Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-24
THE INDIAN CHARM.
A True Story.

A True Story.
It was the winter of 1850, winter made
memorable to the Plymouth colony from
he many depredations of the Indians
upon their homes. The white settlers had
been very just and generous to the lndianF,
had treated them with great kindness and
had purchased from them at "a fair price
large tracts of land, and had paid them
well for the venison and game and other
other things which tkey constantly had
Tor sale. TIE colony hal hoped by such
treatment not only to prevent assaults
upon their families and their homes, but
to make then even friendly.
Notwithstanding all this kindness,
every little while some discontented or
evil minded Indian would stir up a rebel
lious spirit toward the settlers, when,
without the least warning, a raid would
would be made upon some quiet hamlet in
the neighborhood, the women and chill
dren would be terrified if not brutally
treated, and their homes pillaged Of much
that was valuable. These attacks were
usually made when the men were out in
the woods telling trees, or had gone on
their rough sledges for provisions and
necessary articles for the families to Ply
N outh, which was their trading post.
Some time in Febru ny of this year a
notice of town-meeting for all the set
tiers from quite large district of country,
had been circulated, for the selection of
one of the townships had grown indignant
over these successive troubles and had
determined to put an end to them, if pos
sihIe. The brave men who gathered in
the Westinghouse resolved that if by any
means they could get an mixing Of the
time set for another assault, they would be
prepared for the intruders, and seize and
confne them IN their cellars for few
days, or in other words try to intimidate
tAt M This resolution was carried IN
animously, and determination on the
faces Of the men showed plainly that they
bad no lack of courage, and meant to carry
out the resolution they had made.
Not many weeks elapsed be*or. they had
cause to show their courage. A company
Of thirty or forty Indians had determined
Oh a general raid to 8ettl ment not many
miles from MarShfeld; place which
years afterwards became noted as the
home of Daniel Webster, and which is
often visited by travellers to day.
Mary Bradford, young girl of eigh-
teen, who had learned number of Indian
nejghborhood, heard one evening about
dusk, on the steps Of the village store, q
short conversation between two rather
fierce looking men, whom she recognized
At once as the ringleaders in all the mis-
chievous plots which for two years or
more had distressed the settlers. From
what she could hear of their conversation
she inferred that the next evening, Satur-
uyaC tho fnr Tho occo,,lt
the villagers.
Ere long she communicated this inteli-
gence to several of her friends, and before
noon the next day the news was carried to
every family in the settlement The men
we're not slow in preparing themselves
with rude weapons and clubs for the at
tack, and many made ARRANGEMENTS for Sc
curing and imprisoning the assailants.
1t was cold, wintry night, The snow,
to the depth of several feet, lay white upon
the ground. The families of the village
were gathered about their roaring fires in
the great freplaces; tea-kettles hung sing
ing on the crane, kettles of hasty pudding
bubbled in the pots, the cats purred on the
hearths, Che kindly dogs crouched in the
and simple comfort.
bCIIiib tuC NOOIS, uOWCfSI, dUu LII IDt
corners of the rooms were concealed old
flint guns, and heavy billets of wood, and
the men were on the alert. with ears at
tent for every sound, expecting at any mo-
ment an attack from their foes.
The Indians with stealtby tread had
come into the hamlet and were about
ready to enter the homes of the peaceful
Puritans, although not a step had been
heard nor any sound of their approach.
! Suddenly a chorus of fearful wells nd
war hoops resounded through the frosty
air and Immediately company of savages,
| wildly geStlculating, ran about the streets,
and simultaneously entered the various
! houses.
The women and children, frightened as
! they we're, looked up appealinglv and YET
truStingy to their husbands and brothers,
who, being we'll prepared for the intruder
! gTasped then. at once, and in a few mo-
ments they had number of the wild nen
of the forest locked up securely in their
cellars. Others soon left the hamlet and
vanished quickly through the woods to
their Wlgwams beyond.
Three days thereafter the imprisoned
Indians were set at liberty, and the whole
tribe summoned to d friendly council in
the little meeting house. There Abraham
Southwerth who had learned their Ian
guage, stated to them frankly that tbs
pale faces" had treated them with kind
ness ever since they came into that region
that they had dealt justly and even gener-
ously by them in ali their trading. that
they wished to live peaceably with them
and would do so unless the Indians me-
Tested them in their homes At the same
time he warned them that if their homes
were entered in an unfriendly way again
they would Go more than imprson then
for few days. 1--WE want you to live
peacefully, and we want to live in peace
and quiet ourselves" he said.
| As MIR. Southwortb, who had kindly
face, continued to talk to them, the un
frier dly and cruel look on their face;
changed to kindlier one, and when the
meeting broke up, and they shook hand
all around, one would hardly have sup
posed that those Indians were the same
men who had so many times struck terror
into the hearts of the little community.
One Of the Puritans who had imprison
ed an Indian in his cellar on Saturda!
evening, had gone 70 church with his lam
| iiy In the morning. leaving his oldes
daughter, Ruth, and a little child fou
years old, at home. While Ruth went
| little distance to neighb,ring well 70