the yell
he savage would break the still
II q, the wilderness or when he and
family might be cut down by
.bowk without even whisper OF
ming These were the inducements
the drawbacks to settlers In the
country. though there Is a fascina
IN danger that drew the fearless.
bn Aborn and his wife Mary Jour-
a "a their new home down the
river on the only means OF In
navigation known at that time, a
boat and on reaching their destina'
went ashore, entered" quarter
,on Of land. built log cabin and
reeded 10 make living by the cul-
ZION Of the soil and hunting. Chill
we're born to them. AS more
m was needed their cabin was ex-
he'd and within a few years the
ZION assumed the semblance OF civ
btion.
horn brought with him TO Ken
v y few slaves and bought Others
n time to time, for we must re-
mber that In those days the only
Ads farmer could obtain were his
negroes. The community lived
game. of which there was abun-
hce near at hand; the grain they
Red ;tud nuts and berries, which
Nv plentlfully on tree and bush
rh family was unit bound togeth-
tv tie strongest ties.
rt afte- time the game was not
plpntifu about the settlements on
river hank. and the hunters were
iged u ~ farther inland to provide
Ii. far their families. Then 1t was
II tie Ahorns' troubles commenced
the wilderness still inhabited by
deer aad the wild turkey Were
Inv dancers. Besides the Indian
Rre WAS the wolf, and there wer,
Epcradoe who. whenever new
hWry Is settled. on account OF the
Fapf q. government find 1t fin,
df rtleis iawless operations. Ney
hol,sS eeary autumn John Aborl
oal TO 20 into the unsettled
iOas ia lder to bring back sup
o2 eat tor the winter consump
timcs he would go with |
.ty 0f H. heighhors. sometimes witt
knsc friend and sometimes alone.
bae October morning he set out ol
annual hunting tour In compan.
th Alexander Swift, the neighbo
III whom he was most intimate
hen Ahorn embraced his wife an
idren before departing they clun
him with unusual reluctance to lc
bn 20. Whether this was due to
esentiment that evil might happe
him or that he must now go farthe
ID remain longer than ever befor,
y fact remains that he and his fan
We're loath to part. Finally, tearin
mself away from them, he spran
10 the wilderness with his friend.
When II came time for the husban
pd fathers return his wife and chi
ZEN watched for him eagerly. Fl
ld usually been away two weeks, bl
this trip he purposed to be gon
zee. This was because with the Sc
lhs of the country he was obliged
farther from home. He had s,
u on Monday and had promised
back on Saturday, two days befol
e third Monday following. All thu
y his wife and children watched +,
in, but he did not come. The ne,
q the next day they felt sure won
ing him, but he disappointed ther
pe wife and mother began to |
oueled. but concealed her anxiety
ei as she was able from her CHI
en- When another week had passt
ID neither Aborn nor his compani,
turned Mrs. Aborn felt sure tn
0'h ha1 met with misfortune. II
ost reasonable supposition was th
ey had been killed by Indians.
a month passed, and still neith
porn nor his companion returne
neh The other hunters of that regi,
sahlzed a band to go and look I
: missing men. A week later tn
'uFned' reporting that they had cor
poh the body Of Alexander Swl
e1eed with arrows and scalpe
ney had found no trace whatever
porn 1t seemed probable that I
- men had been attacked by Indian
"a. swift had been killed and Abo
p'ured, In which event be must ha
worse fate than his companie
Nc rams had washed out the trail
aptiye.
e party before their return deb
u W1at rennrt fa v,,aa-o o., A. Aha