Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-12-02

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hut, gave favorable account Of my Oh,
servatious. ! took a few bear skins, made
pallet Of them, and calling my faithful
dog to my side, lay down, with my gun
close to my body, and in few minutes, to
all appearance, was fast asleep. as ,r.
I A short time had elapsed, when some
voices were heard, and from the corner Of
my eye ! saw two athletic youths making
their entrance, bearing dead stag on a
pole. They disposed Of their burden, and
asking for whiskey. helped themselves free
ly to it., Observing me and the wounded
Indian, they asked who ! was, and why
the devil that rascal (meaning the Indian.
who they knew understood not word of
English. was in tn: house. The mother
for so she proved to be-bade them
speak less loudly; made mention of my
watch, and took them to corner, where
! conversation took place, the purport Of
! which it required little shrewdness in me
to guess. tapped my dog gently. He
moved his tail. and with indescribable
pleasure saw his fine eyes alternately ix
ed on me and raised towards the trio in tn e
corner. I felt that he perceived danger in
my situation. The Indian exchanged a
last glaace with me.
The lads had eaten and drank them
selves into such q condition that already
looked upon them as hors du combat; and
the frequent visits of the whiskey-bo,tle to
the ugly mouth Of their dam, l hoped
would soon reduce her to a like state
1 Judge OF my astonishment, when | saw
this incarnate fiend take large carving.
knife, and go 20 the grind-stone to whet
its edge. saw her pour the water on the
turning machine. and watched her workin g
away with the dangerous instrument until
the sweat covered every part of my body.
in despite Of my determination to defesd
myself to the last. Her task finished. she
walked to her reeling sons, and said,
"There, that'll soon settle him! Boys, kill
yon -. and then for the watch"
! turned, cooked my gun locks silently.
touched my faithful companion, and lay
ready to start up and shoot the first who
attempted my life. The moment was fast
approaching that might have been my las,
in this world, had not Providence made
preparations for my rescue. All was rea
dy. The internal hag was advancing
fslowly, probably contemplating the best
way OF despatching me, whilst her sons
should be engaged with the Indian. was
several times on the eve of rising and
shooting her on the spot-but she was not
to be punished thus. The door was sud-
idenly opened and there entered two stout
travellers, each with "a long rifle on his
shoulder bounced upon my feet, and
making them most heartily welcome, told
them how well it was for me that they
should have arrived al that moment. The
tale was told in a minute. The drunken
sons were secured, and the woman, IN spite
of her defence and voeiferations. shared
the same fate. The Indian danced with
Joy, and gave US to understand that, as he
could not sleep for pain, he would watch
over us. You may suppose we slept much
less than we talked. The two strangers
gave me an account OF their once having
been themselves in somewhat similar
situation. Day came fair and rosy. and
with it the punishment of our captives.
4 They were not quite sobered Their
feet were unbound, but their arms secure
ly tied. We marched them into the woods
off the road, and having used them as
Regulators are wont to use such delin
4 quents, we set fire to the cabin, gave all
the skins and implements to the young
Indian warrior, and proceeded, well pleas
ed, towards the settlements.
During upwards Of twenty-five years,
when my wanderngs extended to all parts
of our country, this VAS the only time at
> which my life was in danger from my fel-
low creatures. Indeed, so little risk do
travellers run in the United States, tha, no
one born there ever dreams OF any danger
to be encountered on the road and can
only account for this securrence by sup
posing the inhabitants Of the cabin were
aot Americans. #=ii za. +"
VIII you believe reader, that MT man
miles from the place where this adventure
happened. and where fifteen years ago no
habitailoa belonging TO civilized man was
expected a"d very lew ever seen, large
roads are now laid out, cultivation has
converted tho woods into fertile fields, tay-
erns have been erected, and much of wha,
We Americans call comfort is to be me,
with So fast does improvement proceed
in our abundant and free country.
i FAr,--The late news about the Paris
fashions is somewhat startling. Fat ia
the rage. Ladies cultivate it. They are
devouring vast quantities of butter, mash
ed rose leaves, and such like. The EN-.
press is quite corpulent, which accounts
for the style. The fashion will be here
before long. We hail it with '.joy," A
new era is dawning Our girls will stop
eating slate pencils and chalk, and com.