The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1851-07-10
From, tic Missouri Republican
The Missionary and the Robbcr.

Il In the year of our Lord Is. Mission
ary from one Of the eastern states, who bad
Just completed his studies, and who had re-
4eelsed commission from Missionary So
ciety III tho State oi ----, was crossing
q the prairies of Illinois in westerly direc-
u ton, lie bad seen an occasional commun-
ica,ion in ono Of the few reigiouspcrlodicals
Il ot that day about the FAR WEST, and,
Il with tho laudible purpose Of doing good 10
\ the scattered aud destitpe pioneers ol this
\ remote aud scarcely known region, had
Travelled on horseback from bis native viii.
age, preaching on Sabbalhs as occasion Of.
Tered, on bis long journey.
Ohio was then ..said 10 be" region of
moral desola,on. Indiana was supposed to
be many degrees lower IN the scale ofciv!i-
Zaion; and now the new State OF Illinois
was imagined 10 be very near the .jnmping
off p!ncc." A vague and somewhat doubt
ialinprossion existed abroad as 10 The local
i,y and character Of Missouri, and Kentucky
was known merely for its fighting and
gonging propensiiies, with the "halt-horse,
half alligator, and touch ofsnapping turtle"
propensitics Of its population.
Amongst the vague aud rather indistinct
impressions Of the character and habits oil
frontier adventures, that Aoaled through
tho imagination Of tho young Missionary
were those Of robbery and murders! Dur-
ing the period of long and serious medita
tons of dcvoting his life as a missionary Of
the cross 10 the wlds Of the west, tho idea
Of danger from robbers and murderers oc
copied no minor place in his mind. Still
with commehdable resolution aud u
martyr spirit, he resolved 10 hazard even
loyment TO preach the gospel, and intro
dace the ameiora,ing influences Of civiiza-
ton amongst people who belonged 10 the
same nation, and who might eventually
control the destinies of the Republic.
II was OH a cold, cloudy day, in Decem-
ber, that our Missionary friend was seen
crossing an arm Of The grand prairie, east
of the Okau ms the Kask askia river by alb
brevlatlon and the French accent has been
called. lie had ridden long distance that
day, following devious trail, or ''bridle
pa,b," now through skirt oltimber-,heu
across nm arm of the prairie without see
ing s-cabn, or any other sign Of human
residence. Night was fast approaching
The occupant OF the cabin where he had
been accommodated with 'privato enter
tanmenl" the preceding night, had direct
ed him on ''blnd trail,' to a fording place
across the Okau, beyond which, and in the
same direction, was the town OF G--,
10 which he was journeying. Both horse
nnd rider were quite fatigued with long fast
ing and hard ride, and the missionary
could form no conjecture how far it might
be from the seltlencn, he had hoped to reach
before nightfall.
Anxious and somewhat bewIdered, he
looked in each direction for signs OF hu
man habi,a,ion, when an uncouth specimen
OF humanity made his appearance on horse
back, and coming in diagonal direction
in q gallop down the point ofthe prairie TO-
wards the path Of the Missionary. Ills
head was covered with the skin oil the pral-
rie wolf, with the tail hanging behind -
His outer garment was neither coat, frock
or blouse. In western parlance, il was n
huating shirt, made OF a dressed deer skin,
with the cape and sidc.stripes curiously
notchcd aud iringed; but, TO the missionary
il had an alarming aspect. Over it hung
n powdcr-horn, bu!let-pouch, and Ground
his body was leathern belt, in which hung
formidable knife. Across the riders
shoulder, carolessly lay the loaded rifle, -
Nor was his persona! appearance in the
least degree prepossessing. He sported a
black beard of three weeks growth, and
dark clfsh locks oil hair could be seen be
meath the skin cap. Ills counsonance was