Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy FulfilledRichardson, Major (John)
History
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
"It's a sad tale," said the settler gruffly and with a darkening brow,
"and brings bitter thoughts with it; but as the liquor has cheered me up
a bit, I don't much mind if I do tell you how I skivered the varmint.
Indeed," he pursued savagely, "that always gives me a pleasure to think
of, for I owed them a desperate grudge--the bloody red skins and imps of
hell. I was on my way to Detroit, to see the spot once more where my
poor boy Phil lay rootin', and one dark night (for I only ventured to
move at night), I came slick upon two Ingins as was lying fast asleep
before their fire in a deep ravine. The one nearest to me had his face
unkivered, and I knew the varmint for the tall dark Delaweer chief as
made one of the party after poor Phil and me, a sight that made me
thirst for the blood of the heathens as a child for mother's milk.
Well, how do you think I managed them. I calculate you'd never guess.
Why, I stole, as quiet as a fox until I got jist atween them, and then
holdin' a cocked pistol to each breast, I called out in a thunderin'
voice that made the woods ring agin, Kit-chimocomon, which you know, as
you've been in the wars, signifies long knife or Yankee. You'd a laugh'd
fit to split your sides I guess, to see the stupid stare of the devils,
as startin' out of their sleep, they saw a pistol within three inches of
each of 'em. 'Ugh,' says they, as if they did'nt know well whether to
take it as a joke or not. 'Yes, 'ugh' and be damn'd to you,' say's I:
you may go and 'ugh' in hell next--and with that snap went the triggers,
and into their curst carcasses went the balls. The one I killed outright
but t'other, the Delaweer chief, was by a sudden shift only slightly
wounded, and he sprung on his feet and out with his knife. But I had a
knife too, and all a disappointed father's rage to boot, so at it we
went closin' and strikin' with our knives like two fierce fiends of the
forest. It was noble sport sure_ly_. At last the Delaweer fell over the
bleedin' body of his warrior and I top of him. As he fell the knife
dropped from his hand and he could'nt reach it no how, while I still
gripped mine fast. 'Ugh,' he muttered again, as if askin' to know what I
meant to do next. 'Ugh,' and be damned to you once more, say's I--and
the pint of my long knife was soon buried in his black heart. Then, when
I see them both dead I eat my own meal at their fire, for I was
tarnation hungry, and while I was eatin' a thought came across me that
it would be good fun to make smoked meat of the varmint, so when I
tucked it in purty considerably, what with hominy and dried bear's meat,
moistened with a little Wabash I found in the Delaweer chief's canteen,
I set to and regularly quartered them. The trunks I left behind, but the
limbs I packed up in the blankets that had been used to kiver them, I
reckon; and with them slung across my shoulders, like a saddle bag
across a horse, I made tracks through the swamps and the prairies for
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account