The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1881-05-27
miscellaneous.
An Adventure on the Frontier.

When | was quite young, my father wen
| as missionary to the Indians who lived il
what is known rs the Red River district
| We made the voyage down the river from
| st. Joseph, Mo-, in two canoes, which wer,
drawn upon the shore for us to sleep in a
night bright fire being kindlcd in front o
them to keep off prowling animals.
In this way our little party, consisting o
my father, mother, one older sister, myself
and two boatmen, journeyed to the mission
station. The station was II long, low, dou
bic building of logs, already occupied by
another missionary named Mccoy. He hat
lived, until our family came, without any
other companion but half-breed calle(
Tony.
Supplies were sent to this lonely spot by
the Board of Missions and other friends from
the States These were brought down the
river in canoes, and hauled up to the station
on rude sled by yoke of stout oxen
One day my father and Mccoy had gone
to the river for load of supplies. 1t was O
days journey to the landing and back. Tony
had gone with them. No one was left al
home but mother and us two girls.
The day passed very pleasantly. Toward
noon, as we were watching mother about hel
work, my sister suddenly clapped her hands
and cried out, "Oh, what big dog"
We turned to the door and my mother ut
tered a cry of terror, for in the doorway
there stood, not dog, but large black
bear.
He was probably drawn by the smell of the
sugar and molasses, for bears are very fond
of sweets. We were greatly frightened, and
could not leave the cabin, because the ami
nal was between us and the door.
If we could have got to the ladder and up
the loft we might have escaped that way but
the barrels were in front of the ladder, and SC
was Bruin. There was really no way of es
cape, so my mother drew us two children
close to her, and took refuge behind the great
packing box, where she had been ut work
thus putting a slight barrier between us and
our unwclcomc visitor
A barrel of crackers was open, and We
found out then that bears like crackers, fol
that fellow soon upset the barrel and MUNICH
ed us many as he pleased, while we looked
helplessly on, and saw our luXuries dsap
pear
But he was anxious TO get at the sugar and
soon left the crackers and began to paw anG
scratch at the sugar barrel, which was not
open, and which stOutly resisted his efforts
He grew angry, and, with fierce growl
gave it smashing blow with his huge paw
and lifted his foot for another, when report
from a rifle sounded in our ears, and VIZ
heard the whiz of a ball, just as Mr.. Bruir
rolled, huge, woolly heap, on the floor
The sound of a horses feet followed and, as
my mother hurried out from her refuge, oul
deliverer stood in the wide doorway
lie was a stalwart Indian with long black
hair streaming half yard down his back
and a scarlet blanket wrapped around hi.
strong limbs. We children were almost n.
much afraid of him as of the bear. But al
the Indians who came to the mission were
| friendly, and my mother knew this one. HI
was Cherokee chief called Ma shoon-tire
which means 1.-THE Running Wind"
"Ha Squaw heap scare ?" he cried, will
| laugh. ME see tracks, track him in house
Shootce No hurt?" accompanying hi.
words with expressive pantomime.
My mother told him We were not hurt ant
| thanked him for shooting the bear, in words
which he could understand
| "Hc he! Bear much good meat p sale
Ma-shoontire Bear want eatce up you.-
| Now you eatee up bear"
AT my mothers request he dragged til,
huge carcass outside the door; but when sh,
told him it was his bear as he had shot it, Ii,
emphatically refused to claim it.
| My mother then gathered up pail full o
| the scattered crackers and gave them to Ma
shoon-tre, who, when he learned their use
seemed to be as delighted with them as thu
bear had been He filed his capacious hunt
ing-pouch at his side with thcm and then be
gan to examine the goods which my mothe
had been taking out of the box when she wa
interrupted by his bearship.
Among other things there were two o
three little cotton Observation-Disclosures
printed with figures of cats and dogs ant
large A-B-C's in bright red. They had beer
sent to us children, but the great Cherokee,
chief was so delighted with them that my
mother, grateful to him for saving her from
a great danger, gave him two of them.
He took them in great glee from my sis
ter's hand, tied one in his streaming blacl
hair and the other TO the end of his rifle. bar
rel, and said, Little papoose makee Ma
shoon-tire fine Ma-shoon-tire makee littl,
papoose finel Big much heap fineW Ant
taking from his pouch a long string of bril-
liant beads, made of various colored glass, h,
threw them over her neck, pleasing her al
most as much as the gay little handkerchief
had pleased him,
Then he went out to the bear and cut til,
claws from one of his fore paws as a trophy
Having done this he bounded upon hi
pony and rode gaily away, his handkerchie
pennons fluttering in the wind and leaving
our enemy slain upon the ground.