Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-05-02

lastly down upon the living and the
dead.
The mother forthwith proceeded to
arrange the spreads upon the child,
tucking them and smoothing them
down as If she were only putting her
little one to bed, although while l
heard no sob nor any expression OF
grief, / could see that her breast was
heaving with sorrow and her face was
visited by tears.
The two now knelt on either side,
kissing their darling many times, and
weeping over her, though trying
apparently to comfort one another
in their mutual Indebtedness,
if perehance there might come in
their hearts a calm like that
with which the moon was still sending
down her beams to illumlne the
fearful scene.
Then laying hold OF the blanket they
carried their darling to the grave, and
by the aid of the bridle-reins let the
precious burden down into the place
which they had so carefully prepared,
Green boughs were scattered over her,
until they covered the beautiful form
many inches deep, and then the clods
were gently replaced, and a little
mound was heaped, and the child
transferred from her mothers bosom
was sleeping at last i'll the bosom OF
that greater mother-Earth. The
two sad mourners knelt again beside
the grave, and seemed to be engaged
in prayer. lifting their faces now and
then to the sky, as if in it's intimate
clear depths they saw the future hopes
All this-though l still thought it
unreal-had awakened in me the
keenest interest and sympathy. But
my attention was now suddenly di-
verified to line of figures in the dis
tance, somewhat beyond the spot
where had seen the wagon when l
first awoke. These were horsemen,
who came sweeping on at rapid pace,
as if engaged in eager pursuit. From
the manner in which they rode knew
they were Indians. All! l saw it all
now, and understood why these spec
trail visitors had so often looked back
apprehensively in the direction from
which they approached. These pill
grims across the plains had seen signs
of savages, and had used the night to
push beyond their reach, if haply
they might bury their dead in peace
and find safety for themselves. But
the foe had discovered their trail and
followed them, bent on massacre.
laid my hand instinctively on the
rifle under the edge of my blanket that
| might Join in the defence, and was
about to cry out in warning of the
danger that | saw approaching, but
instantly bethought myself that this
was unhealthy, mere vision, calling
for no practical action, and | might
better let these shadows work out
their tragedy to the end. / again re-
strained the dog, who seemed agitat
ed, whether because he saw what l
was seeing, or out Of sympathy with
my emotion-I know not which.
The two at the grave seemed uncon-
sciOus of the threatened danger until
their enemies were within a hundred
yards, when the man sprang up and
lifted the woman also to her feet,
They turned toward the wagon, as if
to gain it's shelter and secure weapons
for defence. 1t was too late. | saw
flashes OF fire and also flight OF ar
rows, still without a sound, however,
to break the calm OF the night
Both the man and woman staggered
as if wounded. They stopped and
turned face to face, throwing their
arms about each other as if realizing
that this was their last embrace. An
other volley, and still clinging to each
other in the agony of death, they fell
together upon the grave of their child.
The Indians were not long in COM
plotting their work. Then catching the
horses and Harvesting them into the
wagon they FASTENED away, as though
themselves in fear of pursuit. |
watched them until they disappeared
and then was alone with my thoughts
and the brilliant night.
/ realized that | had seen vision,
and, though turned myself resolute-
ly to rest, my sleep for the remainder
of the night was titful and disturbed.
When finally | awakened again, the
sun had risen, and under the influence
of that great dispeller of illusions, and
in spite OF the vividness of the nights
experience, began to think that after
all might have been only dreaming;
especially when saw the space where
l had seen the burial and the tragedy
that followed was not open and clear,
but overgrown with brush and young
trees.
Nevertheless, yielding to a curiosity
of which | was meanwhile almost
ashamed, Isoon made my way into the
bushes. Parting these with my hands
as went forward and scanning the
ground closely, shortly experienced
a new shock OF surprise. For there,
in the exact spot marked by the night
scene, was little mound and over it
the remains of two skeletons.
And now for a retrospective fact
which gave to this weird experience of
the night personal significance.
While was yet a lad in my teens my
brother, twenty years older, had
taken his young wife and only child
and set out to cross the plains in
pursuit of fortune. The mails had
brought home tidings of the progress
of their journey up to certain point.
Beyond this all trace was lost, and
we never heard OF them again.
/ have not been able to account
co = ;cfo Of ONLY, for what I bo va ral oh