The Opelousas courier., 1894-10-20

only to have it go out before I could
get it to my hands; but after much try
in and squirmin' about I finally did it.
1t burned my wrists almost rs bad as
1t did the thongs, but / pressed it all
the harder till the last spark went out.
I didn't dare try the thongs, for they
were small and might snap in two be-.
fore l was ready, and I just hadn't grit
enough to try another coal, so took
chances on breakin' 'em when the time
come. l lay quiet for some time.
Every little while some of my bedfel-
lows would rouse up to see that / was
all safe. Once one Of them reached
owe and felt of the thongs on my
hands and feet. He didn't notice any
thing wrong, and as I wa snorin' like
fog horn, he wen off to sleep again.
1t was warm and sultry, and gettin'
we'll on toward midnight.
Everyone seemed sound asleep, and
/ raised partly up. Sons one stirred,
and l lay down again. Just then I
heard a faint rumblin' off TO the west,
and a puff of wind shook the leaves
overhead. I lay still and waited,
though I felt like shoutin' for joy
when / heard that sound. The rum
blin' grew louder. Then a slight flash
lit up the sky. l amt fon of thunder
and lightnin', Bob, but / just prayed
that the storm a-comin' might be the
worst I'd ever seen. It came On like a
racehorse across the prairie, and
struck us almost before the first sleepy
Sioux had opened his eyes. Flash!
Bang! Crash! Bang! Flash! My!
How it did rattle! The very earth
shook with the fearful crashes. The
rain am down in sheets, and the
trees bent to the ground in the wind.
! hadn't reckoned amiss as to the eff
feet this would have on them young
braves.
ITO them thunder was the angry
voice of the Great Spirit, and a storm
like this a sign of His wrathful dis
pleasure.
They drew their blankets closer
and huddled together, half sittin' and
half lynn in a solid ring about the fire
and me. / never moved; and when q.
bright flash came, a quick peep showed
me that every brave was watchin' me,
wild-eyed and with a face full of super-
stitious horror. Now was my time;
and in hollow tones, with a voice loud
enough to be heard above the
din of the storm, i called out in the
best Sioux / could muster: The Great
Spirit is angry with His red childrenl
They have taken captive the big
white medicine. The Great Spirit
shall set him free And with the
next flash that came / snapped the
thongs with a mighty jerk and sprang
to my feet. The reds fell apart and
away from me. as though lightnin'
had struck 'em; and, in fact, it came
mighty nigh doin' so, for that same
flash hit an oak SO close by that it
sent the splinters and limbs flynn in
among 'em. while the crash was like
the crack of doom. The next second
ii. was dark as ink again, and before
another fash came / had snatched my
rifle, pouch and horn, leaped over
their heads, and was speedin' along
with the wind toward my old camp.
in little fear of pursuit. Not a shot
nor an arrow was fired. and 1 reached
home the next day, pretty well tagged
ont. but without seem an Iniun. l
was tickled enough to get but of the
scrape alive. bnt somehow | couldn't
get over the loss of the beaver traps
Id had SO long. Two weeks later
somefhin' prompted me to make the
trip in my canoe; and
I landed at the spot where ! escaped
from them Young braves, there. just
asst had been jerked off the pony, lay
my whole outft-traps, blankets and
y. Ledger.
IMPROVEMENTS is without reptiles.