The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1925-01-21
cHAprER XIX

Mrs. Scott and her child lived ia
the family Of General Herkimer for
a month or so. Settlers remote from
towns and villages had abandoned
their farms. The Indians had gone
into the great north bush perhaps to
meet the British army which was said
ia be coming down from Canada in
avpaliing numbers. Hostilities in the
neIghbovhood OF Tie Long House had
ceased. The great Indian highway and
its villages were deserted ave by
YOUNG children and a few ancient red
men and squaws, too old for travel. !
Late in june. Jack and Solomon were
ordered to report to General Schuyler
at Albany.
Were getting shoveled eroun'
plenty" Solomon declared. "WeTn
take the women an the BOY with US
an paddle down the Mohawk to Al
bany. They kind O. fell from heaven
into our hands an we got to look
alter 'em faithful. Fust ye know OIL
HerkTl be mOVin' er swallened hull by
the British an the Injuns. like Jonah
was by the whale, then what 'ad be-
come o. her an the Leetle Cricket?
We got to look alter EN-"
Il think my mother will be glad to
give them a home" said Jack. "She
really needs some help in the house
these days."
The Scots buildings had been
burned by the Indians and their boats
| destroyed save one large ano which
had happened to be on the south shore
Of the river out of their reach. In this
Jack and Solomon and Mis- Scott"
and the Little Cricket set out with
loaded packs in the moon Of the new
leaf, to use a phrase Of the Mohawks,
for the city of the Great river. They
had a carry at Wolf Riff and some
shorter mes but in the main 1t was
a smooth and delightful journey, be-
tween wooded shores, down the long
winding lane Of the Mohawk. With
out fear Of the Indians they were able
to shoot deer and wild fowl and build
a fire on almost any part Of the shore.
Mrs. Scott insisted on her right to do
the cooking. Jack kept a diary Of the
trip, some pages Of which the historian
has read. From them we learn:
"Mrs. Scott has bravely run the
gauntlet Of her sorrows. Now there is
a new hook in her face. She Is a
black-eyed, daPk-haired, energetic
comely woman of forty with cheeks
as red as a ripe strawberry. Solomon
calls her middle sized but she seems
TO be large enough to fill his eye. He
shows her great Difference and choose:
ibis words with particular ARE wheE
he speaks TO her. OF late he has takeI
to singing. She and the boy seem tt
have stirred the depths In him an(
curious things are coming up to thu
surface-songs and stories and drOl
remarks and playful tricks and an IN
usual amount Of laughter: I supposr
that it is the spirit of youth Ia him
stunned by his great sorrow. Nov
touched by miraculous hands he
coming back to his Old self. There cal
; be no doubt OF this: the man is teI
years younger than when I first kneV
/ him even. The Little Cricket has lai
. hold OF his heart. Wing sits betwee
the feet Of Solomon in the stern dur
ing the day and insists upon sleepin
h with him at night.
"One morning my old friend wa
laughing as we stood on the rive
z bank washing ourselves.
"'What are yea laughing atr
! asked.
"'That gol durn leetle skeezucks
"A he answered. He were klckin' q
!. night like q mule fghtIn' q bumb
. bee. Twere a cold night an l he
q him ag'in me to keep the leetle Gu
warm.
hadn't ycu better let him sle'
n with his mOtherT 1 asked.
"a avail. II It takes two TO do h
sleepin' mebbe I better be the n tn
i suffers. Amt she a likely wOmerng'
"Of codfse I agreed, for 1t was e
~ dent that she was likely. sometime,
make him an excellent wife and {
thought Of that made me happy"
They had Jared along down by I
rude forts and villages traveli
stealthiFy at night in tree shade
through sthe Tory zone" as the vic
ity of Fort Johnson was then call
he camping, now and then, in desert
so