Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-05-03
My DuSky Friend.
BY A. S. BURROUGHS.

BY A. S. BURROUGHS.
We-that is, the little party of emi-
grants of which was II memhsr-de-
cided to camp in lovely little ravine
near BiJou Greek. beautiful tributary
of the Platte river, which we had en-
countered in our journey toward the
far-famed land of god-Callfornia
1t was yet early in the afternoon, but
the temptation 10 tarry awhile amid so
much of natures rugged gran deur was
so strong. our horses were so jaded
from their continuous. exhausting trav-
ell, that our wonted set custom of from
dawn till dark" was for the nonce set
as de. and within few minutes the
line fdingy prairie schooners had been
drawn up in circle. fire started in
the enclosure, and the horses picketed
near by upon luxuriant grass plot
We had for several days been travel
ing through country infested with
rOv,ng bands of marauding Indians,
where it would have been indiscreet, if
not dangerous, to discharge our rifles.
and, as our supply of game was in con-
sequence running low. l resolved to
venture forth to see if 1 could not get
shot at some of the fine mountain
grouse, OF which we had seen large
numbers in the near vicinity.
therefore sailed forth with my
gun. following the course of the stream
Il Il .; i,,,. I'LL Il e
lance away, where l believed | should
find an abundance of the much coveted
grouse.
1t was bright. balmy day. the air
laden with perfume OF countless wild
flowers and blossoms. and with sweet
songs OF thousands OF happy birds, rs
they pla, ed hide and seek among the
leafy tree tops.
In fact, it was one of those bctwich-
ing days when Nature seems TO con-
quer the will by her enrapturing power
of supremacy and cause frail humanity
TO bow in subsection before her entran-
eng shrine.
Under this mesmerical force | was
impelled to the verdant, grassy bank
of the stream. where. in blssful ennui,
found m self reclining upon the soft.
shaded bank dreamily listen to the
music of the birds above me and
watching the pla full minnows as they
sported about in the sun-it waters rip
ping ut my feet.
All thought of the errand which had
lured me from camp passed into obi
Won; my senses seemed charmed by
the magic spell under which l was en-
chained, and in this mood 1 fell-not
into the water below me but fast
asleep.
And while ! slept l dreamed.
Perhaps the original intention
which caused me to start out had some
thing to do with suggesting tho
thought for in the vision that came to
me in my slumber, | was once more in
the role of hunter, and before me
roamed endless herds of beautiful ante
lope.
NY pulses thrilled with Excitement
and select ng one of the finest and
sleekest of the timid herd. I raised my
rifle aui fired
The sound of the report awoke me,
and, Springing up, / half expected to
see the fat animal Mt which ] had shot
living dead upon the plain. and the
frightened herd scattering frantcally
away over the broad tract; but it was
not so.
My gun lay several feet from me
where | had left il. and instead of the
wide prairie, beheld before me the
same sun-lt waters of Bijou Creek
which had left ere my fight to dream
land.
Something else caught my eve, too,
as gave basty glance about me up
on awak NC.
1t was little curl of blush smoke
issuing from clump of bushes a few
rods to my right.
The truth flashed upon me in an in
slant ! had been fired at by some
treacherous redskIn lying in ambush.
The experience / had gained while
passing through the Indian country
told me how to act. and in less time
than it takes to record the movement.
j had got possession of nv gun and
was behind convenient tree, Just as q
bullet went whizzing close to my head
and imbedded itself into the tree be-
hind which / had taken refuge
| soon realized that my position was
most critical one, with the chances
decidedly against coming out of the
affair alive.
/ was completely surrounded ;and as
man. rs score of murderous looking
Cheycnues could be- seen skulking from
tree to tree on every side of me.