Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-06-02

i
loose on the prairie. ] knew That they
meant to have some fun out Of me, and
that, if left to themselves. 4 terrible fats
Of some kind would be allotted to me
but / dreaded still more the fate OF my
darling wife. Meanwhile some Of the
Indians had proceeded to small bell
Of timber, near where we had halted,
and sooi. returned bearing with them q
lot Of dry wood. which they threw on
the ground. That they meant to tor.
ture me was apparent ct glance; bptI
| knew NOS ss Glst lzesdetitfYt0eyn4d
in mind. / soon found, however, that
they meant to pursue method not at
all compatible with my view. They
first drove long stake into the ground,
and having done this they brought for
ward very spirited horse, haltered it
with long, heavy rope, and tied the
rope to the stake Then / was put on
the horse, and my feet tied together un-
derneath him..
This having been done the Indians
began to whip the horse around the
stake, shouting, and making all manner
of hideous noises to frighten him. The
poor animal reared and plunged with
all his might, trying to get away, but
the rope held him so that he could do
nothing but gallop around the stake
Some Of the Indians lighted torches and
brandished them at him, and so terri
bly, was be frightened that his shrill
snorting could have been heard quar-
ter of mile. As for me, / was jerked
from side to side until I was nothing
but mass of bruises, and almost un-
conscious. The Indians threw sticks
and tomahawks at me rs the horse
passed them in his wild galloping,
some of the latter coming dangerously
near.
At last, however, the horse was stop
ped, and / was taken from his back, in
half dead condition, and laid upon
the ground. After the villains had tor
tured me. in various ways, until they
were satisfied, or, at least, until they
were tired looking at me, they dug a
deep hold in the ground, and having
tied my feet together, planted me like
a post. When they had completed
their work 1 was in the ground up to
my waist, and unable to move. The
scoundrels then tied my hands behind
my back, and, having caught their
horses, they departed, taking my wife
with them. struggled to release my
self, shouting with all my might, but
it did no good. I was Enthusiastically
there.
In short time after the Indians had
left me, saw light to the southwark
which appeared to reach the sky. 1t
seemed to be coming toward me, and
to increase in size and brilliancy every
moment. ! watched it curiously for
some time, being unable TO make out
what caused it. Presently I could see
that great fire was sweeping over
the plains with the speed Of race
horse. I comprehended all in an in
stant; the Indians had fired the long
dry prairie-g grass with the intention of
burning me to death. Just then dis
covered something else which, until
then, I had not noticed. The savages
had placed a powder horn near me in
such manner that if the approaching
flames reached it, it would explode and
blow me TO atoms.
could not cast this deadly agent
from me, nor could l avert the coming
Of the flames which were to ignite it. 1
gazed at the fire like one stupefed;
great drops of sweat rolled from my
face and fell upon the ground, while
my heart stood still with apprehension.
And all this while the flames were COM
ing nearer and nearer! They werenow
not more than quarter of a mile dis
tant, and coming on with increasing
fury. Unless some one came to my
rescue should certainly perish. What
could do, alone and helpless. upon the
great prairie, with a perfect lake of fire
sweeping on to my destruction
! my God" cried aloud, "wiIl no
one save me from horrible death -
II am here for that purpose" said a
familiar voice close behind me. Iturned
my head and beheld my nearest neigh
Dor, Henry Thompson, in the act OF
dismounting from his horse.
''This is ticklish situation, Ward"
said he. rs he hastened to me and be-
gan to help me out of the ground.
'What angel of mercy sent you to me
at this critical moment z" said almost
crying with joy.
The same angel that watches the
welfare of every human being must have
guided me to you,' said Thompson,
working away to set me out of the
ground. "My wife and were expect.
ing YOU at the house to night and afte,
supper we just walked out in the pleas.
ant moonlight to meet you. We saw
you coming when you were some dis.
tance from us, and we also saw the In.
dians when they surrounded and cap
tured you and your wife. We waited
in the shadow of some bushes until the
Indians had gone. and then / took my
wife back to the house and followed the
Indians to see what they were going tc
do with You. At some distance from
this place witnessed all that the In
dians did to YOU, and when they left
came on here There, now, come ou,
of that hole and let US be getting ava,
from this place"
! / obeyed, and then I looked around
at the fire, now frishtfully near.
'Quick," said Thompson. who has
mounted his horse, get up behind m.
and let N be Of" ,.1 So.
1 cbeyed withous o word. and an in
slant later We were .fiying' over th,
plains at mad gallcp. Not wort
was spoken by either until we were on
Of the range Of the fire. We had hare