Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-02-08
BESIEGED.
A Thrilling Incident of the Sioux
Outbreak of 1862.


across the Minnesota prairies. To tho |
right and the left. far away, arose great |
columns of smoke, which seemed tn as
cend To the very heavens.
Presently. Mrs Harvey came up from
the spring with bucket Of water. She
paused at the store door and asked:
Joe. what Is the meaning Of all that
smoke west Of ns?''
That's what I've been puzzling my
bead over" he answered.
lit can't be the prairie, for that Is too
green to burn"
"No," replied her husband; ''bcsides
the smoke would he more scattered II
1t came from prairie-fires."
At that moment Harry Grey, the
handsome young brother of Mrs. Harvey
dashed up on his pony. The young mai
showed evidence OF great cxcitcmen
while the pony was covered with foau
and seemed ready 10 fall 10 the grour
from extreme fatigue.
THE Indians.'' he shouted, pointing
toward the columns of smoke in the
west THE Sioux have made an out
break and are butchering the settlers
and burning their cabins"
my Cod" cried Mrs. Harvey. "what
will we do?"
There Is only one alternative" re-
piled her husband.
What il that?' she asked, with
blanched face.
Glitch TO the light wagon and drive
Tor our lives 10 the next settlement east
of u.s." he said.
stop, Joe!' cried Harry, OBTAINING
him az ha started toward the little shed
where the horses were kept. That ~
the worst thing you can do. The In
iians arc all around US. Bloodthirsty
bands are guarding every pass and road
leading from our settlement"
what do you adviser
Flight the red Williams right here"
answered Harry.
But won't that be foolhardy?"
Not half as much so IA driving right
into one of their traps. The Sioux are
In every direction
well, I'm no coward" said Harvey.
"When have To fight will fight. But
how are We to fortify ourselves here?'
Have you plenty of arms and am
munition In the store?" asked Harry
Grey, his keen. dark eyes surveying the
premises.
.Then why not turn that milk-housc
into fort?" suggested Harry.
''The very place. CALCULATED Harvey.
"wem try 1t, and may God help US
against the red hends
The milk-house was a low, stone
structure, built over a spring OF excel
lent water. 1t had just been finished,
and was a strong, roomy cave, the fioor
and wall of which we're thick and solid,
made of rock which Harvey and Harry
had blasted from the open ground around
the milk-honse. The roof was strong
and well-sodded.
The milk-house would be capital
place To use as a fort for the ground on
every side around IL was smooth, offer
ing no opportunity whatever for theii
enemies TO creep up.
They wasted no words in getting Their
fort ready for a siege.
While Mrs. Harvey and Harry hast
ened TO convey food. bedding and good
from the store and cabin, Harvey, will
a strong iron bar. made loop-holes in th'
stone walls. He had muscular arms
and in a short time he had made severa
of them: with 3 huge auger he thel
bored three more in the heavy oakei
door.
AS they were busily preparing thei
fort for the expected attack, they wer
Joined by two young settlers, who ha'
claims three miles away. They hai
been in the woods hunting stray cattl
and had had very narrow escape from
band Of Sioux. who had given then
q long chase.
These young fellows needed no invi
tation to help. but began work with
will. The little party did not forget :
keep their eyes open for the Indians
however.
sooner than il required 10 tell IL, tn
best that was in the cabin and the littl
country store had been transferred
the milk house. The stock had bee
driven by one of the men into a dens
timber a short distance beyond the store
where the Sioux would not be likely
find them.
Harvey and one of the settlers ha
prepared barricade before the doc
They drove several stout posts, whic
had been we'll soaked in water to PR
vent their taking fire, into the groun
before the door, leaving only spec
enough for one person TO pass ut a tim'
The Indians would have poor chanC
~ come at them from that way.
Meanwhile Harry Grey, with the a
sistance of tho other settler, had PR
pared torpedo holding several pounC
of powder, which they skillfully COZ
eealed under rocks and dirt on the brin
of deep hole that had been made
blasting out the rock. This hole WI
not commanded by the loopholes an
would be sure TO afford the enemy Q
excellent point of attack. rue
trench was rudely dug tom the mil
house, and by aid of some long plank
train of powder was arranged The
the earth was put back SO carefully
20 leave no suspicious OF what had bee
done.
II was nearly ten o'clock when HarI
exclaimed excitedly;
There come some Of the villainsr
When the little party OF whites shl
themselves In their fort, the Sioux wei
tearing along over the prairies not
mile away.
6rasping their loaded guns, the
awaited the coming of the red men.
They had not long TO wait.
From the ioop-holes the white me
counted twenty-seven Indians, a
mounted on good ponies. Every OF
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