The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-03-28


and avenging Nemises who drove her rival
to the "Crow country" and the tickle Ben
edict of Pete Frederieks to good
round term in the Bismarck Ponitsntiary.
80
But to Lottie Stare, again.
LEADER readers who may have psrussd
a copy of Frontier and Indian Life will
remember in the sketch-"The Letter in
Cipher" some account of tho murder OF
Carlos R :ider. but more familiarly knovh
as Charley Reeder--a German woodward
proprietor in the Paintsd Woods. The
tragedy happened at Reeder's cabin on
the river bank opposite the present site
of Mercer's ranch, on the morning of the
11th of June, 1870.
At the time of his death Rseder was
marie jim the Indian way-to an Arios-
rec dame, with whom he had bright-sysd
little girl who was about three years OF
age at her fathers death. Tho 1ndisn
name given to the little girl Pah- non-se
Talka or Prairie White Rose, ss interpret
ed but reduced to plain Ross by the fond
father. In memory of the air castles to
which he had enthroned his child In bic
moments of good cheer and happy day
dreams. in that cabin among the Painted
Trees-and days before crusl fate and evil
passions sent him to realms OF the un-
known-ths writer of those lines felt in
terested enough in the child's welfare to
trv and have her mother consent to start
ing the little one off with the first batch
of children sent to the Indian schools
at Carlisle and Hampton Roads. But the
mother was prejudiced and obstinate and
so the matter ended.
1t was only occasionally aftst, that I
could hear from mother and ,shtlds h ad
learned that at the age of thits d foar-
teen the girl married yoAsk Ar,eares
whose principal characterestio-~1 70.
member him-was the exalted opinion he
had of his own personal appestance. They
built cabin on the bleak plain and rs-
sided thereon-but having neglected to
"mud the cracks" the arst storms Of win
ter found tbs young mother in the throe'
of childbirth. with bitter cold and orue
neglect and quasi abandonment bv
her young buck of husband. Hel
mother had died and none but bat an OLD
decrepit grandmother was witch her to see
q daughter born and the young mother
die.
Here my information Of these year,
,l4lSbont the mlshaps Of tbs Rsetsr family
had closed. But on the trip just endst
t learned from an Indian oricle known
as the Bear Woman the continuance Thi
venerable dame lives at the mouth Of Foul
Bsar coulee, and is copnection-a sists
believe-of John Grass, present Chic
Justioe of the Sioux nation.
Deaths around. the Arlcaree camps "a
80 common in those days, that the passin
away of Mrs. Reeder and her daughts
Rosa, was aim ,st unnotice u. Aha vsa
soned and nearly sightless great gRsu'
parens-herself neglected anl stunned By
all the world-took her proof IL charge to
the unused corner of houss where othors
had lived aad in silence-,avs now aud
then an Indian dltty to quiet the 70 5lssl
babe. H,r p,lsisl arms served as ca
die and h,r wis, hands stroksl tn
fevered check liz sickness, or caliced ant
bloodless !inysrs stroked the temples il
the glow of heash. The tattered couci o.
discarded rags that could ho longer b'
worn or used by the young and p1 ,ud, were
passed to h4r for such comfort as couli
be made of them for herself and the lit
tie pinehed faced elf, that she hugged u
tenderly to her cold bosom. From her
nest of gloom and shabby poverty hs
mind often wandered to other scenes o
h,r own young girl life at old Fort Clarl
and tae Rses Own River. Through the
cracks and cr.vics, of her lodge shs
beheld tbs gtsls frm,nent and found Z
name for the nestling .babe-Pleuty oa
Stars. A f.x ye,rs more and out from
cold, clan NJ a:n'.a ronping, healthy
little girl WI, lifted. for ths spirit of the
good old SOU that hal watched over her
so t.ndsrly. had e N, To join the happy
villagcrs in thar land of shadowy forms
where hunger, neglect and cold are
unknown--and age not counted.