Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-03-26
THE INDIANS MILLY SAW

"Oh, dear, was there ever such a lonesome
country as this!"
And AIlly Rogers stood in the door Of the
little log house that was her home and gazed
desolately across the river valley to the hills,
two miles away, and up and down the length
OF the valley. winding but level, as far as she
could see.
The early spring landscape did not please
her eyes, for they had gazcd upon the wooded
hillsides Of Ohio during the II years Of
her life, and to them the new Kansas, the
Kansas Of II RS ago, was barren and lone.
some.
The green had not vet begun to assert itself
in the dried brown OF the prairie grass, nor in
the strip Of trees that followed the narrow,
high.banked river, upon whose edge their
house was built-the bare boughed trees that
now roared and crashed in the strong wind
that swept off the hills
Papa and mamma said they would surely
be home by noon, and here it's quarter
past, and I'm getting so scared. Last night,
when they thought ] was asleep, papa was
reading about those dreadful Indians that
have broken away from the reservation and
are going back to the north through Kansas,
and they are burning all the houses and kill
ing all the people, and they are only hun.
dred miles west Of US.
She was shiverng now until her teeth
shattered and her brown eyes were large and
bright, us she went on, speaking in u half
whisper.
"And mamma was scared, too. ! know,
cause she commenced to cry and said oh,
John! what II they should come here! What
would we dog"
Milly turned and looked up the valley. The
high, bleached prairie grass waved and bent
in the roaring wind, and save for that the
valley was unbrokcn-but yet, what was
that, so far away, rising above the waves!
Milly turned winter yet and her heart
seemed to stop beating.
A dark line rose in sight afar off-a con. |
fused mass, with something bristling aloft. |
That surely was not there when she had
looked before. To her frightened eyes that
harrow streak Of black was n hand Of the |
dreaded Indians, bearing aloft their battle |
spears.
She looked helpclssly out south, where, at
the foot Of the first bill, their nearest neigh.
Dor lived-two long miles away.
"Somers have big family" she painted.
"and they would just rs soon take care OF
me, too, and they won't be afraid, cause
Bert's most 10. and heard him say the
other day that he would like to have q
chance at Indian fighting. I'll saddle Pony
and hurry right over"
Still white and trembling, though now &c
tive, she ran to the barn and buckled the
saddle on her little pony. She was too hur-
ried TO 60 OF after her bonnet, 20 she
shatched of her Bingham pinafore and tied it
about her head.
As she urged her pony out Of the barn
yard she could almost hear the yells OF the
Indians and the sound Of their horses feet,
but she could not be certain because Of the
wind roaring in her ears, and she did not
have the courage 10 turn her head and look
at them.
Milly had always boasted that Pony, the
only consolation she had in her enforcement
from her old homo, was fleeter, in spite Of
diminutive size, than any horse in the coun-
ny, but to-day she told herself that he posi-
lively crept. and that Il was two hours be-
fore shc nearcd her place Of refuge.
The Somers family, finishing their dinner,
heard hoofbeais on the road and rushed out.
ioors just rs a black pony clattcrcd up, bear.
ing whitehead little maid with unbranded
brown hair flying and blue ginghsm apron
ned over her head and followed by lolling-
longued yellow dog.
The pony suddenly stopped and Aiilly
lrOpped oil, a breathless little heap, into big
BERT Somers' arms.
-Bless the child" exclaimed good. mother ,
y Ars- S0mers, in concern. Whatever Is
he matteri II your mas sick, or your pa
iurt, tell u. and we'll 60 right over"
Milly chung to Mira Somers 10 her struggle
or breath and articulation, and pointed a
remblins finger down the valley AZ abe
Hammered:
TIC iAdia5s: ThSy mnst bc Z; or hOu-,