Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-11-15

There was handsome young fellow
with us, q Kentuckian by birth, who
thought we had scarcely had adventure
enough, so he proposed to me to let the
rest go on, while he and I captured
two splendid bays. We turned back
accordingly, and came the first thing on
trail of revengeful Indians, who had
undoubtedly been seeking us from the
| first My dear child, if you had seen
them as they really were, their faces
streaked with black and yellow, thei,
Unframed blankets, rough leggins, and
demoniac faces, you never would have
dotted upon them. Willis, the Kentuck-
ian, was some ways ahead Of me, and
by some unsuccessful maneuver fell i'm
mediately into their hands. It was q
dreadful sight to see them each drive
with his heavy club at the head of the
poor fellow. He fell instantly, and
they scalped him, throwing the fresh,
bleeding skin over their weapons and
waving it in my sight.
II was on a splendid horse. They,
too, We're mounted and had fleet animals
so they pursued me at the top of their
speed. For time 1 escaped, only to
fall into their barbarous hands, how
ever. Deceived by voice 1 thought IA
miliar, and the pronunciation of word
in English, I followed a trail, and lured
on by the supposition that I was on the
track Of friends from whom we had
been separated, and who might have
come back to the rescue, I went eau
tiously forward, but suddenly found my
self among party of Indians, who We're
so engaged that, suppose, if l had had
presence of mind, l might have es aped,
for J. think they did not see me-
However, thinking the boldest
course the best, l Immediately fired at
the foremost, and in another moment
they Were after me like pack of
hounds. I took advantage of some
fallen timber, 1 tried to dodge them.
and to hide among the underbrush, but
their cunning defeated my purposes.
They divided into two parties, and rode
along on either side of the timber, beat
ing it up, driving me out at the oppo-
site end, where stood an enormous saw
age with lifted tomahawk. just as
he was about to strike me to the earth.
however, another Indian equally pow
erful lifted me as if [ had been q
feather, out of the way Of the descend
ing tomahawk. I was a prisoner, and
obliged to make the best of it, You
may imagine what that best was"
20, grandfather" cried Margery,
chow did you feel?"
Glow did l feel? Flush, how could
you feel with ten jabbering savages
about you, each one looking as if he
could eat you without pepper OF salt?"
cit must have been a trying mo-
ment," said Margery.
"Not half as trying as what followed"
replied the old man, shaking his white
locks. "They muttered their outlan.
dish gibberish in my face, making up
hideous mouths, expressive of their in
tense disgust of me and my race. They
shook the scalp of poor Willis before
my very ewes, and { don't doubt wanted
to serve mine in the same way. Then
leaving me helplessly tied, they went
out to catch the horses. The difficulty
with which this feat was accomplished
made them wilder than ever, in their
rage against me. saw them deliber.
ate and, knew by their. gestures.
they were reserving me for some fear
full doom. At last tall Indian went
without the circle, and succeeded in
leading in one of the horses, a fiery,
vicious animal that had given me great
trouble, and who, in his looks and
movements, seemed almost demoniac.
Close to mo they led him. felt his hot
breath against my face, and more than
once his hoof seemed about to crush my
foot to atoms. thought that in some
way they intended my death by that
monstrous gray horse, and so they did.
but had not calculated for the extreme
cruelty of which they are capable.
What was my horror when I found that
they were going to bind me to the ami
NAL, torture him and set him Free"
20, grandfather! you are second
Mazeppa," cried Margery. listening
meanwhile with intense interest.
"a distinction for which I paid
cruelty" said the old nun, folding his
arms and gazing into the fire.
Then then lifted me upon the horse,
he all the while rearing, backing,
snorting, and seating me with my face
toward the tail, they tied my feet under
him. This made them great trouble,
for the horse was almost unmanage-
able. but for every annoyance
he gave them they paid me in blows,
or slight wounds with their knives.
They then drew rope about my arms,
drawing and lashing me back on the
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