Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-03-16
MADE A TARGET OF.
Predicalpent of a Man VINO was
ObligeH TO Stand and be Shot at.


Exclla)nga-l descending The steer
trail sorle OF the camp equipage packet
on the I,ule hid worked loose and fal
len off. land | started out about sunrise
next mdrning to recover 1t. had as
cended tine trail for about mile anC
had reached Il point where it was en-
tirelv clear of shelter when something
passed my lace SO close and had sucf
Kissing sound that l thought of snakes
and stopped dead still 1t was hall
a minute before the mystery was solved
On the east side of the canyon, which
had width Of about 200 feet, were
two Sioux Indians. They We're stand
ing on n level spot, and one had a rife
and the other allow. The one with the
rifle was a middle-aged wa1Tior-the
other boy perhaps sixteen years Old
No doubt they were father and son
The boy had fred an arrow at me and
missed. Tie other could have had Il
sure shot. but he stood leaning on his
rifle while the boy fitted another arrow
to his bow.
My first idea was to take flight, but
that was almost instantly abandoned
1t was at least 100 feet either way to
shelter, and any such move on my part
would be checked by Il bullet. Without
knowing just what to do, | did what
was probably for the DcSt-that is, |
stood still and faced the pair. The
boy had Il fair mark. He brought the
arrow to his eye, held it there for five
seconds, and it had passed me before |
heard the tWang Of the bOW-Stling.
1t missed my left shoulder by some
inches. The father uttered Il gl-unt Of
disgust 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 deliber-
ate in discharging it. Did l prepare to
dodge? No! One might as well think
OF lodging 4 bullet. 1t seemed to me
that the arrow passed within an inch
of my right cheek. | thought | felt
the touch Of the feathers as it flew.
The father now spoke in a ScOlding
tone, and the boy seemed to be much
put out by his failures A Sioux boy
10 years old who cannot put an arrow
into an orange at 200 feet would be
booted at
There was just as much deliberation
over the fourth arrow. The polished
steel head, sharp as a razor, glittered
like silver in the sun as it was held on
a line with my breast. l wanted to
shut my eyes but they refused to close,
| saw the arrow pulled back, and /
caught the flash of it as it was dis
charged 1t passed my left shoulder.
The father turned on the boy and used
very harsh language and ended up by
snatching the bow and an arrow from
his hands. Had ! been familiar with
the dialect, | should have heard some
thing like this:
whats the matter with you this
morning? You have had four fair shots
at the white man and missed him ev-
elT' time. Does the sight of an UNI
armed enemy affect you in 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 trembling"
This time | did close my eyes, and
| hadn't the faintest hope of escape.
AS the arrow swished by. opened my
eyes TO see the pair looking at me in
CONSERVATION. The father had missed
rs well rs the boy. They stood staring
at me for thirty seconds and then turn
ed to the right and walked away, and
were finally hidden from sight by some
huge powders. The boy glanced back
over his shoulder several times, and
the father quickened his pace as If ap-
just before they disappeared l thought
prehensive of danger. | did not run
away. AS Il matter of fact, | was in
such a daZed and weak condition that
| staggered rs | walked, and when
shelter was finally reached my knees
did not get over shaking for a full hour.
Why didn't the Indian try a 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 rs hoOdoO
and become panic stricken. l gathered
up the five arrows and found every one
of them as perfect rs arrows could be
made. A few days later with a bow
not half as long or stiff, one Of the
coyote and far beyond