Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1871-03-29
On the Sc. Croix River Thirty-Fonr
Years Ago.
NUMBER TWO.
[PrOm tn. Minneapolis Pupil q G.sette.l

[From the Minneapolis Pupil y Gszette.l
Included in our crew were three fe
males, Mrs. Orr and Mrs. Sackett, wives
of employees, and Miss Young. daughter
of wldower employee. Tie old log
cabin served for kitchen, but we had to
improyse an arbor outside for dining
ball. While part of the crew were de-
tailed to 60 up river TO cut and drive
down timber for the mill. the balance of
the crew were employed in working the
timber, hear by, into a dwelling house,
which We were badly in need of for
sleeping quarters. A few days after our
arrival, while we were still novices in In
dian character, party of about fifteen
or twenty of them came up in sight of
US and devoted the greater part of the
forenoon to painting themselves. in the
most grotesque manner, and just before
we were called to dinner they arranged
themselves near the table, and by signs
gave US to understand that they would
give US a free dance, which we all enjov.
ed very much; and when they got
through they took their departure with
presents of bread ana meat, and our
thanks, and we repaired to the table for
our dinner. But alas not knife, fork
or spoon could be found; and then it
crept through our hair that, while the
majority were entertaining US with the
dance, the others had stripped the table
of all they could make use Of; but on
charging them with it they protested
their innocence, and strange as it may
seem, not one of the articles was ever
seen afterwards.
In like manner we had thong htlessy
left a pig Of lead BY !.ae side of the house,
which we had brought with US for use,
and having occasion to use some lead one
day. went for it. and found, much TO our
regret and inconvenience, that too had
gone up the spout. But the poor Indi-
ans denied having seen it even, while we
noticed that all their war clubs, pipes,
and guD.stocks had been lately and clab-
orately Crnamented with molten lead, in
images and characters. But these Incl
| dents opened our eyes to the real facts 10
the case, and We kept sharp lookout
for them ever after.
We built two buildings twenty fee
square. one and half stories high, one
n frame, the other of hewu poplar logs.
with space of twelve feet between them.
inclosing The whole under one roof using
the upper part of Tie whole for sleeping
apartments--lhe room in the frame Cor
sitting -room-and the log for store
room. About month before the Indi
an payment, we received a stock Of sup
plies and provisions for the winter, while
The Indians we've gathering upon as
thicker and faster, 20 be ready for the
payment, ard torment!ng us with begging
and threatening alternately, and thought
lessy we left some of our provision.
standing in the passage Of which | have
spoken and one morning we missed two
barrels of pork, and one Of butter On
looking around we found the butter bar
rel in the river, about one third used up,
which we secured; but the pork or bar
reIs we never heard Of after.
The old Indians lay in their camps all
that day. sick, but declared they knew
nothing of the pork or butter. When
the payment came of we put in bill Of
5000 for the pork, and one Of $3.50 for
the butter. which was allowed and kept
back from .bem. They made 10 objec
tons to paying for tue pork, but thought
it hard to pay for the butter. as it did
them no good, but made them all sick.
We had three yoke of oxen which,
when not in use, we allowed TO craze
around near bv, looking after them oc
casionally. About the first of Septem
Der an old Indian came to beg provisions.
who had been several times before, and
the agent went to a pork barrel, and Sc
ected piece of about dozen TBS, with
the tail on 1t, which he held it up by TO
see if it would SUIT him; upon which his
countenance fell and he turned and went
out without saying ANYTHING. When we
came to look fer one yoke of our cattle
they were not to be found, and mistrust-
ing that something was wrong. we hired
an Indian to hunt them, which he did
effectually. and found that this same beg
gar had driven them several miles away
and killed them for beet, taking The pre-
caution to drive them over barren lodges
of rock. in several cases, to prevent us
from tracking them. But the Indian
knew the Indians mode of strategy bet
ter than We did, rs our men went TO hunt
the oxen several times. but lost their trail
on coming TO said ledge. But they were
made to pay good price for poor beef
on payment day, much TO their chagrin.
We afterwards learned that it was gross
insult to offer an Indian piece OF meat
with the tail on it, even if they were
starving. So much for Indian dignity or
rather indignity.
The QUEEN OF PRUssIA.-Queen Au
gusta is known by her most intimate as
sociates to be most ambitious woman.
She is not wanting 10 any element of true
womanhood. Her devotion as wife
and mother is appreciated by her family
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