Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-03-22
A Hair.raising Story Told to an Indi.
annapolis Reporter.

dpOllc cONST kut3 q hIioAlC 6SOa Sl0y-
haired, Withholding man, called at the
Journal Office. Every one had gone
except one unfortunate reporter who
had been dilatoryin making his appear
ance, and he was hurrying his papers
away and getting ready to start out
upon his daily rounds. The old man
looked around him, aud espying the
reporter made a break for him, and
pulling a chair up to his desk, poured
the following hair-raising tale into his
sympathetic ears. 1t is given as nea
ly as possible in his exact language. He
said:
envy name is Jacob I. Large. I was
born in Ohio, of poor, but respectable
parentage. My father was a miller
and built the first mill in that section
of the State. l am As years old
and always was very eccentric. When
| was quite small I distinguished my
self by eating more than any small boy
in the town. was always doing m
thing like that-different from other
persons. lived home, and acted like
common boys, until I was Fl years old.
Then I made the discovery that Ohio
was too small to hold me, and deter
mined to go out West and grow up
with the country. [ went
to Minnesota and soon be-
came known as one of the most skill
full surveyors and trappers in the North
west. It seemed just as | had been
cut out for that life, and l thrived in it.
You ought to see me jump. Now, old
man as L am, I'll bet you | can jump
higher than you can" The reporter
begged him to be calm, and explained
that his kind of work did not require
that kind of agility. Atlast he allowed
his surplus energy to expand itself in
words, and continued: When the
wal broke out I joined the Minnesota
Volunteers. I had only enlisted, and
was disposing of some little land l
owned, when I was forced into q battle
that has caused me more trouble than
one, and to which my present condition
is owing. / was one of the settlers who
was called in to defend the settlements
against the raids of the Sioux Indians.
Inthis battle I shot { Old Crow the cele-
brated chief. He lived long enough
after he was shot to recognize me and
swear vengeance. After that l joined
my regiment and went all through the
War. l was with Ben Butler in New
Orleans. I was shot some II times in
several parts of my body during the
War, but ~miraculously eluded the grasp
of death every time.
When the War was over I returned
to Minnesota and enlisted in the Second
Minnesota Regulars. | served there
five years. When this service was end
ed | went out to Colorado to locate my
k.zll.o-3o o1o;, ot,o,n6v tho 20 n pro nf
hills called the Sand-hills and deter
mined to locate there. On the Esd of
October, 1874, l left Fort Dodge and
went into the hills q distance OF 81
miles. The day was lovely, and l felt
in the best of spirits. The country was
just what 1 was looking for, and | had
mades up my mind where the tract
should begin and where it should end.
At last | got tired of walking and sat
down to eat my dinner. 1 Lit q fire,
made a cup of coffee, and was sitting
down to enjoy my frugal repast, when
I saw a party of Indians riding towards
me. I supposed they were Cherokees,
and consequently paid no attention to
them. You see, L was a match for bali
a dozen Cherokees single-handed. AS
they came nearer I saw them separate;
two rode directly toward me and the
other five circled around and tried to
get back of me. went on eating and
waited until they should come within
hailing distance. 1t wasn't long
until the two made themselves known
by sending a couple of arrows in my
direction. I knew this meant war and
began preparing for a fight. AS they
neared me I saw one start back in his
saddle and literally turn pale in spite OF
the paint with which his face was be-
daubed. AS soon as he could master
All, ha! This is the man that murder
ed my father in Minnesota! l will
drink of his hearts blood! Ah!' With
this they both rushed at me, one on
each side, striking me with their toma-
hawks. I grabbed them, n with each
hand, and would have succeeded in
killing them, but the other Indians rode
up and pitched at me from the rear
They hit me on the leg with their guns
and broke one limb in two places. Then
I gave up and surrendered myself to
their tender mercies. They only did
this to me. (Here the romancer lifted
his hat and disclosed to the reporters
astonished gaze his head. There was
a huge scar on top about the size and
shape of a t1at-iron. In the center OF
this was a sore spot where the wound
had healed and the skull protruded
through the bare flesh. About an
inch below this spot was his left eye
brow. When he winket with his right
eye this tuft of hair would vibrate, Civ
ing him an appearance at C unique
and grotesque.) lay there perfectly
sensible, but entirely disabled, four
days and four nights at the mercy OF
the wild beasts. At the expiration OF
that time the soldiers, who knew [ had
gone out, began to wonder why | did
not return, and started out to find me.
They found nae and took me to the
fort. It was three weeks before l re-
ceived medical aid. I was taken to the
hospital at Kansas City, where l lay for
IS months. The doctor attempted to
cure me by grating skin on my
head from my arms. Since 1 left there
49, xI4