The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-06-24
H0YT & CO., Proprietors
geleetea Story.
.LEONORA BROWN.
TRRfLLLNG ADVENTURE CT a MIME
SOTA GIRL WITH INDIANS.

neS0ta, tnero llVeu a. sGuIuJ, !" hio '
frontiersman named Walter Brown. lie
was one of those adventurous spirits ever
to be found in the van of advancing civil
ization-always courting the free, wild
air of the prairio, and rejoicing in the
profound depths of uninhabited forests
But the country grew more and more
thicklv settled, and Walter Brown be-
came uneasy. His wife had borne him a
daughter, the third or fourth year OF
their residence at the head waters OF the
st. Croix, whom he called Leonora. She
was a good girl, and the idol of her faith
er. He purchased rifle for her when
she was but twelve years OF age, and
took the utmost pains in teaching her the
use of it. She was brave, and STEADY OF
nerve, and very soon acquired wonderful
skill as shot; and the number ofpralrie
chickens, partridges, and wild water-fowls
and other small game, she managed to
shoot each day, was really largo. Occa-
sionally she would shoot deer, and one
sventful morning, by lucky shot through
Z the eye into the brain, she killed bear.
When she came home with the news
her father could scarcely credit her; but
knowing her perfectly truthful nature, he
danced about the house for JOY, and seiz-
ing the sturdy little maid, he mounted
her upon his shoulders and insisted upon
carrying her all the way to the spot
Where the dead bruin lay.
Thicker and thicker flowed the tide OF
emigration into Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin0following the navigable rivers as a
matter of course-and more uneasy and
..crowded" felt Walter Brown Atlength
his wife died. Leonora was then sixteen,
and engaged to be married to handsome
Young trapper by the name OF Watson,
who had Joined her father in business.
The death of the mother made it ne
cessary to postpone the wedding; III the
interim old Walter decided to move In
to Northwestern Minnesota. Ncighbors
were settling too near, and hunting and
trapping were bad. AS the young man
had proved up, pre-ompted and improved
q quarter section of land near Taylor's
Falls, then beginning to grow rapidly, ne
did not wish either to abandon or sell 1t
Just then, and, persuading Leonora to
apree to write to him when she got set
tied. he babe her an affectionate goodbye.
Brown lived at his new home tor three
or four years in peace and quiet, finding
good trapping and hunting grounds, when
all at once young Watson arrived and
renewed the proposal of marriage with
LSonora. The old man had about deter
mined to move no more, and had accord.
inely located and pre- emptcd several
thousand acres of land about him; and
learning from Watson that be had money
enough to do likewise, proposed that ne
should 60 down to st. Paul and buy land
warrants with his money, and take up
all the land around he could "swing," and
he might then marry Ileonora, and they
two would 90 to work, and after building
plenty of stabling, etc., would get on a
rood stock of cattle and sheep, and try
and lead quiet pastoral life for the rest
of their days.
To this proposition the young man
heartily assented, and, after returning
from St. Paul, he and old Walter took
their axes and went bravely at work in
the woods, telling trees for building pur,
poses 1t was agreed at first that they
should build new hcwed loghouse tor
the united family, as Walter had only
but up a small single-roomed cabin ; and
then the wedding was to take place, and
the two men were to resume their work.
While thus busily engaged, the Sioux
war broke out 1t was the habit of Leo
nora to take her rife every morning and
shoot prairie chickens for the table, while
her lover and father were hard at work
mn the new house. Watson had brought
her: as a present from St. Paul, a light
and handsome revolving rife, of which
she was immensely fond, and with which
she became so expert that she could shoot
a duck or prairie chicken on the wing
with almost absolute certainty.
Ono morning as she was strolling about
&he lake. rife in hand, she noticed three
canoe loads of Indians padding along the
opposite side of the water; steadily and
stealthily approaching the spot where her
father and lover were at work. She did
not Immediately apprehend any tragedy,
but some unaccountable way, she felt i'm
helled to remain and watch their motions.
She therefore concealed herself behind
the top of fallen tree, and observed
their movements, which grew more and
more suspicious. There were TWO Indi.
ans in each canoe, and after they had
paddled steadily to point whore thick,
over-hanging birch tree afforde d conceal
ment for their canoes, they disembarked,
and crept carefully and noisolessly for;
ward until they were within few feet OF
where the two unsuspecting men were
chopping. Suddenly, with yell which
made the forest ring, and which echoed
nd ro.echod across the broad. still lake
they sprang upon their victims and bore
them TO the earth.
Leonora, trembling with excitement
and apprehension, expecting nothing less
than to witness the horrible butchery OF
her father and lover ut once.
Rnt this did not seem to be the purpose