Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-02-12

her mornings work about the cabin, and
went out with hoe to work in the field,
taking with her the child, little girl
I four years OF age.
Though living miles from any neigh
bors, the hardy women of those days
often stayed alone while their husbands
were gone for days, and sometimes for
weeks, upon hunting or trapping excur-
sions, or to distant marketing points.
Mrs. Streeter worked for some hours
chilling up" young potato vines, while
Elsie, the little girl, played with a
small kitten, their one domestic pet
With sudden scream the child came
running to her mother, and caught her
| by the dress. Mrs. Streeter looked
about in alarm, fearing that rattle
snake had bitten the child, and discov-
cred the cause OF her fright to be an
Indian who had come out of the brush q
few rods distant and was approaching
them.
Although she was not afraid of
Indians, she was annoyed that one of
them should come while her husband
was away. She knew that often they
were lawless and thieving when they
discovered women alone.
As the Indian came toward her his
face NOW ed and grinned' so suriously
that she felt an impulse TO laugh until
she saw that its expression came from q
deformity.
"Hoogh-ooghi" he grunted, as he came
up. "You go, you squaw, puck chez
heap kick! You 60 Tonga me! Heap
Injun comin'w and he pointed up the
valley. 1--WE 60 yonder!" pointing this
time toward the Wisconsin.
The woman was frightened at his
words and manner, Notwithstanding
that he tried to laugh and look as pleas
ant as his queer features would permit
and though he had no weapons in sight.
Men kill heap! Me no hurt. You
20. We hosp puck chez, and he reached
down to pick up the child.
The little girl screamed with terror,
and Mrs. Streeter caught her up and
stepped back.
"No, will not 60 with you," said she.
you're bad Injun, and you're lying
70 me-" She had quickly concluded that
the Indian merely wished to entice her
away while his companions pillaged the
premises.
Again the Winnebago-for 1t was
John-tried to explain to her that he
meant to be friendly and to aid her to
escape from danger.
Heap Outogamie!'" FOX Indians) said
he. 'Men come, shoot, kill. Kill
papoose, kill white squaw. Squaw go
me, So" and again he motioned to-
ward the river, and, by initiating the
act Of padding and by sweeping his
hand forward, signified that he would
take her across it In his canoe.
mo, you 60 and leave me-" said the
woman, sternly. II won't 60 with you.
Go" she repeated, pointing toward the
woods, and then she turned with the lit
tie girl in her arms and started toward
the cabin.
Instantly the Indian sprang forward,
then snatched the child from her, and,
catching her by the shoulders, forced
her down to the ground upon her face,
and quickly tied her arms. He had
evidently come prepared TO carry out his
plan by force II necessary, and the poor
woman felt that her instinct had been
true. Not daring to struggle, sho sub
mitted to be bound a captive.
Elsie, the little GIRL had started to
run into the woods, but John caught her
and took her, screaming, into his arms.
He walked quickly back with her to
Mrs. Streeter, who had risen, after a
struggle, to her feet.
''Come!" said he. "You go Tonga me
now, heap kick! Me take papoose. We
puck chez" and he started toward tho
river, reckoning her to follow He had
Elsie in his arms, and there was nothing
for the now thoroughly-frightened and
trembling woman to do but to go with
him.
1t was several miles to the river. The
Winnebago hurried forward at half
trot, the child crying piteously at every
step, while the distressed mother, nearly
out Of breath, kept close at his heels,
trying to cheer her little girl with words
Of affection. John was probably too
stolid to care greatly for the papooses
wailing or for its mothers distress of
mind, but he was intent upon doing
them friendly service, and no doubt
was carrying 1t out with as much kind
ness as he was capable of exercising.
At little after monday they came to
the river at the mouth of a creek, and
here John put down the child, which he
had carried and led alternately, and
going into the edge Of q willow thicket
upon the bank, dragged out log canoe,
which contained gun and some
blankets. The canoe he slid down into
the water, and ordered Mrs. Streeter to
get down the bank and step into it.
With her hands bound as they we're
she found it difficult to get into and sit
down in the ''tittlish," narrow trough,
but she finally managed, without tipping
it over, TO take her place in the bow Of
the slight craft.
The Indian then carefully placed Elsie
upon her knees In the center Of the
canoe. mo touch um," he commanded,
tapping the sides Of the canoe. keep
a heap still" The little girl, tired and
subducd, dared not so much as stir.
Then John picked up paddle which he
had laid upon the bank, got carefully
into the canoe at the stern, showed out
into the river, and padded the frail
craft swiftly down the stream.
The anguish Of the poor woman was
keen as she thought Of the husband who
had 80 recently been with her, and of
the uncertain fate of her little child and
herself She could not believe the In
dams story that he was rescuing them
from danger. His violence and his rapid
retreat, and this journey upon the river,
leading TO the west and away from the
white settlement, could to her mind
mean only that he was carrying them
away into that wretched captivity which
she knew that more than one woman
and child had suffered at the hands Of
savages.
Brave woman though she was, she
gave herself up to despair.
All that day the canoe sped rapidly
down stream, keeping as close under the
bank as possible, and 1t was not until
aft I'D hat lob IL InI