Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-23

settlers in Nebraska, they were poor.
and occasionally fortune compelled
them to seek the river towns for work,
that they might be able to provide
bread and butter for themselves and
families. Downer and Gest were insep-
arabic friends. A week or so prior to
the breaking up of winter and the
freshet that made the Nemaha great
lake OF water, accompanied by Il neigh
Dor and q brother of the latter, they
went to Brownville to get out cord
wood" and work in a saw mill. The
rain fall had been such as to alarm Gest,
who had left his wife and daughter.
young girl approaching womanhood, to
look after the home property he had
gathered together. They were brave
little souls, knew no fear and did the
work left them to do faithfully and we'll.
Owing to the location of his house,
however, and the madly overfowing
streams, he stated his fears and
persuaded Downer and his brother
to return home, knowing that they
cared nothing for walk of thirty miles
across the prairie; so, just as the sun
was disappearing behind the western
hills, in the early spring time, they
started on the homeward journey, ar
riving at the place described at an
early hour the following morning. The
scene was enough to strike terror to the
hearts of the bravest. A sheet of water
nearly or quite mile in width, Kissing
and surging, separated him from his
friends loved ones. He had given his
word that he would care for them if
he found them in need or danger, and
the sequel will show that he kept it to
the letter.
Selling the paddle the skiff was
pushed from the shore, and Downes
commenced the most perilous venture
of his life. 1t is useless to attempt to
describe his battle with the driving
current and surging waves. At times
it seemed that mortal could not control
the frail bark, but for all that he did,
and in due time landed at the door of
the cabin. In Joe's language, as he
told the story in after years, he was
more scared as he knocked at the door
than when in the boat, battling with
the terrible current, but on reaching
the cabin, 81 felt" he said, ''as
though l was to see something
awful. 1t was a presentment, and
1T came upon me all at
once. called to Lizzie, Bob's
wife, but got no answer, and / didn't
wait longer on ceremoney. | surged on
the door and it went in with a bang.
IaiK about horrors, boys. thefe lay LIZ
zle and Ruth in the middle of the floor,
as cold as marble, and / thought I'd
faint. 1t was an awful sight. 1t didn't
take me long to see that they had been
murdered by Indians. Yes, they had
been scalpod, and | swore to hunt their
murderers down ifittooS me life time.
Fortunately they had overlooked Bobs
rifle, and l collected together what lit
tie ammunition | could find, fixed up
bite to eat and prepared to return to
where ] had left Bob's brother.
There was an old-fashioned fire
place in the house, and the
''great log" still furnished little
fire. knocked it to pieces and soon
had refreshing blaze. But | didn't
tarry long to enjoy its comforts. j was
heart-sick and wanted to get away. l
laid Lizzie's and Ruth IS bodies in a cor
ner OF the room and covered them up as
snugly as though Twas putting children
to bed. l think they must have been
dead fully day. have wondered a
thousand times since why the red devils
did not burn the house. / had
no trouble in reaching the
shore on my return trip, for
! simply helped the current after clear
ing the channel of the river, and landed
nearly three miles below the house.
Charley met me as stepped upon the
shore. He intuitively OWNED that
something was wrong, aud his face in