Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-02-11
ron THE YOUNG FOLKS.
BURTON AND THE BABY.

/ than last year. It was War-t1me-lSo.
and the first battle of Bull Run wa:
| still fresh in the minds Of every one
| and sitting on the doorstep, little Bur
ton EstIick spelled out the account O
it in the weekly paper, which had come
| in only yesterday, while the baby pat
tered about with his small bare feet
and talked in an unknown tongue
about everything.
BurtOu's father was q private in one
Of the Western regiments, and had lefi
his wife and two children in a neigh.
boris charge, till his two years of army
life sl1Ould be over. Burton, though
but Just nine years old, was learning
in good earnest to be a farmers boy,
For two years he had lived with his
mother in this lonely country, half q
dozen families having left Mankato
some seventy miles east, and settled
on the prairie back of Lake Shetek.
The Sioux, ChippeWas and Winneba-
goes still roamed over the greater part
Of Minnesota, and no one thought OF
fearing them, as all professed the
friendliest feelings toward the whites,
Now and then the Sioux and Chippe-
was, who have always been deadly en-
emies, went on the War-path against
each other, and Burton had seen some
Chippewa scalps brought in by a
neighboring band of Sioux, some OF
whom came often to the house to beg
for provisions.
SO this morning, as his mother took
the milking-pail, and went out toward
the barn, where the COWS stood lowing,
he picked up his little brother and fol-
lowed her slowly, thinking of the
great battle, and wondering if his faith
er would be in any, and how it must
seem to hear the bullets Whizzing
around ones head. Looking up as he
heard the clatter of hoofs, he saw some
twenty Indians riding towards the next
house, hardly q stOne's-thrOW away,
and he went on, meaning to ask If they
were going out against the Chippewas.
Willie stopped him a moment to ask
for bright flower growing near the
fence as Burton stopped to pick it, he
heard two shots fired In quick success
sion, and then terrible yell, ,-and Mr..
Hurd, who had been standing near the
door with his baby in his arms, fell
dead. AT the same moment his moth
er, with white, scared face, pulled him
away by the hand.
"Run into the brush" I" she whisper
ed, Tor the Indians will kill us all. .
AS she spoke she caught little Willie,
and ran down the road toward the
thick brush, but was stopped halfway
by two Indian women, who rose up
suddenly from behind log where they
were crouehing. As Mrs. Estlick tore
herself away from them, they ran to-
man was escaping. Two Of the Indians
fired; one ball glaneIng from Burton's
shoulder, made only a deep cut; the
other striking Mrs. Estlick's ankle,
crushed the bone. She fell, but in a
moment was up again, and, leaning on
Burton, pulled herself painfully along.
The Indians, more anxious to plunder
than to kill, turned again to the house,
telling Mrs. Hurd that If she would
give no alarm, she might go with her
children by the trail they pointed out,
leading eastward over the prairie to
New Ulm. As Mrs. Estlick looked
back moment, she saw her hurrying
toward the trail, and had she dared to
leave the brush would have followed.
For mile she dragged herself on
the agony from her wounded foot
growing greater every moment. Then
she sank down with groan.
ats no use Burton I may crawl
along on my hands and knees, but
that is the only way can go, and you
and follow the trail to ManllatO. Garry
him all you can, and perhaps you may
| get in alive. You won't leave him OF
| the road to die, Burton?"
''No, mother" :" Burton said, looking
into her eyes, in which were no tears
both of them were past crying. ''HI
sha'n't die unless I do, and I'll try ant
send somebody back for you"
"Kiss me, and then 20 on as fast al
you can with Willie" and for a mo
ment she held the children tightly tC
her heart. Then she fell back and
covered her eyes, and Burton, Will
I Willie in his arms, walked swiftly OF
through the tall brush, starting a
every sound, and erouching low, as
cracking in the bushes made him thinl
the Indians might be following them
| Little Willie, hardly two years old
knew no reason for fear, and per
1ectly happy in being with Burton
would have talked and played all thu
way, had not Burton told him he mas
keep still, because there was some
/ thing dreadful that might conn
through the bushes after him. Eve
then he could hardly understand It
and put up pitiful, grieved little lil
at the idea that Burton was frigbteninS
him. Soon he settled down contented
ly and went to sleep, and Burton
who found he could not carry his heav-
little body any farther without resting
went aside into the thickest brush b
could find, and laid him in some sof
high grass. Here was a wild plum
tree, and he filed his pockets an
handkerchief with the fruit, KNOWN
that soon he should be upon the opei
prairie, where there would be smal
prospect of finding any food.
Then he walked Willie, not daring t
stay here longer, and, too tired to car
~ him. led him slowly, for the 1ittl
! feet could not travel more than a mil
an hour. So they went on through th
long afternoon, stopping now and the
to rest, till at last, almost at sunse
they came ont on the open prairie
Willie, who had thought for an hou
or two that he was going home, bega
to cry, when he saw only the red SIX
; | hi
! other mile Burton Coaxed him alonj
by running before him little way an
saying, 'NoW, Willie, see if YOU ca
catch me-" Then the weary little fei
could go no farther, and Burton s,
: down by him on a sand-knolI, detern
ined to watch all night; but, too e1
hausted to keep awake, he soon fe
asleep. Dawn awaked him, and /
/, reused Willie and started on, frightel
ed at having lost so much time.
This days journey was hard on
> The want of proper food began to te
on both children, most of all on Blu
/, ton, who, when the second night cam
z lay down at once, too weary to thiI
3 even of watching. Willie cried pit
fully for his supper, and could not
4 comfOrted by the promise of somethil
: 'tto-morroW" but he slept quietly &
night. So the third day came al
passed, Burton finding only few wi
on which they came to deserted hou
and q cornfield. Everything had be
destroyed by the Indians but, scare
: ing carefully, part of a spoiled ha
was found, and the two children &
= heartily of this, saving the remand
for future use. This, with wild plul
. and raw green corn, was their on
food, till late on the eleventh ds
when Burton, carrying the baby bro
e. er, who was now too weak to walk, {
- tered Mankato, where fugitives fri
n all directions had come in.
<. Here every house was thrown opl
us and the two children were soon car
for. When he had seen Willie drinl
glass of milk and lie down in q co
Portable bed, Burton asked for so
. crackers and bag to put them In.
. "What do you want of crackers
asked the lady who had taken the el
dren into her house.
Z 'sTo eat on the road. am going bI
to look for mother
'But, my dear child, you cannot {
heri IF she is alive at all, some of
wagons have picked her mp and broul
" her in. She may be here In town."
VI "Then I will look here first" 8
Burton. As he insisted, Mrs. Hut
inson went with him through the toy
z ono q Nor avlnf1aars - khaTT 1rr