The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1879-06-19
SCARED.

mote frontier there are people livin
through hours of privation and terror
which we, in our safe and cenvenien
homes, know nothing of.
The adventure related in this simpl
sketch occurred only few months since
upon the Kansas frontier during tn
late troubles With the Cheyenne Indians
Mr.. HUDSON, former resident of In
diana, had met with business reverses
in consequence Of which he Determined
to begin life anew in the far west. H
gathered what little household -propert
was left to him, and in a wagon draw
4oy two horses journeyed to his ney
home.
He selected land far from any railroa,
or settlement, because such land wa
cheaper, and having built himaelf a Ia:
cabin, he managed in much privatlon 6
live through the first year. j
The Indian troubles began during til
second year, and caused the family goo<
deal of anxiety. They were not modest
ed, however, and had begun to feel almos
easy again. One day Mr. Hobson hat
gone to his nearest neighbor's, distance
of several miles, with his horses an(
wagon Mrs Hobson was in the ,lous
boiling hominy, in a kettle in the grea
fireplace. She needed a bucket of water
aud started to get it, when, as she reached
the door of the cabin, she saw a dozen In
dians coming directly TO the house.
They did not see her. Without wait
ing to fasten the door, she caught he
baby, an infant of eight months, from it:
low oox-cradle, and in her fri ght rushed
up ladder which stood in one corner O.
the house to low loft above.
Laying the baby on a pile of qnilts
with desperate strength she pulled the
ladder up after her, and shut down the
trap-door. Then she crouched in cor
ncr by the chimney with her babe in he1
arms.
The savages entered the lower room
and commenced searching and plumber
ing in great glec.
They snatched the clean, blue wOolen
covcrets and blankets from the beds and
wrapped themselves in them, threw the
the pillows on the floor and sat upon
them, and appeared particularly delight
tt " llIl tiC lCdtIltl-DC0, WHICH w uo tut
pride Of Mrs. Hobson's heart.
Through crack in the floor, which
was also the ceiling of the lower room,
Mrs. Hobson watched them. Every in
slant she feared their noisy shouts would
wake the baby; but fortunately the child
was undisturbed by the rcvel going on
below.
In a few minutes the savagcs discov-
cred the kettle Of hominy, and in great
glee it was set upon the hearth, dipped
out into pans, pots, crooks, gourds, any
thing they could lay hands on, and de-
vourcd. Even in her terror Mrs. Hobson
wondered what their throats were make
of that they could swallow it so scalding
hot
1t appeared to sharpen their appetites,
for they began to search for more food.
Presently one Of them found a sack of
potatoes under cupboard. { { -
"Paddys! paddys." he shouted, glce-
fully; "Injun roast paddys; make big
fire, get big roast. Big heap paddyn'
Mrs. Hobson knew that many of the
Indians called Irish potatoes "paddys, "
so; though she could not see the sack, she
knew what they had found. They re-
turned to the fireplace, and poured the
potatoes down in a heap on the floor.
Then they drew the Goals and ashes upon
one side, and soon had nearly half
bushel Of the potatoes roasting in the
ashes.
They sat down to wait for their ex-
pected feast, and as Mrs. Hobson peeped
through the crack in the floor at them,
so dirty, ugly and repulsive, way Of cs-
cape occurred to her. What could she
do?
AS she glanced despairingly round the
low, dark loft, she saw in corner no lit
tie red chest. Now came an answer to
her question.
"Henry's powder is IN that chest If
l could only throw some of it down into
the fire and frigten them, or burn them
a little.'
81 can I cam" she thought the next
instant. eff I can get my hand into the
hole in the chimney, l can"
Creeping softly to the chimney, she
put up her hand and felt for the hole.
This chimney was built of mud and
sticks, and up in the loft the mud had
dried, cracked and broken away in one
place. Mr. Hobson had often declared
he must mend that hole, but he was al
ways so busy 1t was not yet done, and
now how glad Mrs. Hobson was that it
was still there.
She found that the hole was large
enough to admit her hand, and then she
was sure her plan would work, for she
knew that these Cheyennes were the YER
lest towards, easily scared at what they
did not understand. F-
Very slowly and carefully she crcpt to
the chest, opened it with the greatest
care, and took out the can of powder. In
doing so she saw small tin mustard
box, which contained some sulphur. The
very thing! she thought II don know
what they'll do together, but the sulphur
will nearly choke them to death, I'm
sure, and I'll try it,
She poured part of the sulphur from
the box; then she poured into the box
some powder, and shook the contents till
they were we'll mixed. With silent
prayer she slipped softly back to the
chimney, thrust the little box as far as
she could into the hole, and turned it..
In a second there was quick smothered
report, a Kissing noise, and the next in
stant, yelling, coughing, choking, scream
ing and tumbling over one another, the
savages were all rushing out ofdoors.
Mrs. Hobson was almost stihed herself
by the horrible smell and smoke which
came up through the cracks of the floor,
but she dared not venture down until
stiffness below had convinced her that
her visitors were not likely to return.
Then she lifted the trap, pushed down
the ladder, and went down What a
scene of confusion met, her eyes! Bed
pillows, pans, dishes and house
hold belongings were scattered over the
floor, and the explosion had thrown ashes,
blackened Goals and half-roasted potatoes
all over the room. fg'z4@rGg
But the Indians had fed Mr.. Hobson
came home half an hour later, and found
his wife restoring order among the house
hold goods. The superstitieus Indians did
not venture to oreturn.-Mattie Dyer Brits,
int Youth's Companion.
NJ. Remains description Of St. Paul's IN