St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-06
MADE A TARGET OF.
Predicament of a Man who Was
Obliged to Stand Helpless and
Re Shot At


Be Shot At.
Chicago Times
In descending the steep trail some o.
the camp equipage packed on the mule
had worked loose and fallen off, and
started out about sunrise next morning
to recover it. | had assembled the trai
for about mile, and had reached {
point where it was entirely clear oil
face so close and had such Kissing
sound that l thought OF snakes
and stopped dead still. 1t was
half minute before the mystery
was solved. On the west side of the
canyon, which had width of about zoe
feet, were two Sioux Indians. They
were standing OH a level spot, and one
had rifle and the other bow. The
one with the rifle was middle-aged
warrior-the other boy, perhaps six
teen years old. No doubt they were
father and son. The boy had fired al
arrow at me and missed. The other
could have had sure shot, but he stood
leaning on his rifle while the boy fitted
another arrow To his bow.
My first idea was to take to flight, but
that was almost instantly abandoned
1t was at least 100 feet either way tC
shelter, and any such move on my parI
would be checked by a bullet. Without
knowing just what to do, did what was
probably for the beSt-that is, l stood
Still and faced the pair. The boy had a
fair mark. He brought the arrow tC
his eye. held it there for five seconds,
and it had passed me before | heard the
twang of the b0wstring. 1t missed
my left shoulder by some inches
The father uttered a grunt OF dis
gust and added word or two. The boy
now selected an arrow out Of five or six
sighted along its length to see if it was
perfect and was more deliberate in dis
charging it. Did | prepare to dodge
No! One might as well think of dodg
ing bullet. 1t seemed to me that the
arrow passed within an inch of my right
cheek [ thought l felt the touch of the
feathers as it flew. The father now
spoke in scolding tone, and the boy
seemed to be much put out by his fail
ures. A Sioux boy ten years old who
cannot put all arrow into an orange at
200 feet would be hOoted at.
There was Just as much deliberation
over the fourth arrow. The polished
steel head, sharp as a razor, gllttered
like silver in the sun as it was held on a
line with my breast. | wanted to Shut
my eyes, but they refused to close.
saw the arrow pulled back, ami caught
the flash of it as it was discharged. Ii
passed my left shoulder. The father
turned on the boy and used very harsh
language and ended up by SnatcEing the
bow and all arrow from his hands. Had
| been familiar with the dialect should
have heard something like this:
Whats the matter with you this
morning? You have had four fair shots
at the white man and missed him every
time. Does the sight of an unarmed
enemy affect you i'll that way? Give me
that bow and I'll show you how to roll
him over. I'll send this arrow right
through him. Watch me now. Does
the bow shake? Do you detect any
trem0llng?
This time I did close my eyes, and |
hadn't the faintest hope of escape. AS
the arrow swsbed by [ opened my eyes
nation. The father had missed as we'll
as the boy. They stood staring at ME
for thirty seconds and then turned to
the right and walk ed away, and were
finally hidden from sight by some huge
powders. The boy glanced back over
his shoulder several times, and just be-
fore they disappeared | thought the
father quickened his pace as il appre-
hensive of danger. | did not run
away. AS matter of fact, was
in such a dazed and weak condI-
ton that staggered as L walked, and
when shelter was finally reached my
knees did not get over shaking for full
hour Why didn't the Indian try Il shot
with his rife? 1t is just possible that it
was not loaded He may have feared to
disturb the camp by the report. He
may have looked upon me as hoodoo
and become panic stricken. l gathered
up the five arrows and found every one
of them as perfect as arrows could be
made. A few days later, with bow
not half as long OF stiff, one or the men
sent an arrow through the body OF IL
coyote and far beyond.
Compound interest.