Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-08-05
[NGEBRET OLESDATTER.

10 Southern Minnesota lay smiling in
the sun one autumn day in 1862.
That year the virgin soil had first felt
The filth of the plowshare and here
and there patch Of stubble or a little
lie d of maize told that the white man
had come and the Indian was going
or had gone. A field Of wheat is the
death song OF the red man in its visi-
Bile and vegetable form. The soil
that once has raised wheat spurns
and is spurned by its original owner;
the two are Incompatible. To the
Indian it is as the badge Of servitude
the outward and Wis BILE sign OF la.
Dor. Wheat is thing he knows
never grew wild In his hunting
ground is alien and from afar like
the strange white people who cause
IL 10 grow and are always marrying
the en- tn. looking and speaking
augrily TO the red man. refusing TO
give OF his abundance when the red
mans hand is stretched forth to him
and he is anhungered.
Along the border Of tho prairie a
crooked Little river crawled beneath u
scanty fringe OF cottonwood trees
Wild marsh grass grew upon Its banks
for few rods on either side in tall
rank. tangled profusion dotted with
flowers blue and red and an aromic
odor filled the air as band of settlers
swung their scythes through the stub
born stalks, preparing it for the sus-
tenance OF their cattle during the
coming winter
There were two men, a woman and
two children at labor in the natural
meadow. the smaller child almost u
babe but still Juggling ut the grass
with rake in imitation OF its mother
and elder sister lngebret The latter
was perhaps thirteen years Of age.
but stunted by hard work and prema.
ture cares. How sad it is that the
brunt OF the burden OF making homo
in the wilderness always tails upon
the won n. somehow. no matter what
their age. But so it is.
Ingebret had improved her Two
winters in America by attending a
school and by virtue of her acquired
knowledge was head of the family in
business matters as the only one who
spoke Engllsh.
1t was perhaps p. m. when a tall
gaunt American plunged into the
river on the opposite and alternately
swan and waded over to the hay
makers. His bodily movements be-
trayed physical exhaustion and his
eyes wece full of the terror of one
who is fleeing from dire peril. Labor
ceased as he paused in their midst
and leaned on his long stall.
Good God! Do you realize your
danger?' he gasped.
His auditors looked at him blankly.
save Ingebret who dropped her rake
and came to him pale and terror
stricken. Her little heart had almost
ceased beating. for she foresaw what
his next words would be.
Speak to him." commanded her
father
lis it IndiansP' she faltered.
'Yes; and they will be here before
dark. Tell your people to start al
once for !. 1t is not too late il
you make no delay
The settlers began an animated
conversation while the refugee shifted
the other, with anxious Chances TOWARD
the west and north He did not
speak their language but knew they
were taking counsel of their wis
dom. lngebret's face was full OF
trouble as she toyed with the long.
tangled locks Of her little sister anC
watched the stranger furtively.
Then the time for further interroga.
tion OF the messenger arrived anC
she resumed her function as inter
prefer.
did you see any Indiansp"
mo; but | saw signs OF them and
left my claim. Afterwards looked
behind me and saw the smoke from
my burning hay stacks and shanty.
j did not desire TO see any indians. y
he added grimly. Il have seen then
many times and know just how they
look"
The chief counselor OF the Scandi
nayian settlers for such they were
was man much younger than the
head of the family. and a cousin o
Ingebrets He had not belonged Il
farmer folk OF his native country. bu
had resided in Its chief city where
fore his simple and straightforward
kin gave him credit for all the super
human wisdom he chose to claim =
which was much.
With an air OF great learning h,
wasted several very precious mo
ments in making up his mind wha
he should say. He realized that In
gebret was terror-stricken and pre
pared to counsel immediate fight
basing her judgment on what she hat
learned at school OF the character o
the Indian. and his mercie mode o
waging war. lie also could see tina
Ingebret would be ably seconded II
her views by her mother and If h
was not to be supplanted in his pc
sition rs principal repository of know
ledge he must defeat their counsels a
once He was youth OF good ncrv'
sad courage and had an idea tina
the red mans hostility would evap
orate Immediately he was assured tn
settlers were not Americans bu
friendly and highly pacific foreigners
How he proposed 10 communicate thi