Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1896-08-08
CHASED BY FIRE.

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Der. The wind rushed over a Dako-
to prairie, causing the tangled mass
es of long grass, with which it was
carpeted, to wave to and fro like the
coming in or the going out of the
tide. Everything was brown and
withered, and the sod houses scat
tered at wide intervals fitted well in
the somber picture. There were
patches of bare ground here and
there, with piles of dead, stumbling
Weeds" broken from their main
stem and clinging together, rolling
over miles of space, the playthings
of the wind, and increasing in size
as they rolled.
A young girl stood in the door
way of q small dugout, and looked
at these with troubled counte-
nance.
at would be terrible day for a
fire. she said to the lad who was
twisting the hay for their night fuel
few yards away. Everything is
SO dry, and those weeds are collect
ing in such quantities that they
would be moving wall of fame If
lighted"
"Well," said the boy hopefully,
cts getting late in the season for
fires, and Jack Williams p'owed
half dGzen extra burrows around our
house for safety line. II the w.ad
keeps on tearing like this, we'll get
rain or snow soon, and that will put
an end to all anxiety. Ughl what's
that ?"
There was an echo of horses hoofs
from the rear of the house, and an
Indian came round the corner,
mounted on white faced pony, With
blanket dragging loosely from his
shoulders. The girl stepped back,
and the boy dropped his hay and
came near her, as ifto offer her some
protection.
white Bear come !" said the red
man, with a pompous air, laying his
hand upon his chest as he spoke.
'tBig SiouX-much big-wants -four,
meal, salt, pork !"
For moment Alice Maxon was
frightened, but glance at her broth
er Elmer seemed to give her strength
and she answered, firmly ave have
no food for you, White Bear. The
year has been hard one for US.
See our little farm, our one COW aud
horse, and our poor clothes. We are
only children. / am eighteen, and
my brother is twelve. Our father
and mother are dead, a long, cold
winter lies before us, and we have
not mouthful to spare
The Indian frowned.
"White Bear must have -four and
meat from all the settlers of Ridge
prairie ! Does the one cow give milk?
White Bear must have butter. Has
the maiden chickens? White Bear
must have eggs. l have said it'll
"You will get nothing here," said
Elmer Maxon, angrily. eff you
want these things, do as we have
done; work for them, like good
citizen of the United States r
"Does the maiden say this, too 7"
81 do not like to turn you away
empty-handed," Alice returned in a
gentle voice, "but ! cannot give you
from our store of provisions. A
great warrior will not be cruel, and
if l offer to break bread With you,
will not White Bear eat one slice
and go in peace 2"
"Nol' growled the savage. "White
Bear will have what he asks for or
nothingl And if I get nothing, the
bad children will be sorry they
will know what it is to be hungry
and cold before springr'
Alice turned away, unable to meet
the stare of his reyengeful eyes but
Elmer answered, dauntlessly /: ave
are not afraid OF you, and I don't
believe you are even a big Sioux.
Brave chiefs do not scare boys and
girls, either!"
aWe shall see r said White Bear,
in a cultural voice.
He struck his pony with piece of
single that he held in his left hand,
and rode away without looking back;
but Alice and Elmer watched him
out of sight with some uneasiness.
II am sorry" said the girl, ''but in
deed / cannot help it. To give to
one Indian is to open the door
through which twenty more will file
into your castle. And we cannot
spare anything from our winters al
lowance without putting ourselves
| in danger Of starvation"