The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-05-05
A FRONTIER SKETCH.
BY MRS. CAROLINE A. soULE.
% Mary p

"Mary p
The name was spoken with a startling
emphasis, but the sleeper was sound in
her first nap. and instead of awakening,
merely moved her head nervously on the
pillow.
Mary Mary Wake up. child
I've something dreadful to tell you" and
the speaker, an aged woman, in night
cap and short gown, shook the girlish
figure very tenderly, il is true, yet 50
thoroughly as to cause her to open her
eyes and look wildly about.
"What is it, mother Edward"
els safe, l trust. but we ourselves are
in great peril. Don't turn so pale. daugh-
ter; don't faint-if you do, we shall all
be lost. Be the brave frontier woman
you promised Edward you would"
But what is it. mother ?" gasped,
rather than asked the white lips.
Indians! +! Mary. Don't tremble SO,
child. I'll save you. yes. and the baby,
too. But you must mind-do just what
l tell you, and above all, don't faint
away"
But where are they, mother ?" and
the frightened young creature, only three
months from civilization, now sat up.
right in her sick bed, looking towards
the door, as if she expected every Sc
cond to see brawny Sioux leap into the
cabin.
"Over to Nick's. Mary. Something
woke me, l don't know what it was, and
it's no matter, anyhow, and just as
opened my eyes, saw fire light on the
wall, and heard them whoop. knew
it was Indians, have heard their heath
enish shout before now, and owe them
curse, too. the wretches, for didn't
they scalp my first baby-hang its little
brown curls to their belts and leave its
pretty white corpse for the wolves? O.,
if l could only have buried him, the
little innocent beauty! But it won't do
to stand here talking. They'll be here
as soon as they've done up their work
over there. What upon earth they were
made for. never could see.
"Here," said she. bringing from a
chest flannel skirt and a new quilt,
"put theseover your everyday clothes.
and two pairs Of stockings and my old
cloth cloak, and your hood and blanket
shawl. and then crawl down into the eel
lar as fast as you can. It's no use try
ing to get you away. you are too weak,
and the baby's too little. I'll go down
first and fix you nice place." and with
a couple of quilts and pillow. she let
herself down into hole which served as
a cellar. Gathering up the hay. which
was spread over the potatoes to keep
them from freezing, into one corner Of
the bin. she laid quilt on it. put pill
low next the wall, and then spread a
quilt on the ground.
I'm terribly afraid she'll catch cold
and die. the baby's SO little," she said to
herself. :" but it's better than being killed
by the Indians, and I'll risk their finding
US here" and. scrambling up, she took
up the sick woman as she would young
child. and tenderly set her down into
the hole.
II daren't kindle up the fire. or I'd
make you some tea. or warm you some
broth, to keep the life in you; but I'll
fix you some wine-I have little VET
and you'll never need it more than YOU
do at this minute" and she yery soon
came down again with bottle and a
glass, and also an old fashioned tin Ian
tern and couple of candles.
but the baby, mother. Perhaps he'll