The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-07-03

Out in the edge OF the WOODS, Where
the burnt piece which had been cleared
for the schoolhouse bordered the tim
Der, l caught glimpse Of some object
crawling slowly forward from behind
root.
There were dry fire-wceds and sprouts
in the way. l could not see the object
distinctly. But it crawled along to the
blackened stub of a great yellow birch,
and Strengthened up behind it, as if about
to climb it. Then saw an Indians head
thrust stealthily out from one side of the
old stump, and the savage looked toward
the schoolhouse.
Icannot describe the feeling that the
sight gave me. It flashed into my mind
in ar instant that it was IN Indian that
had seen down at the ''slew': and that he
had waylaid Lettic.
"Gcorge!' cried Mr.. Fiield, sharply,
"takc your place in the class"
'Master," said with very white
face, suppose, there's an Indian out
doors"
"What!" exclaimed Mr., Fifield.
"Thcre's an Indian with gun, watch
lug the schoolhouscv' repeated.
Mr.. Fiteld started to 20 to the window.
But Clint exclaimed:
Don't look out, master, wouldn't
look out, master"
81 don't believe there are any Indians
watching the schoolhouse," said Mr..
Fifield, rather sternly, for he was out of
patience with me for behaving as had.
"Then come here, sir, /" said 1, land look
out of this crack"
Instead Of doing that, he walked bold
ly up to the back window, and with his
face close up to the glass, locked out.
The next thing recollcct was hearing
the sharp report of rifle, the shivering
Of glass, the fragments of which flew
across the room, and seeing Mr.. Fifield
fall back into the aisle! He never uttered
a word. He was killed instantly.
Two or three frightful war.hoops came
at the same moment. Imagine if you can,
what panic there vas in the school
house! The little scholars all began to
scream,
"Get down under the benches, out OF
sight, every one Of you!" shouted Clint,
as he ran to the door to put the "prop''
against it. We had kept large prop in
the room ever since the reports of Indians
attacking the settlers come to US. After
putting it up, Clint called Charley to
help him hold it.
It was hardly in the place before the
door was violently shaken. Then came
heavy thuds against it, as if from stone
or log. It was plank door, and the
prop held it. But we heard the savages
begin to hack and chop at it with their
hatchets or axes.
1 had got my gun from the corner
where Mr.. Fifeld allowed us to set our
guns, but there was only partridge
charge in it. We could hear the savages
running round the house; and moment
after great stone crashed through the
four-pane window on the south side.
Glass and stone flew over the benches.
The whole window was knocked in
The little scholars screamed again
One Of the redskins jumped up outside,
and, catching hold OF the windows sill
with his hands, thrust in his head and
yelled at us. lie was an Ugly looking
wretch-more like demon than a
human being.
The moment his head came IN, almost
without thought, I fired at him. 1t was
only charge Of small shot; yet the muz
zle Of the gun was hardly ten feet from
the savage. He gave howl, and heard
him tumble down outside the window
The scoundrels probably supposed ",
we're all children, and had no thought
that we had guns. They expected, NJ
doubt, to get our young scalps without
much trouble.
had hardly fred at the savage in thu
window when the two in the door cut
through and stove in one of the panels
In came the muzzle of gun! Charley
and Clint jumped off the prop and
lodged to one side, as the Indian tireG
| into the room. Clint ran at once and
seized his own gun.
The next moment the prop slipped
down, and both of the Indians came in
headlong! One, a thick, coarse-faced
rufian, had an Ak; the other, very tai
Indian, had the gun he had just fired
through the door.
The instant they tumbled in Clint FREQ
at the one with the az. Dropping the Ak, hi
clapped both hands over his stomach, and
with fearful squeal, ran out, half dou
bled up.
I hadn't had time to reload; but
knew that the tall Indians gun was emp
ty. So I raised mine and took aim al
him, as if 1 was going to shoot. Out hi
went at one leap after the other, to escape
being shot.
We shouted and ran out after them
and just as I got to the door, I saw tn,
one Clint had shot fall at the edge of thu
timber. The tall one had gone in anoth
er direction, and in a moment was out o.
sight.
| We ran out to the one we had seen fall
nc lay amongst the dry fire-weed, just Al
the point of death.
"Don't touch him" Clint said.
Then thought Of the one had sllo
in the back. indow, and we ran back t
look for him. He was not there. II,
had either run off or crawled away, ant
we never found him.
The little scholars had come GU
from under the benches, and we're crying
over Mr.. Fifeld's body. But I coult
think only Of Lcttie. was sure the saw
ages had waylaid her, and started 70
the "slew" as fast as could run. I expect
ed to find her scalpcd and dead.
Before I had got to the ''slew" l saw
her dinner-baskct lying ir the road. TIL
sight of it made me cold and sick at heart
Near it was her arithmetic and one of he
scarlet mittens, and Tout in the ditch la!
her geography.
Fairly Wild with excitement and xrief
I called to her again and again. Their
was no answer. Then searched through
the alder th;ckets about the 'tslew' am
out into the timber.
Not trace of her could find any
where, and I began to think they ha.
carried her of instead of numbering he,
I feared that one or two of them had hui
ried her away, while the other three hx,
come to attack the schoolhouse.
| came back into the rad and starte'
to run to Mr.. Eastman's, to give the alarm
But just then I heard some one calling t
|