The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-02-04
THE PIONEERS FAMILY.

/ was a boy only eight years old when
my father moved into the hill country of
Western Minnesota. He was known to
all the pioneers about as "Big Dave
and to the Indians as the sIron Man. y
He was six feet tall, weighed 80 pounds,
and, at forty years Of age, was perhaps
the strongest man in the United States,
and certainly one of the most fearless of
men. Mother was above the average in
height, aud weight, and, if she lacked
fathers strength, was not behind him in
nerve and courage. She could shoot a
rife, skin a deer, set a bear trap, or pad
die a canoe, aud, as a family, we were
able to take care of ourselves.
We had been settled about six months
when father set a trap for a bear which
had been prowling around. 1 went out
with him next day to visit the spot, and
We found the bear had been caught, but
that the Indians had killed him, and
taken both the carcass aud the trap. All
along the border at that time there was
peace, but the red man was jealous and
sulky, and whenever he could harrass OF
damage a settler ne was pretty apt to do
so. Many of them had visited our cabin,
but none of them knew anything about
father except that he was a big man.
There was a n Indian village four miles
away, and the fellows who got the bear
showed their contempt for father by
dragging the body over the snow and
leaving a plain trail for him to follow.
Father was justly indignant, and we at
once took up the trail for the village.
had a light shotgun, while he had a rifle,
Ratchet and hunting knife. We followed
the trail right into the village, and there
found the meat being cut up, while the
pelt and trap were near by.
"Where is the thief who stole my
bear9" shouted father, as we came to a
halt within four feet of the crowd around
the meat.
No one answered.
81 say he is a thiefln continued father,
'' and il you will point him out to me,
l win pull his ears Let that meat alone
1t belongs to mel"
A dozen of the bucks began to growl
and murmur, and father handed me his
rifle, threw down his knife and Ratchet
and cried out;
''There was more than one thief /
saw by the tracks in the snow that there
w%ere'four. Are they squaws or men
If they are men let them lay aside their
knives and come out here. / will take
the four at oncel"
This declaration was hailed with a
shout, and in less than a minute the four
who had stolen the bear came to the
front. They were all stout and supple
young men, and every Indian in the vii
lage gathered around to see the fun. 1t
was fully expected that he would get a
good drubbing, and the four advanced
with mischief in their eyes.
"You just keep out of the way and
don't get frightened, said father to me,
and just then the four rushed in on him
from four sides.
For an instant he was hidden from sight
and there was a great hurrahing, but the
next thing we saw was the body of an In
dian sailing in the air, and a second roll
ing over and over backward, and then
father gave the crowd IN exhibition If
his strength. He grasped an Indian in
each hand and played with them as easily
as you can handle broomsticks. He
circled them about, bumped them to-
gether, and finally gave sthem a fling,
which rolled both of them into the ice
cold waters of the creek.
"Have you six men herei" demanded
my father, as he turned to the chief. 'If
so, let them come forward and seek to
put me down. If they can accomplish it
l will go home and say no more"
There was a general iutter Of excite
ment, and as the chief named six of his
best men each stepped forward with a
whoop. Father was smiling and con
fdent as he spat on his hands, and he
told me that l need have no fears. At a
given signal the six Indians made a rush.
They got hold of arms and legs and body,
but with a mighty wrench father shook
them of and then took the aggressive.
There was neither striking nor kicking
in the struggle, but the way he did twist
those redskins about made the crowd
dizzy. In two minutes he was victor,
aud the chief came forward and shook
his hand, and then aud there gave him
the titlesof "The Man Of Iron" Ever
ha Indians held him IN the
-and any one Of