The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-04-30
\ Frontier Sketch.
BY MRS. CAROLINE 4. sorLF.

Mary
The name was spoken with startling
emphasis, but the sleeper was sound in
her first nap, and instead Of awakening,
merely moved her head neryously 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 glrlish figure very
tenderly it is true, yet SO thoroughly as
to cause her to open her eyes and look
wildly about.
What is it, mother, Edward"
d" Is safe, | trust, bu. we ourselves are
in great peril. Don't turn SO pale,
daughter; don't faint, if you do We shall
all be lost. BE the brave frontier woman
you promised Edward you would"
But wha, is it, mother;' gasped,
rather than asked the white lips
Iadianst Mary Don't tremble so
child. III save you, yes, and the BABY
too. But you mus, mind-do just wha.
l tell you, and above all doa's faint
away
But where are they mother ?" and
the frightened young creature, only thres
months from civilization, now sat up
right in her sick bed looking toward the
door as if she expected every second to
see brawny Sioux leap into the cabin.
Over to Nicks's. Mary. Something
woke me, | don't know wha: i. was, and
its no matter anyhow, and just as open
ed my eyes | saw FIRE light on the wall
and | heard them whoop. knew it was
Indians, | have heard their hea,hcnish
shout before now, aud | owe them a
curse, too, the wretches, for didn't they
scalp my first baby-hang its little brown
curls to their belt and leave its pretty
white corpse for the wolves! q, if
could cnly have buried him, the little in
nocent beauty But it won't do to stand
talking They'll be here as soon as
they've done up their work over there.
What upon earth they were made for l
never could see
"Herc," bringing from chest fan
mel skirt and a new quilt, "put these on
over your every day clothes, and two
pairs Of stocking aud my buffalo shoes,
and my old cloth cloak and your hood
and blanket shawl, and then crawl down
into the cellar as fast as you can. It's
no use trying to get you away; you are
too weak aud the baby's too little. III
20 down first and fix you a nice place, +"
and with a couple of quilts and pillow
let herself down into hole which scrv-
ed them as cellar Gathering up the hay
,ha. was spread over the potatoes to
keep them from freezing into one corner
of the bin, she laid quilt on it, put a
pillow next the wall aud then spread q
quilt on the ground. -,
:" I'm terrible afraid she'll catch cold
and die. the baby's so little she said to
herself, "but it's better than being kill
ed by the Indians, and III risk their ind
ing 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 darcn't kindle up the fire or Id
make you some tea or warm you some
| broth, to keep the life in you, but Ill M
YOU some wine, I've a little yet, and
you'll need it more than you do at THU
minute" and she very soon came dowr
again with bottle and glass, aud als'
an old. d.fashioncd tin lantern and couple
of candles. :.
"Bu. the baby, mother. Perhaps i
will cry and then they'll find out wher'
we are" said the terrified creature, al
she choked down the draught. :,
"I'll smother it first" thought the ole
woman as she fastened to the bed wher'
the little one slept, "better than have hi
brains dashed out" but when she sal'
to its mother, "I'll give it some !auda
mum. it's so little drop will keep
asleep, but | mus, first make all thing
nuict up stairs" and returning again =
the room, which served as parlor, kltch
en-. and all, she proceeded to make v
the beds, s.raighten the chairs, lock tn
trunk. draw the curtains, and givo tn
place the look Of house that has eee'