The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-04-30
haven't theys" she said addressing Nick,
as they gathered about the hearth.


"Yes, grandmother. My little home
is gone and my barn and stacks of hay
and wheat aud my corn crib-all," and
be bowed his head and covered his face
with his hands.
eyes, said his wife, piteously, "and
all that We had in the housc--the linen
sheets and towels, pillow-cases and table
cloths that took SO much pride in spin
ming and weaving, and my beds aud pill
lows and bedding g"-but here her voice
failed her aud she burst into sobs.
"Don't take on so child" said the old
woman kindly. at might be worse than
it is. You have your husband yet, and
your child too. 0, if you had seen him
scalped before your eyes a. did my lit
tie one, and then been carried off to an
Indian wigmam as was and kept there
a year or two, and every day of that you
seen the little brown curls of my boy
hanging to my captor's waist--you'd
have something to cry for then. 1t isn't
in your case so bad but it can be helped.
Hay and wheat and corn will grow again
next season, and you have plenty of
woodland and can get out house and
barn. The neighbors will all lend q
helping hand, and you've sheep and can
make blankets again after while, aud
your geese will soon FIJI your beds and
pillows. The linen was the worst to lose,
but you are both young and healthy and
can look forward to many years of work
and in time you II be as we'll off as ever
But if this little fellow" and she tender
derly caressed their child, the little blue
eyed first born, "if it had been a .calped
there'd been sorrow in your hearts till
you lay down to die. Nothing could
have made his place good"
"You said they brought off your hors-
es, Nick" she continued, after deep
pause, in which che seemed to be in deep
thought.
"Ycs, grandmother they stand just
outside here"
"And your sled-did they burn that
up also p
NO; saw it standing by the edge of
the road as We came along"
Why"
" Because, Nick, these dead heatheus
have got to be carried off. 1t wont do to
leave them anywhere about here, because
you see all the wolves in creation call be
here by another night, and then. too, the
redskins up north will be looking after
them, and there'll be trouble If they find
them dead"
81 have been thinking of that, grand
mother, and | guess I'd better start, as
soon as it's ght, for the neighbors-"
"Well, then, | guess you hadn't, Nick,
for as sure as you do, they'll think we
ought to divike the spoils, and | should
mt wender if we found enough on these
fellows to make up what we've both lost.
They got their money from the agent on
ly last month, and just as like as not it 5
on them. You 60 home and get the sled.
and hitch the horses OF, and we'll load
them up and put them where their OWE
mothers couldn't find them
Daylight was just breaking, but il was
too dark to see clearly, so the old woman
took her lantern and went out. 1t was
a hdeous sight, apd would have shaken
the nerves Of any but pioneer won an,
for the agony of the death hour had left
the faces and forms of the Indians horr.
bly, convulsed. Nick declared be couldn t
touch them.
d" Now don't De fool, Nick, or super
stitious. Dead men amt to be feared.
Just help me uustrip these pouches
they're heavy with silver"
Il can't, grandmother. I'd rather be
beggar all my days"
"Well, 60 then, fool, and get the sled,
and let me tend to them -
And uuaided she proceeded to her un-
womanly work and whea Nick returned,
stood all hooded and cloaked, and pair
of buffalo shoes on her feet, and buck
skin mttens on her hands, ready to as
sist him in his painful task
"Why, grandmother he exclaimed,
"you have not even left them their leg
gings and blankets y
"Did they leave me my bed said she
sharply. "No, indeed And shall treat
their dead bodies better than they did
my living one, and me an old woman OF
sixty
I" But what will you do with them :"
ado with them, Nick? III make nit.
tens for Ed. out of the leggins, and
clothes for him out Of these blankets, for
they're ali the first quality of broad,
cloth.
81 don't believe he'll wear them. l
would not"
"No, because you're only half witted
But Ed is no such fool. We amt afraid
of dead mems shoes Perhaps you
wouldn't touch any of these either" and
she shook lcathern bag till it jingled
merrily. "Two hundred silver dollars |
found on these wretches, and six splendid
rifles tool know a good rife, if am q
woman, for I've kept garrison many d
day, when | was girl, in Indiana--and
six hunting knives, and lots of powder
and shot, and bullets. But come--we' We
no time to lose"
With averted eyes, and trembling iu
every joint--for he was superstitious,
and feared one corpse more than dozen
live men-youug Edmonds assisted the
old frontier woman to lift the dead red
men on to his sled.
"Now drive on" said she, and I'll fol
low on foot. Take the road to the river
and when you've reached that, run down
the ice till you come to where the creek
Joins it'll be soft there"
He obeyed her and when they hat
reached the designated spot, the tive
broke the ice with their axes, and sunk
one after another of the still, cold bodies
deep under the clear blue waves that rip
pied beneath.
"There, Nick, said the old woman III
a fnna fhaf er rnrassad entire self SAT isfan