Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-24
Jose Flint's Exploit.

Jose Films Exploit.
About ten years ago, man by the
name of Elkanah Flint moved with his
family from one of the New England
States to Hennepin County, Mimi, where
he took up land under the Homestead
law.
Being unable, for some reason, to OBJ
tain clear title to his land, he moved
again, and settled on the St. Louis River.
about thirty-five miles northwest of
Duluth. It was while Duluth, that the
writer was told the following story.
Flint's family consisted, beside his
wife and himself, of three children, whose
names were Jason, boy fifteen, a
daughter, Abigail, two years younger;
and little girl but three years old,
whose name, think, was Flora
Their first clearing was made on fer
tile wooded interval, on the right bank of
the river. About hundred rods back
from the stream stood their house, built of
cottonwood logs.
1t was a wet season, and their loca-
ton proved to be damp one. From
this cause, very likely, Mrs Flint and her
little girl sickened from colds, and both
died of pneumonia. The death Of the
child occurred two days after the death
of the mother.
All the care OF the household thus fell
upon Abby Flint, now in her fourteenth
year, and who seems to have been very
capable girl. Her brother Jason was Of
different stamp, and rendered his faith
CT but little help. He was attracted by
nothing but hunting and scouting. Often
he brought home deer or quarter of
moose, but it was with the greatest re-
luctance that he set himself to blowing or
planting.
To trap along the upper course of the
river was far more to Jason's liking than
telling trees.
He was very adroit in trading with the
Indians. parties Of whom often came to
the settlers house. So sharp, indeed,
were his bargains in furs with them, that
they had, within year, bestowed upon
him the nickname Tdrouchta -gippoo
which [ should translate literally as
"Young Skinflint.''
1t was not very long aftcrward that the
memorable troubles with the Sioux be-
gan, marked by those horrible massacres
of the settlers N the back counties of Iowa
and Minnesota.
During the first days OF June of the
year OF our story, Mr.. Flint set out in his
'dug- OUT boat for the then small village
of Duluth, to procure some farming i'm
plemcnts. He ordered Jason to remain
close at home, and set him hoeing in a
tioI1 of
ground recently cleared and burned
over.
But Jason, whose mind was intent on
Indians, believed it necessary to make a
scouting tour across the country to a
neighboring settlement. This trip oc-
cupied the first day of his fathers
absence.
The next morning he set to work on
the potato patch-all the more diligently
because Mr.. Flint was expected home
that highland, as was not very uncom-
mon with him, be coaxed his sister Abby
to leave her work in the house and help
him.
Sprouts from the roots and stumps of
the lately-felled trees had come up
plentifully among the potatoes. Abby
went head with bush hook, or bush
bill, and cut up the sprouts, while Jason
followed and hilled up the potatoes with
hoe
But his eyes reved about a good deal
as he hoed, and for once, at least, those
wandering eyes of his did him good
service. CHANGING to look forward to the
end of the row, where the forest bordered
the clearing, he saw an Ir dian in the act
Of stealing forward from behind the
trunk ola great maple to blackened
pinestub, which had been burned out
hollow by the recent fires, and which
stood in the out outskirts of the potatoes.
Boy though he was, Jase was at no loss
to understand the movement of the
savage. He knew that he was only
there for his sister and himself to APP
proach nearer, when he would probably
shoot him, and endeaver to take his sister
prisoner.
The distance to the pine stub was
eighteen or twenty rods-too far for the
redskins gun to shoot with certainty.
Dropping his eyes, Jase hoed on with APP
parent carelessness.
Abby had not seen the Indian, and he
udIeu lot eNeH Whisper WARNING 10 llcT
lect she should take fright, and thus
/ bring the savage at once upon them.
Jase's own gun though loaded, was at the
house, which was out Of sight behind the
bushes,
With great presence of mind, Jase said
to his sister.
"Don't hurry SO, Abb, It's too warm
to hurry. I'm going to fetch out some
water And setting down his toe, he
strolled leisurely arosss the piece, whist
ling as he went, half expecting at every
step to feel a bullet.
Getting among the bushes, he ran to
the house, and caught down his gun and
powder horn, with the intention of MAX
ing a circuit through the woods, and
coming round in the rear Of the savage,
who, be thought would be intent watch
ing his sister.
But the leathorn pouch which held his
stock of bullets was gone from the peg
In doing her work that morning, Abby
had herself knocked it off, and it had
fallen down through an opening in the
floor.