The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-23

hand Is gone:
But Oh. love me, my lover! and I'll live till
Till our parting is over. and our dark days
are done.
A BRAVE FR0NIIERSMAN.
Fridays Rio Grande train (says The
De7aver Times Of recent date), brought
III one Of those characters sometimes met
with in this vicinity, who don't wear
nicely curled locks falling down on their
shoulders, whose waists are not belted up
about half their natural size, who do not
pretend to he one of the families of 'sBills,"
and yet have seen hard service as anv
Of their strutting competitors for fame,
and in square tight with man or beast
would not be the first to throw up their
hands. Tho race is dying out, or at least
is overshadowed by those whose preten-
sions, backed by good figures, have made
themselves the heroes OF dime novels and
sensation newspapers. and it was abso-
lutely refreshing to hear the subject CT
this sketch, without the least swagger
or braggadocio, relate in quiet, sub
dued tone, experiences that would have
tested the couarge:of the bravest, even Of
the hardy pioneers of this region.
lie rejoices in the name of Harrison
Barndecker, was born in Ohio in the heat
of the presidential campaign Of 1910
whence his given name), and came to
this section with his father in 1855, be.
tore the Pixies Peak excitement was
thought of. His family hal removed to
Texas year or two previous to the above
date and commenced stock ranch. A
sudden raid of the Commanches deprived
them Of every hoof, and in the fight with
the savages, his mother and elder brother
were killed. This decided the fate Of the
two survivors, and having by their de-
termined resistance (which was tprotrac-
ed until the decaying corpses of the slain
made their stay in the cabin almost un-
bearable) worried out the little band Of
raiders, they struck out for the noun
tains. Though they did not ION Bonded
knees ETC., swear eternal vengence to
the Commanches they did not allow An OPP
portunity to pass without taking scalp.
While on their way over the Texas plains
from their cover in an arroyo they saw q
band of five Commanders 20 into camp.
Before morning five scalps dangled from
their belts, and they wore provided with
horses with which to continue their
journey. They pitched upon point far
into the heart OF the range as the scene
of their future life, and there for ten years
they lived, seeing only the trappers and
hunters that stumbled on their retreat,
except when once year one went to
Santa Fe to exchange peltries for years
supply Of powder and lead. Some gilt.
tering sand in one of the streams near
their cabin attracted their attention, and
taking some of the stuff to Santa Fc it
was found to be gold dust. They didn t
60 crazy over it, but after that when
game was scarce they washed the sand,
and in the course Of a few years had ac-
cumulated enough to keep the old man
comfortable for the balance of his DAVIS.
Then old association came back to the
father, and he determined once more to
return to civilization. The son accom-.
panied him, but year in Ohio was
enough. 1t was in 1855, when every.
thing was in a hurrah upon the close OF
the war, and the young man was disgust.
ed with the bombast INDUCED in by pol.
iticians, and returned to his cabin alone.
Since then he has made frequent trips to
the settlements, and has on several &C.
casions been employed by parties Of
English Nimrods to assist them in their
search for wild game. His bronzed tace
takesSa peculiar expression as he tells how
many have taken home the fruits of his
rife to palm off on their friends as the
result of their own skill. In the severe
winter of 1871 he had an encounter with
a bear which he had wounded. and re.
ceived spat which left an ugly scar,
extend from his left temple down his
cheek, shoulder, and arm to the wrist.
The animal died, but before he could
bandage his bleeding arm a storm arose
suddenly, and for three days, though be
succeeded in building fire, he had all
he could do to keep from freezing to
death. When he did start he was whole
day reaching his cabin, only two miles
distant, and had four toes so badly fro.
zen that they dropped off, keeping him
in bed three months. Last summer a
party of New Workers secured his, SER
vices while out here, and one of the num-
Der has organized party for the Black
Hills, which has engaged him to acom-
pany them. He Left Saturday morning
to meet his party at Cheyenne. During
our conversation with him. he related
several incidents that will be of inter.
est some future time. As VIC rose to go
he said, "You're newspaper man, amt
you p We complimented him on his
discrimination. "Well if you write out
any of these ERE stories I'd ruther you