Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-06-13

turning, like stag at bay, be faced his
antagonist: knocked him down with the
butt of his rife, aud then sped on his way.
But now, to his horror, he saw large
body of the Dacotahs around his fathers
dwelling ashe approached, firing over on
to the roofs of the cabins with arrows to
which burning tow was attached.
he paused, but the cries of his boy
aroused him TO sense of his own danger
and bis wife's perilous situation. Direct
ing his steps towards the river, where he
found his 'dug-out safely moored, he soon
was padding across the river to a settle
men, where there were large number Of
whites.
Day had scarcely dawned on the succeed
ing morning, before twenty miners, good
men and true, were ready to accompany
him across the river. They cared no more
for Dacotahs than for prairie dogs, and act.
ed upon the spur of the moment, regardless
of consequences. Crossing above his resi-
dence, young Bates led them towards his
clearing, but on arriving there, nothing re-
manned of his house but mouldering pile
of ashes. His beloved wife had evidently
perished in the fame, for among the ashes
and charred beams in the cellar, they found
some blackened bones. Just then they
were joined by old Joe Bates and two of
his younger sons, armed to the teeth. They
were delighted to see Frank alive, for they
feared that the column OF smoke that had
| risen from his cabin was his monument, but
now they die their best to condole hin in
/ their rough way. He said but little, but
secretly vowed to avenge his wife's death,
and well did he keep his word. To have
seen him, no one would have supposed that
the milGlooking, slender built Frank Bates
was an incarnate demon in fight with the
Dacotahs, yet within year after his cabin
vas burnt, be had twenty sealps hanging at
his girdle. Vengeance seemed his only
thought, his life's desire.
For some time after this outrage the
Dacotahs kept away from tie miners, but
| at last party Of them came pfowiing about,
and the miners determined to have brush
with them, and who was so competent to
head the party as that sworn enemy of the
red skins, Frank Bates! The party enga-
! ged two Wiunebagoes as guides, aud then
struck into the forest, following recent
trail. The third night of their journey the
weary leader insisted on standing sentry,
and about midnight the clear crack Of his
rife awakened every sleeper. ln an in
slant, every man was on his feet, rife in
hand ready to repel any lerking foe, but a
| low whistle from Frank announced there
was ne danger. Morning came, and as the
party crowded around the sedtinel 10 learn
the cause of the alarm, he merely pointed
10 what appeared to be a huge bear: near
er approach to the object discovered to their
astonishment The grim Yisage Of a dead Da-
/ cotah, enyeloped in the skin of gigantic
bruiu, who thus disguised, had attempted to
reconnoitre the position of the frontiers
men.
Frank now felt assured they were near
their enemy, and followed the trail in ST.
lence, on the alert for their foe. On reach
ing the summit of knoll, they saw the VIII
lage before them--a collection Of high.
eonieal tents, made of dressed bnffalo skins
sewed together, and ornamented with rude
representations of the battle or the chase
On the outskirts were the squaws, engaged
| in the laborious occupations which fall to
their lot. Their infants, tightly bound to
straight strips of bark, were tied TO small,
ebent over birches, which gently danced
them to sleep, and the boys Of the village,
with bow and arrow, were firing at the rep
resentation of Kansas hunter. In the
centre Of the village, before the towering
tent Of the chief, sat the braves, smoking
their toruahawk pipes with stolcel gravity.
The white men looked at the priming OF
their rifles, put their sharp hunting knives
| between their teeth and with deafening
| yell rushed down through the frightened
squaws, ere the Dacotahs could comprehend
what caused the slarm. Dashing into the
startled group of warriors with fierce war
ghoops, they deals destruction around them.
The chief was the FIRST slain, bravely de-
tending himself and encouraging bis warri-
ors, who nobly struggled to ayenge his
death, but all in vain.
Frank Bates fought like demon, bur at
one time was nearly victim to stalwart
warrior But on glaneing at bis opponent,
Frank recognized, in gay RED handker-
chief around his head, his marriage gift to
| his lost wife This added renewed strength
to his body, and increased activity to his
fury, as he seized bis assailant with bis left