The Opelousas courier., 1884-10-04
TN TIE TREE TOP,

~
sToR OF THE INDIAN TROUBLE
IN MINNESOTA.
Somebody ought to let the settler
a. Armstrong; know about the DANCE
they'F re In; but / don't see how we'r,
going to do it.
The speaker was a man dressed as /;
farmer; he was speaking to his neigh
bors, and they were all gathered in q
large barn. built of logs, in one of the
newly settled portions of Minnesota.
" wasi in the time Of the Indian out
preak, and they had sought safety here,
men, women, and children, inspired by
9 FEELING of terror only understood by
those who have lived on the frontier,
and know from actual experience the
danger Of such a life in places where
the Indians are u~nfriendly and mur-
deroua.
stories had come to them of horrible
massacres at New Tim and other set.
Elements not far away, and they were
expecting an attack at any time.
Every hour passed slowly in fear and
suspense.
The remark with whin
story wasae4n IA Ihave begun
1aaled out by the tidings
.aasch d scout had just brought In. He
had learned that the Indians intended
t0sRttack a settlement some ten miles
down the river. armstrong;" it
was called, because the name Of the
leading man there was Armstrong. It
Was b lonely place, quite by itself, and
~ It Esd been but recently settled, the
only Communication it had with the
outside world was by way Of the river,
id i rough trait along the bluffs.
It's Just like this, said the man.
The Indians M scattered along the
river, on either side Of II, for four or
ave miles below here, clear back to the
awanps. thus cutting off all chance of
escape fer the folks at Armstrong;, if
they knew of the danger. for there are
Indians on the other side OF them. The
only chance for them to ave them
aslfes Is III getting together as we've
done, and holding out against the red
skins until help comes, and that will
be soon, I'm SIRE. But they don't
know anything about what been done
Or what ID going I'd be done; therefore
they'll be takensby surprise, and they'll
be butchefed, every man. woman, and
child of thenn, as the whites were al
NsAv Tin. It's terrible, but I don't
see how we can help it. It's sure
dsath To attempt to get from here to
Armstrong; The woods are full of
Indianzs and they'd discover a fellow
before he'd made two miles Of the dis
tance.
Robert Woods listened to what was
being said with a sad heart. He was
< poar Boy with but one relative in the
spfsaI dis far as he knew. That rela-
1--WE was i sister living at Armstrong;.
Must ] stay here and let her be
killed. he saiA to himself--let her be
killed, without making an attempt to
save herf No; I'll try to get to Arm
srOne II some way, IL | die for it.
Eee here. be said. going up TO the
man Who seemed TO be the one in
charge Of affairs, ! have a sister at
Armstrong cant stay here and do
u6sblng while she's In such danger.
g 81 undertake 70 get there and give
som warning.
Thy Boy you'd be shot before you'd
Got out og hearing almost. was the re-
p know 1t seems cruel for us to
stay here while they're exposed to such
danger; but we've get our families to
orotect, and we know that there isn't
3ne chanes III athcusand Of getting to
hem 1t would be- like running d
gauntlet
TIL take that chance. then. said
aobeTs / must go. Don't try 20
Eeep ms back. have a plan That may
work. III try it anyway.
what ii itg they asked bin. How
~ yOu going2
Bg river. answered Robert
They - canaped III along the bank
few uilss below here, and nd boat or
snse SHld possibly GET past them un-
en, they told him
Eut / an not going ii o boat or
hA I an gong TO lioat
sWn in d Fesstop.
Just Il dusk uhat night d tree-top
died 0ut slowly into ny ever from
a hand below THE settlement.
idsleh sway among ths branches was
soy Who had determined = risk his
te sake of otler lives
adxFeas bors me tfeetnp aoag
sbe shese whers, f0r al the goang
VI Indian might "
hpnln& for q victim. 0nae
eaa Eeaehed I'D bank -
eu5 aAa tile current
Ill., n2%n A% 4sn xfrenr3ss