The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-12-03
AN INDIAN ROMANCE.

AueA0 40 uOs11Au8 mO10 HosASs'~
in the early history of Ohio than
the stories of captives from Western
Pennsylvania and Virginia, who for
years lived among the Indians.
Some of them returned ct last to
their relatives, who bad mourned
them as dead. Many were mere
children when taken, and not few
could with difficulty recognise their
own parents or become reconciled
to civilized life. As q matter of
fact, some of them never became
reconciled, but after a time spent
with relatives returned to the In
dams and Indians ways.
Robert Armstrong, a lad of 10
years, was kidnapped by Indians
about 1890 from his home in West
ern Pennsylvania, then on the bor-
der of civilization. The poor cap
tive lad was conveyed far into the
country of the red men and was
treated we'll. Like other captive
children he cried for many a day,
and was soothed to sleep of nights
as kindly as possible by the Indian
women of the tribe.
After the victory of Gen. Wayne
and the treaty of peace which fol.
lowed, he took an Indian maiden
for wife and settled in q village
near the Maumee, within the present
limits of Ohio. Some years after
the capture of young Armstrong
his family moved to Ohio, entered
land and settled in what is now
Perry county. In some way they
became aware that their lost son was
living and where he was located.
He was induced to visit his father
and mother and the family at their
home, situated four miles east of
what is now Somerset, and remained
with them several weeks. While
there be was taken with malarial
fever of a critical type, and fingered
long in a low condition. Friends
were worn out with watching, and
the kindly assistance of neighbors
was accepted.
One pioneer neighbor who was
called in and watched all night long
was much impressed by the sick
mans delirium calling through the
night for his Indian wife. He re.
ported this in the morning to Arm.
strong's relatives and tried to per.
suade them to send for the Indian
wife, but they declined. The pic.
neer decided he would make the
journey himself, and travelled more
than 100 miles through the wilder
ness to reach the Indian wife. Al
the end of the third day, just al
sunset, he rode into the Indian vii.
lage and made known his Grand
The weary traveller was received
kindly and accorded hospitable
treatment. The Indian woman a,
once said she would 60 to her hus.
band, and next morning, bright and
early the friendly pioneer and the
copper-colored wife set out for the
home where they arrived the after
noon of the third day.
No sooner had they arrived wher
the Indian wife proceeded to The
room of her sick husband, where
after "pow-wowing" over him fol
quite while, as persons who wer,
present and witnessed the scene ex
pressed it, she went out of tht
house to a rayine few rods dis
tant, where she selected her apron
full of herbs. From these she dill
gently prepared medicines and ad
ministered them in her own pecu
liar way without interference from
any one. 1t was not long unit
the sick man began to show symp
toms of improvement. The Indiar
woman continued member of tn,
Armstrong household several week,
and until her husband had 80 full,
recovered that she took him HON,
with her.
Robert Armstrong never returned
to that part of the country, and no
many years afterward the Armstron,
family also changed their residence
An Err0nanus Tdao