The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-12-01
THE BOYS ON WOLF ISLAND.

The Sioux Indians, under command o
Ink-pa-du-tah, massacred many of thu
white settlers near Spirit Lake, in North
western Iowa, in the spring of 1857.
The neighboring settlements wer,
panic-stricken. the excitement extending
even as far as the center of the State
where. although older people had little
fear OF invasion, every boy had his nerves
strung for war. Especially was this the
case in the Marble settlement, near the
Des AIoines River.
But the Indians, instead of advancing.
retreated, much to the disappointment
of Ben and Charlie Marble and their
young neighbors.
just then, however, something hap
pened which aroused their spirit of adj
venture more than ever.
y book-peddler came into the neigh
oorhood, and, ON going away from the
farmhouse of Mr.. Archibald Jones. Sr.
tipped sly wink at Archibald Jones,
Jr.. and, beckoning him behind the cow
she'd, produced small paper covered
book.
''LOok here, my man.. he said. "What
doyou think of that?'' and he displayed
the flaming red frontispiece of the book.
showing desperate encounter between
white man and an Indian. Then he
slowly passed his thumb across the edges
OF the leaves, thereby whirlng piano.
rama of daring adventures and hair
breadth escapes before the boys bewild-
cred and enchanted vision,
90, myr exclaimed Archy.
q Got a dollar?n asked the peddler.
- Mo-. haint.H And Archv began
feeling in his pockets, from which he
drew n rock, piece of chalk. tow
string. nice knife, two buttons and
twenty-five cents.
= Can't make it?'' asked the peddler.
Mo-" answered Archy, despond-
emily.
''Well, will tell you what will do.
You are fine boy and / want to favor
you. Give me the knife and the money
and you can have the book
Archy hesitated, but another glimpse
OF the frontispiece decided the matter
and the trade was made
As the peddler walked away. he
laughed softly to himself:
How these foolish stories with their
hashy pictures take the boys. That
book was only worth quarter and |
nave nice knife clearr'
In five minutes Archy was alone in
the cornfield, porting over the pages of
ms wonderful book, which proved to be
the Life and Adventures of Catanouut
Bill" otherwise known as The White /
tlend- The Invisible Catamount of the
Crags,n etc.
Though Archy had little Judgment he
mad great faith. and believed every word
OF the story to be true.
After reading the book five times he
traded il TO Lem Burton for a steel tran
having by this time decided to run awav |
ana JOIN the Hudson Bay Fur Company. |
Lem traded it to Bush Shackleford. |
VINO. In turn traded it for some powder |
ana shot and the hammer of an old rife. |
10 which he hoped to add barrel-stock. |
lock, and triggers, and then start for
the Rocky Mountains, to become a I
second Catamount Bill
Finally Ben and Charley Marble |
bought the book, and, as they Law on the |
sweet hay. in the barn-loft, one rainv |
summer day, side by side, faces down, |
heads close together. reaeling the ex-
ploits of Catamount Bill they felt them
selves fully capable of killing a thou
sand Indians and putting ten thousand |
to flight.
Daniel Boone. Simon Kenton, and Kit
Carson were tame affairs compared with |
Catamount Bill.
The last-named hero was in the habit /
of appearing just in time to rescue anv
band of white people who might be in
danger of destruction by the countless
horde of savages. Then, with a re-
volver in each hand, he would dash up
TO the foe. shooting right and left, never
missing his mark, while his terrible
of Red Men of the West,
the White Fiend Comethr' sent down
terror 10 the hearts of the Indians, who,
yelling Make Klak jig-lum Klam
(meaning 1.-The Invisible
Catamount of the Crags is upon us'')
would break for the mountains, leaving
Catamount Bill in possession of the
field.
..Myl But wasn't he brave, though?'
exclaimed Charley, after reading the
description of a scene similar to the
above.
Guess he wasr' said Ben. ..Wouldn't |
like to've been thereP"
''Pshaw! Ben, your old pepper-box
revolver wouldn't kill ningenfs I
''H'mn' CALCULATED Ben. I'D run
up behind the old chief, m hit him over
he head witha club, n grabbed bis rifle, I
n blow his brains out.
'Me.foors chimed in Charley.
Say Charley, | know something" 8
aid Ben, mystsriously-