Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-07-26
GRANDBIOTHER'S DREAM.


mother, looking across the breakfast
sable at grandfather.
sWell, L hope we SHALL" replied grand
father, little doggedly. "You are eter-
naIly predicting an Indian raid, and just
to please you | hope we shall get cal
from at least a hundred"
"Look out, Peter Barnes! You may
have cause to regret that speech before
you are half day older. L dreamed last
night just how they came, what they did,
what we did and it makes my blood run
cold to think of it."
Grandfather made no reply, realizing
that she always had the better of him in
argument, and the meal was finished in
silence.
A year before, my relatives, both of
whom were nearly fifty years old, but
strong and hearty sold out their farm in
Ohio and located in western Kansas.
Their children were all married off aud
the old couple were entirely alone. They
had a stout and comfortable log cabin
AMI good farm, and had already made
many improvements.
The location was not thought to be a
dangerous one, although few miles be
low the last hamlet in that section and
three miles In advance of the location of
caided this part of the country the year
sefore. but the soldiers had given them a
severe rebuke, and it was not believed
that they would venture back again.
grandfather was certain that he would not
De interrupted in his peaceful pursuits
and was annoyed that grandmother should
oroak of evil.
More because it was the custom than
IL, 4bnE 10
uss for it, grandfather Ike pit rifle in the
house, and one day when a settler who
was owing him money and could not pay,
brought a revolver to him as the only off
set he could offer, grandfather took it and
laid it on the shelf.
In her young days grandmother had
been an emphatic "romp." She could
skate, play ball, pitch quilts, ride at a
gallop, shoot rifle and even to the day
she was married went by the name of
"Bailey's Tomboy," yet, after all, she
made good wife, and the making" of
Peter Barnes.
She stood in the doorway that morning
and watched Peter bring his horse and
pillow and drive off through the fields to
his work half a mile away. Then she
looked TO the west, back at the sun, and
went in and took the rifle down from its
hook. 1t had been loaded for months,
and she drew the bullet, carefully wiped
the barrel, and loaded The weapon again
as nicely as hunter could have done it.
Placing it in a corner, she went to an old
chest, fished out powder, lead, caps, and
bullet molds, and soon had fifteen or
twenty shining bullets on the table. Then
the revolver vas got down, cleaned up,
loaded, and finally the woman went to the
door to look for her husband.
She could see him following the pillow
in the distant field, and the happy songs
of the birds were anything but harhingers
of coning affray in which more than
one of those shining bullets would find q
human target.
peter Barnes, yor are an idiot!' spoke
the woman Watching him a moment. 81
don't want harm to come to hair of your
head, but you will get fearful lesson be-
fore noon this day!'
The arms being in good order. the
woman shut the door, nailed it up, and
then nailed boards over the window inside.
The south door fastened with bar and
she was satisfied with its strength. She
went to the spring, tlled two pals with
water, picked up and carried III the
axe, and then cleared the table of dishes,
not stopping to wash them. Then she
sat down in the south doorway and
waite6-waited for the Indian attack
which she had dreamed of and predicted.
An hour passed and she had not chang
ed her position. Half an hour more wore
away, and then she suddenly leaped up
and seized her rife. She had seen the
horses stop and rear and plunge as they
came near the south end of the field,
which vas bordered by the forest. She
saw her husband pulling them and using
the whip, but in moment more the
animals dashed off at speed. just az they
started grandmother heard faint. Cyl!
vii" and the next moment caught sight
of a score of savages as they dashed out
of the woods and made for her husband.
"Just exactly as dreamed" she whis
pered to herself, lifting the rifle clear off
the floor.
Grandfather caught sight of the red
skins as soon as they broke cover, and off
hs wheeled and made for the house at his
best pace. For few yards he held his
own, but then his 80 years began to tell
on him, and the shouting Indians began
to gain. They were thirty yards behind
him at the start, but before half the
distance to the house had been traversed
they we're not ten yards behind.
y
ed grandmother, waving her hand to him;
and he did his best.
But the old man did not have it in him.
He was within rifle shot of the door.
when the redskins bore him down to the
grass, IN plain sight of his wife. Five or
six of them halted to take care of the
prisoner, and the rest whooping and
yelling made for the house. Grand
mother stood square in the door, and the
rifle was slowly lifted.
When the formost savage was twenty
rods away, out on line with the barrel,
there was a quick report and the Indian
fell forward on the grass. Then she
stepped back, closed the door, and the
next moment the shouting demons Jump
ed against it. Tie door stood like a
rock. Beff1ed and disappointed, the In
dams hacked at the boards with their
tomahawks, as if to hew their way in.
Striking away; one of the blows fell on a
knot in the plank, and the knot fell in at
the woman's feet, while q hole as large as
mans fist was left in the door. Encour-
ged by this, the Indians were chopping
way, when the grandmother seized the
revolver, took swift aim, and a horrible
ell mingled with the report. The In
lans then fell back to where they haC
eft their prisoner, and were out of range
Grandfather had his arms tied behint
him, and after few minutes walked gu
few feet in advance of his captors. 81
ooked at the house, then looked back
and refused TO obey the commsnd give
him. The Indians advanced, drew thei
tomahawks. and then the captive shouted