The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-04-08

snr1eKeu, perhaps with the idea of exor.
cising the evil spirits which they seemed
to think me possessed of: and a guard OF
young bucks, all armed with poles. was
stationed around the hut. Outside of
| them line was formed in which the In
! dians tramped around the place. The
squaws and children, beating on old fry
ing-pans and tinware. also raced around
| the village and added TO the din. Hid
eous whoops, too frightful for descrip-
ton, filled the evening air. Every few
minutes a company of youngsters would
rush forward and beat the wicky w..a
their poles till it shook like drum.
Meanwhile, deep peals of thunder be-
gan to reverberate through the timber.
A squall was gathering in the north. II
grew very black and dark, save when
for an instant the wicky was lighted by
dazzling flashes of lightning. Then the
shower came on with great violence.
Flash followed flash, and the fearful
crashes of thunder effectually drowned
every other sound.
Presently an awful blaze and peal
came almost simultaneously. The bolt
had struck close by in the timber, felt
sure. | threw myself upon the ground
inside the cabin, and buried my face in
my hands. and in that position / re-
manned for a long time, hearing the
rain pouring down outside, and feeling
thankful that the elements had driven
nv prosecutors to the shelter of the other
hutS.
BY this time, indeed. / was about
worn out from fright, hunger and ex-
haustion. The shower passed after an
hour. Every sound about the encamp-
ment seemed now to have ceased, save
the barking of dogs. the distant mutter-
ing of thunder. and the soft drip of rain
drops from the wicky thatch over my
head. The bonfire was quenched.
Under cover of the darkness. / at
length crept out of the wicky, and in so
doing found that large tree, which had
evidently been struck by lightning or
uprooted by the wind. had fallen direct
ly in front of it. The fearful demonstra-
ton of the elements had plainly over
awed the Indians, and led them TO
cease from their orgie about my cabin.
With little or no knowledge as TO my
course. | CROPPED my way out through
the timber until found myself on the
prairie. | must have travelled long
distance. for plodded on till was COM
pletely overcome by WEAKNESS, and
finally lay down on the wet ground,
quite unable TO take another step. and
fell asleep.
A vigorous shake awoke me- 1t was
daylight l started up. to see a man
bending over me.
Il thought as how | would like ter
find out eff you war dead or Twin. young
ster; and p rapS yer mout like ter take a
ride in my schooner bein' as yer
trampin' it," he remarked. reassuringly.
Never before had white man looked
so like an angel, or had civilized voice
sounded so much like music to me, I |
had had Indian enough to last me for all |
the rest or my life.
This settler. with his family. was re-
out of Kansas, along the Santa |
Fe trail. beside which had fortunately
lain down. | climbed thankfully into
the big wagon, and was made happy
with bite of coarse, but clean. food.
rode as far toward Lawrence as their |
route lay.-so far that / walked into
town in the forenoon. My uncle and
aunt had not yet returned. and had |
sufficient pride never TO tell them OF my |
adventure. But my desire to live with |
the Indians had been fully satisfied. 1t
has never revived.-YOuth's Companion