The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-09-17
GRANDPA'S INDIAN STORY.
RY IrsIIE rHoRNF-


shone and biazed on the hearth, for Grandpa
Germond lived in the country, where there
were plenty of nice pine logs to burn; and
Betsy the maid, had just lit the big lamp
that hung, in a little padoga of crimson and
blue stained glass, in the middle of the room
and, altogether, it was just the sort of
night for storytelling. Besides they had
played at all sorts of games until they were
tired; and supper wasn't quite ready; and
cook said she wouldn't have them in the
kitchen while she was frying the crullers,
and getting the waff1es and honey ready; so
there was nothing left to do but to to tell
stories.
..What sort of story?" said the old gen.
tleman, looking kindly down at the little,
laughing, bright-eyed flock
"A ghost story" bawled Tom.
sAn Indian story" said Lisette, an inno-
cent little blue-eyed thing, with her doll in
her arms, with lots of scalps and toma-
hawks in it."
"a sea story" said Charley.
"a story about miser who found pot of
gold" said Josey.
ga fairy story" whispered Nell.
-sNow see here" said the old gentleman,
laughing, "we haven't time for five stories,
and there seems to be FIVE different opinions
here. How shall we settle it?"
Lets draw lots said Tom.
So they got five different slips of paper,
and wrote upon them, s4Ghost, "Indan,"
+'Sea," "Miser," and FAIRY" and put them
all into hat.
aWho shall draw lots7" said Tom
And all the children cried out, 'sNell;"
and so the little girl, who was head shorter
/. than any of them, put her plump hand into
>the hat and pulled out the one on which was
written, "Indian."
"Goodl' cried Lisette, clapping her hands,
sgoodr
'Oh, DEAR" said Tom, with his face half a
yard long, 81 wanted a nice creepy-crawly
1 sort of ghost story, that would make us all
afraid to go to bed'
'And l wanted some dear little silver
winged fairies" chirped Nell, "with crowns
on their heads, and diamond dewdrops at the
end of their wands."
..Al in good time, children, said Grandpa
Germond, .'all in good time. But Lisette
has fairly won her choice to-day. And an
Indian story it shall be-but a true one
One that happened to me when was little
boy"
The children all gathered around their
! grandfathers chair, with eager, expectant
faces; even the disappointed Tom evineed
some interest.
"If there's plenty of scalps in it." said he
.smaybe it will be almost as good as ghost
story"
e0h, there shall be plenty of scalps,
promise you," said grandpa. "Well, once
upon a time, children, when 1 was a little
chap, not much bigger than Nellie there 1
went out West to visit my Uncle job Uncle
Job lived in the wilderness where there were
bears and panthers, and wolves, and all sorts
of wild cattle. Besides Indians.
"Real Indians, grandpa?" said little Nell,
with open eyes and mouth.
"Yes, real Indians, with scalp-locks waving
on their heads, and blankets wrapped around
their shoulders, and strings of colored beads
\ around their necks, and fringed leggins on
- their legs. Not such Indians as you see when
you go to Niagara or Canada, sheepish, red
skinned fellows, dressed in white men s
clothes, and looking as if they were ashamed
Of themselves, but royal sons of the forest
"Grandpa," said Josey, weren't you -
raid?'
"Not in the least" said the old gentlema n,
laughing, "until 1 heard the story of hostile
band of Indians, who had moved down from
the Iowa woods-Iowa was a deal further
West then than the Californian coast is now
and who had their tents all hung with the
scalps of their enemies. So / left off going
to play all by myself in the blackberry pas
! lures, and to fish in the quiet river down
under the hill, for, you see, 1 had no idea oi
being scalped.
"One day an old scissors-grindera and clock
mender came along, and while he was putting
Uncle Jobs kitchen clock in good striking
order-it had puzzled US, considerably, by
striking sometimes two and sometimes two
and sixty o'clock, just as it happened-he
told a variety of stories about these trouble
some Indians, how they had stolen all old
Mrs. Mopps's wash off the lines, and robbed
Farmer Patney's hen-roost, and driven Jacot
\ Jeliff's best COW away in the dead of night
"Ah,p said the old clock-mender, ''they rt
unlucky neighbors, these redskins. We never
had such thieving Indians around before
And little Billy Smithers is lost, and they
/ think he's been stolen by these very fellows
And they went to Mrs. Mickleston's yester
day and asked her to give them some of he
nice honeycomb-and she shut the door il
their faces and told them to go about thei
business. I wouldn't be her for a goot
deall"
"Why not?" asked Uncle Job, who wa
mending piece of broken harness by tn,
kitchen ire.
THE old clock-mender shook his head.
A4They'll wake up some fine night ant
ind 'emselves all scalped, said the old clock
mender, solemnly s.
"4Oh, guess not said Uncle Job.
"sWell, we'll see,' said the ciock-mender
"Uncle Job forgot all about the Indians
and Mrs. Mickleston, and the honey-comb
u but 1told Betsey, the maid servant, all abou
it-1 pt in little crib in Betsy's room
and Is both Of US lay awake half the night
listening to hear the Indians footsteps on tn
green grass Under our windows, that evel
when worn outby the fatigue of her days iron
ing, Betsey fell fast asleep at last, 1 walked he
up to ask if she didn't hear sound like al
INDIAN war whoop in the swamp below tn,
house. But Betsey sat up and listened, an,
told me it was only scrcech-owl hooting il
the moonlight. So then felt better and sool
went to sleep.
"The next day Aunt Kizzy-Keziah wa
her real name, but we children had all beel
L taught to call her sKizzy'-called Betsey.
. sBetsey,' said she, i haven't got a yeas
cake left, and can't bake without one. Jus
you go over to Mrs. Mickleston's and ask he