The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-08-12
PIONEER~SI1IFE.

OUtdIilou a. S-SililtAohrAi ~ ~ FfNAS SO4'
I or at least, certain portion Of IT, and in
possession of which they have been pro-
tected by the governments at least so far
as that no one could dispossess them with
out paying them an equivalent for the
improvement; and even thep, they had a
prior claim, or privilege-of Purchasing at
government price, over every other pur--.
chaser. Such pioneers have beenadenomi-
mated "squatters. /" = = = - .es
In an early day, a man who had left
the sterile soil Of an Eastern State, started.
with his young and rising family to better
his condition in th. rich and fertile valley
of the West. He was, a poor but honest
man; had struggled hard to raise his fam
lily, and by patient industry was enabled
to obtain an outfit of a horse and cart to
journey to the West. Passing through
what was then a wilderness, he at length
reached spot on the Illinois River, about
two hundred miles from its mouth, where
he pitched his tent. and subsequently
erected his cabin. His family consisted
of wife and three chiIdren-the eldest,
a boy, was in his nineteenth, year, the
next, girl, in her eighteenth year, and
the youngest, boy of fourteen. They
were all Vigorous, the very material suited
for the hard toll and poor fare of pioneer
life. es 9rs a2-aN
One day there came to the squatter's
cabin three Indians, protesting to be
friendly, who invited the father to go out
on hunting excursion with them. AS
the family subsisted mostly upon game,
he finally concluded to accompany them,
taking with him his eldest son. They
expected to be absent about week, as
they intended to take somewhat extern
siye Iange. After three days had passed
away, one of the Indians returned to the
squatter's house, and deliberately lighting
his pipe and taking his seat by the fire,
he commenced smoking in silence. The
wife was not startled at his appearance, as
it was frequently the case that one and
sometimes more. of a party of Indian
hunters getting discouraged, would leave
the rest and return. This was usually the
case when they imagined they discovered
some bad sign, and it would not only be
useless, but disastrous for them to hunt
under such circumstances. ~
The Indian sat for some time in sullen
silence, and at length removing his pipe
from his mouth, he gave a significant
grunt to awaken attention, and said:
"White man die" The squatter's wife
at this replied:
q "What is the matter p -
"He sick; tree fall on him; he die.
You 90 see him." :
Her suspicious being somewhat aroused
at the manner Of the savage, she asked
him number of questions. The evasive-
ness and evident want of consistency IN
the answers, at length confirmed her that
something was wrong. She judged,it best
not to go herself, but sent her youngest
son, the eldest, as we have seen, having
gone on hunt with his father. Night
came, but it brought not the son or the
Indian. All its gloomy hours were spent
in that lone cabin by the mother and
daughter; but morning came without
their return. The whole day passed in
the same fruitless lookout for the boy.
The mother felt grieved that she had sent
her boy on the GRAND, but it was now too
late. Her suspicious were now confirmed
that the Indians had decoyed away her
husband and sons. She felt that they
would not stop in their evil designs, and
that, if they had slain the father and his
boys, they would next attack the mother
and daughter. lvt
No time was to be lost; and she and
the daughter, as night was approaching,
went to work to barricade the door and
windows of the cabin in the best possible
manner they could. The rifle of the
youngest boy was all the weapon in the
house, as he did not take it when he went
to seek his father. This was taken from
its hangings, and carefully examined to see
that it was well loaded and prined. To
her daughter she gave the axe, and thus
armed they determined to watch all night,
and if attacked by the savages to fight to
the last. H'l IN
About midnight they made their APP
pearance, expecting to find the mother
and daughter asleep, but in this they
were disappointed They approached
stealthily, and one of the rumber knocked
loudly at the door, crying, Mother !!
Motherm
The mothers ear was too acute to be
deceived by the willy savage. and she re-
piled, "Where are the Indians my son ~
The answer, I'm gone" would have
satisfied her, if she had not been before
aware of the deceit.
Come up, my son, put your ear to
the latch hole. / want to tell you some
thing before open the door,
The Indian applied his ear to the latch
hole. The crack of the rifle followed and
he fell dead.
AS soon as she had fired, she stepped
on one side Of the door, and immediately
two rifle balls passed through It, either of
which would have killed her.
"Thank God" said the mother in a
whisper to her daughter, 'there are but
two. They are the three that went to
hunt with your father, and one of them
is dead. If we can only kill or cripple
another we shall be safe. Take courage,
my child; God will not forsake us in this
trying hour. We must both be still after
they fire again. Surprising they have
killed us. they will break down the door.
may be able to shoos one'-for, in the
meantime she had reloaded the rifle
I" but if miss, you must use the axe with
all your might"
The daughter, equally courageous with
her mother, assured her that she would