The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-06-15

| I've been thinking Of that graad-
mother and guess I'D better start as
soon as it is light, for the noighbors--"
Well, then I guess you hadn't, Nick,
far as sure as VIC do, they'll think we
ought 10 divide the spoiIa, aud l shouldn't
wonder if we And enough on these fellows
10 make up what we've lost They got
their money from the agent only last
month, and just like az not it's on them.
You go home and get the sled, and hitch
the horses on, and we'll load them up and
put them where their own mothers could
not find them
Daylight was Just breaking, but 1t was
too dark to see clearly, so the old woman
took her lantern and went out. 1t was
hid Gus sight, and would have shook the
nerves Of any but frontier woman, for
the agony Of the dying hour had left the
forms Of the Indians horribly convulsed.
Nick shuddered and declared he couldn't
touch them"
Now don't be fool, Nick, or SUPER
shtious. Dead men aren't to be feared.
just help me uustrap these pOuches--they
are heavy with silver"
" I can't, grandmother I'd rather be
beggar all my days"
We'll, 60 then, fool, and get the sled
and let me tend them" And unaided she
proceeded in her unwomanly work, and
when Nick returned, stood all hooded and
clOaked, pair Of buffalo shoes Oh her feet
and buckskin mittens on her hands, ready
to assist him in his fearful task,
why grandmother" he exclaimed
"you have not even left them their leg.
gings and blankets"
Did they leave ne my bed? % she
said, sharply. mo indeed, And shall
treat their dead bodies better than they
did my living one, and me an old woman
Of sixty ~
" But what will you DO with them ?"
DO with them, Nick III make nit
tens for Ed out Of the leggin,a, and
clothes for him ont of those blankets, for
they're all drst quality broadcloth."
I don't believe he'll wear them, 1
woula not.
"No, because you're not halfwitted
but Ed' IS no such fool. We aren't afraid
Of dead mans shoes. Perhaps you would
not touch any OF these, either. and she
shcok leathern bag till it jingled merrily.
1.-TWO hundred silver dollars I found on
these wretchea, and six splendid rifles, 100
II know q good rife if I am a woman,
for I've kept garrison many day when
I was q girl in Indiana-aud six hunting
knives and lots Of powder and shot and
bullets. But come, we h2vo no time to
lose"
With ayerted eyes and trembling in
every joint for he was SUI ersti;ious and
feared one corpse more than a dozen live
men, young Edmonds assisted the old
frontier woman to lift the dead men on
his sled.
Now drive On, she said, and III
follow on foot. TaEe the road to the
river aud, when you've reached that, run
down on the ice till you como to where
the creel: joins it, it'll be soft there He
obeyed her and when they had reached the
designated spot,the two broke the ice with
their ak and sunk one after another Of
the STILL cold Indians, deep under the
clear blue waves tn t rippled beneath.
There. Nick said the old woman 10
tone that expressed entire selt.satisac.
don. we've done it for them now and for
ourselves too, for water washes out blood.
And their red brethren up north may
come on as fast as they please to seek
them-they'l never find them
" But our trail, grandmother. The
load was heavy and the sled cut deep,
Don't you see it's going to snow,
Nick. There's a fake now. Before night
it Il all be smooth and white here, and the
keenest Indian will suffer if he tries to
scent our track"
Sire was right Long ere eventide, the
soft. white snow had obliterated every foot
mark, and even invested the ruins of Ed
mond's homestead with picturesque look
And when at twilight the young husband
returned, he found everything SO pleasant
and easy in his little cabin, that he ex.
claimed Involuntary
"Thank God Cor his kindness You're
all safe and sound
.' Yes said the mother, and the baby
has laughed twice to-day
"Then you've bad good time" he
continued as he and their ueighbors. for
~