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Our Western Border.

attempt it, at least any more than shirts, for the strongest tow or hemp linen shirt, with the strongest kind of fastenings at the collar and wristband, would, in an hour's time, be torn off and thrown away, and they would be found swimming like wild ducks in the river, or rolling naked on the sand beaches, and in their melancholy moments they would often be heard to exclaim, in tones of real distress, " Oh, my Innies, my Innies," (meaning Indians). It took a number of years to root out this attachment, and indeed some of the boys carried their woodland habits and costumes to the grave.

TWO LADS SAVE THE LIFE OF A GIRL.

In 1776 the settlements along the West Virginia and North Carolina border had notification of a large force of Cherokees coming upon them. It was anxiously debated which were best; to await the enemy's coming in the crazy fort, or to march out boldly and meet them in the woods. The latter resolve prevailed, and a sharp contest ensued, when the savages disappeared like magic, leaving eleven or twelve dead behind. Alexander Moore, a strong, athletic man, grappled with a cunning savage of about his own size and strength, and being hard pressed, William King ran up to Moore's relief, but the Indian adroitly kept Moore in such a position that King could not shoot him without first shooting his friend. The savage had a large knife at his belt, for the possession of which both struggled, but at length Moore drew it and plunged it into the Indian's bosom, when King finished him by shooting him through the head.

Shortly after two parties, supposing hostilities over for the present, went out to visit their farms, and were both violently attacked in full hearing of the fort, and causing indescribable confusion. The men in the fort sallied out, but the savages quickly retired. One incident deserves mention. A lad by name of William Casey had a sister, a beautiful little girl, along with the party in the field, and as he was running for his life, he discovered the Indians in close pursuit of his sister. At that moment his eyes fell upon another lad of about his own age by name of Robert Hasold, and he shouted to him to come and help him save Nancy. Hasold obeyed, and although there were five Indians in pursuit, (some say seven,) the lads rushed between them and the girl, and by dexterously managing to fire alternately, still keeping one gun loaded when the other was discharged, they so galled the pursuers that they were glad to give up the chase.