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Cooper, James Fenimore, 1789-1851

"Oak Openings"

Nobody ever thought of such a plan,
until old Anthony invented it. As soon as we got the fire of the
savages, at the Mawmee, we charged with the baggonet, and put 'em
up; and no sooner was they up, than away went the horse into them,
flourishing the 'long knife' and pressing the heel of the 'leather-
stocking' into the flanks of their beasts. Mr. Amen has found a
varse in Scriptur's that does come near to the p'int, and almost
foretells our victory, and that, too, as plain as it stood in
dispatches, arterward, from headquarters."
"'Gad, a TROOP shall overcome him,'" put in the missionary,
triumphantly.
"That's it--that's it; there was just one troop on 'em, and not a
man more! Mad Anthony said a troop would answer, arter we had put
the red-skins up out of their ambushes, or any other bushes; and so
it did. I must acknowledge that I think more of the Scriptur's than
ever, since Parson Amen read to me that varse."
"Hearken unto this, friend bee-hunter," added the missionary, who by
this time had fairly mounted his hobby, and fancied he saw a true
Israelite in every other Indian of the west, "and tell me if words
were ever more prophetic--'Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf; in the
morning he shall devour his prey, and at night he shall divide the
spoil.


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