The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-05-26

darkness--now cooling his wounded arm
with snow, now firing his pistol TO scare the
wolves from their human prey.
With the frat CLEAN OF daylight hc rose
TO rid himself OF the horrible companionship
Of the bodies aud Of all that betrayed their
late. before the next wandering Indians came
near the spot, and before the wolves gathered
again with the darkness. Hunger drove
him to begin by taking their provision, OF
dried buffalo meat, from under the dead
mems leathern girdles. He then rolled up
their remains, with whatever lay about them,
in their buffalo robes tied them round,
dragged them (onc after the other) to the
hole In the ice where he got his water, and
pushed them through Il, TO be carried away
by .he current Of tho river.
Even yet tho number OF his necessary
precautions was not complete. lie had u
large fire 10 make, next, on the spot where
the two ssvages had dropped, with the
double object Of eflacng all traces OF their
iall, and Of destroying the iantest scent Of
blood before the wolves collected again.
When the fire had dwindled to heap Of
ashes, u new snow-atorm smoothcd out oil
marks Of il. By the next morning not
sign WAS left TO betray the death OF the ln-
dians the smooth ground was ~ empty aud
an white M ever, and Of oil that had hap
pencd on that memorable sixteenth day Of
the travellers sojoarn IN the wilderness,
nothing now remained but the terrible REQ.
objection oi II.
The time wore on from that date without
an event u break the wOeful monotony Of
il, until Christmas came. uc was still alive
in his solitude on Christmas day. A stold
apathy towards the future had begun 10 get
possession OF him his scnse Of the horror OF
his situation grew numbed and dull the
long solitude and the csaseless cold seemed
to be freezing his mind, and making new
wilderness there, dreary and waste M the
waste that encompasscd him. His thoughts
wandered with q certain sadness 10 the
Christmas trees and the childrens festivals,
at that blessed season, in bis native Germa-
ny-but he was too far gone Tor any deep
grief, or for any bitter pangs Of despair. Hc
kept Christmas day with the only indui
gcnce be could afford himsell--a pipciuI o
the dry willow leaves; and ~ night fell, he
lay on bis back by the fire, looking up
through the hole In his tert at the frosty
heavens, and fancying dimIy that the kind
stars looked down on him, ~ they had oiicD
looked IN bygone days, at home.
The old year ended aud the new one came.
His hold oi life was slackcnipg, and the end
was no, far N. II was daylight. early In
the month OF January lIe was resting un.
der his blankets asleep, AMI not awake.
Suddenly the sound Of approaching footsteps
reached him on the silli air. II was no
dream IA sau,ai,on IN the Indian language
sounded IN bls ears n moment afterwards.
flo reused himself and caught up his rifle.
More words were spoken before be could
get out ot The the tent II was the English
language this time. "Y0a are badly of
here, friend" said cheerful voice. Had
the white men OF the Pos, and the Mission
remembered him at last No. When the
tent covering was raised, an Indian entered,
and pushed his five foot rifle before him. A
savage looking man, with five savage com
panions. The loet traveller advanced 10
meet them with his rifle ready. Happily, be
was wrong this time. These savage wan
lcrers Of the prairie these charitable bea
thens, whom the piiless Christians at the
W "tfsHtU Wtit W sVbs1ft bnp
come 10 do thc good work which bis white
brethren bad, TO their eternal dsgrnce, neg.
Ieet d, they had come 10 save him.
Tbs man who had spoken in English was
"a half breed "A voluntary renegade from civ.
ilizstiob. His companions belonged, like
himself, to the friendly tribe Of Ottoe In.
diaus. They bad gone out with their squa~s
on hunting expedition, and they had seen
the smoke Of The lost travellers fire two
miles Of "Yon are hungry" they said 10
him, pro iaciDg their own food" eat. You
are ready 10 perish come with us. You
are sick we will take care oi you and
clothe you" Tbe-e were the words OF the
Red Skins and the friendly promises they
implied we're paibrmoi TO the letter.
On the next day every member of the
hunting party, including the women apd the
boys, sssemi,Ievi at the tent 10 remove the
d.s0lste and forsakeh white man, and
all that b. longcd ~ him, to their own camp.
The goods for tbs preservation oi which be
had risked bis lie, were packed up ; the
wagon, abandoned by his fellow traveller
and himself, at the beginning Of their disas-
ters, when their last horse died, Was clsaf-
ed OF snow and made III for use again and
even the tent was not ktt bchind. II was
too firmly from 10 the ground TO be pulled
up, 70 il was cut of just above the snow,
apl was thrown over the rsst oil the bay
gage. When the Indians had packed the
wagon their wives and their boys haroeas-
| I'd tben.eiva 10 IL, And dragged II away
ebssrally TO the camp. Mr.. Molbauen
aba the elder warriors followed The Prns-
sian traveller stopped. befjre he LET, the
pao forever TO take . last look ., the
/ lonely scDs of oil .ud'rIngs and oil his
I.ril. Tbs spt ~brs hs ten, bal stood
~a. still marked 10 the snowy waste by the
ashes Of hl. expiring Gfe. lis Eyes rested
lfng on tina, las' left. t0achng trace N
him.slf and hs hardships wandered