The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-25

tifui lakes and rivers of what has since
Minnesota Tall raw-boned, sinewy
and capable Of enduring as much priva-
ton as any Indian, he hunted and
trapped wherever he found game and
fur most abundant, in defiance Of tho
savages who claimed that country for
their own
Years later. when settlers had driven
away the Indians, as well n most of
the game, Old Thad, too much in love
with the locality to follow the Indians
md tho game, built a snug cabin upon
the edge of a wide stretch of timber
and meadow land where a deep, clear
stream emptied into . lake of consider
able size, and settled down to adapt
himself to the new order Of things.
He could never make up his mind to
become = farmer, but spent his time in
hunting and trapping as he had always
done. A good nelghbor he was. When
ever he returned from a successful
hunt. saddle of venison or bear meat
was pretty sure to find its way to our
house on the banks of tho lake, in re-
turn for the hams and bacon which my
father sometimes sent him.
My father was no hunter, but when
I became old enough to handle a rifle,
ho often allowed mo to accompany Old
Thad on his expeditions / went al
most wild with JOY whenever was
granted holiday Of this sort Old
Thad was jolly companion, and one
~ hn
knew.
We had no ond Of sport, and met with
many exciting adventures both on land
and water; but my greatest delight
was to sit by our camp fro at night
and listen to the old man as he re-
counted his early adventures among
the Indians
His tales Of hand to hand encounters.
of cunning strategy, of hairbreath
escapes, all told in . manner that con-
WINGED me Of their truthfulness, would
I'll q large volume If duly reported
Coming down the Otter Tail late one
autumn day after a successful deer
hunt, we landed to portage or carry
our canoe aud its heavy load down past
ono of the numerous rapids for which
that river is noted. At tho foot of the
rapids we embarked once more to pad
die down to q good camping place .
short distance below.
How'd you like to shoot them rapids,
asked my companion, as we took up
our paddles
II should want to say good-by to my
friends before tried it," replied
Il wouldn't care to try it again my
self. but did it once" said Thad. 1T
was grounding case, though, l tell
you. for just had to do it or lose my
scalp. But made tho biggest haul of
fur that night down in these woods
that ever made in my life. Tell you
ell about it when we get into camp"
"You See" he began when we sat
down to a supper OF fried venison.
bareback and coffee, with our feet to
tho fire. while tho bark canoe, turned !
upon its side. protected our backs from |
the sharp west wind; 'you see I'd been !
srappin' all the fall up above here, and |
patched the prcttiest lot of fur you ever
Bet eyos on. All this country belonged |
60 the Mandan Sioux then. 1t was lust |
about as much as mans life was
worth to let them Indians catch him in /
these parts.
IL hadn't seen the first red during |
all the time that I'd been trapping
that fall. and l made up my mind that |
they'd all gone further west for their |
regular fall buffalo hunt So I was
padding along as careless as you please
late one evening. about a mile above
the rapids. where that big creek puts /
ln from the east
We'll. tuck a good leok up the /
creek as always did up every stream
when padding in hostile country. and |
what aid l see come poking round a
bend but the noses of a pair of big
canoes.
know'd too well what was In '.n.
mo didn't stop to get a good look at
she crews but just dug my paddle into
sne water an tried to get past the
mouth OF that creek and out of sigh.
Il heerd the Indians give a veil lust
as swept past the mouth The NEXT
second, crack went coupic of rifles
The bullets came cross lots ,hrop.h
the tall grass and went wh;st,ing Owe,