The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-04-05

me wife. 1t is now the right time
81 And in the afternoon their: serious ap-
premiership to prudence was at an end.
They were made man and wife.
HEROINE OF THE SIOUX WARS.
How Mrs. Larimer Saved Her Own
Life and That of Her Little Son.
The other day there came out of the de-
partment of justice woman of attractive
appearance, little past SO years old. AS
she paused moment on the steps and
looked with bright, observant eyes over at
the White House and along Pennsylvania
avenue she presented a picture of comfort
able, placid middle age. One of the attor-
neys from the Indian depreciation claims
department accompanied her to the door,
and after she babe him goodby he said:
THAT woman is Mrs. Sarah l.. Larfmer
Of Nebraska, and she is making her yearly
visit to Washington. When at the capital
she always calls on her friends at the de-
partment of justice. The files of Indian
depreciation claims contain no more roman
relate to the early life@of Mrs. Larimer
Those who meet her now as woman of
the present day quite abreast of the times
In which she lives, interested in all public
questions and full of kindly sympathies can
scarcely realize that in her youth she was
the plains.
I'm 1864 Lieut.. Larimer who had just
been honorably discharged from the Union
army left his home in Kansas, accompanied
by his young wife and little child, to cross
the plans for the restoration of his health,
which had given out through the hard serv-
ice in the war. They were in company
with several other travellers, and had with
them valuable personal belongings, con-
sisting OF several wagons and horses, ex-
pensive clothing, family jewels, a complete
Photographic outfit, and nearly $4,000 in
money. When in Wyoming territory they
were surprised by band of Sioux Indians
who murdered three of the party, wounded
two, Lieut.. Larimer being one Of the
wounded, and captured Mrs. Larimer and
her child. The Indians took the woman
and child to their camp. about 20 miles
from the spot where they had attacked the
travellers.
"a day or two after the attack news
came to the 18th cavalry, stationed at Fort
Laramie, Wyo., that the Sioux had attacked
travellers on the emigrant road and had car
rled Mrs. Larimer and her child into cap
tivity. Lieut.. Larimer had been found, near
ly dead from arrow wounds and distracted
at the fate which had beiallen his wife and
baby. The officers of the 18th immediate
ly moved part of their command up the
Platte river, and obtained further informa-
ton as to where the raid had taken place.
They were about to move against the In
dams with force of two companies when
Mrs. Larimer came crawling into camp,
carrying her child in her arms. Their con-
clifton was deplorable. She and the child
were nearly famished. AS soon as Mrs. Lar-
mer was able she gave a detailed account
Of the position of the Indians, their plans
and movements, their designs against the
command which they knew would be NOV
ing against them, their numbers and the
ambuscades which they had prepared. Her
information was so valuable that the officers
were able to thwart the designs Of the In
dams not only against the pursuing troops,
but against exposed points and trains that
were on the emigrant road.
1.-THE officers found the information Mrs.
Larimer gave as to the position and move
ments of the Indians to be exactly as she
had said, and marveled at the powers of
observation and clearness of memory which
had endured through the hours of torture
she had gone through. The accuracy Of her
statements was particularly verified by the
fact that one of the lieutenantS and a few
of his men who disobeyed orders and fol-
lowed trail apart from the command, fell
into an ambuscade described by Mrs. Lar1-
mer and were killed.
MRS. Larimer was never quite clear as
to how many hours she had passed with the
Indians. From the moment of captivity,
when they had started off with her child
and herself in their train, she had concen-
trated every faculty on watching an oppor-
tunity of escape. She had seen her hus-
band struck down by arrows, killed, as she
supposed; had seen the wagons fired and
her friends killed and wounded. She had
read of the tortures inflicted by the Indians
upon women captives, never imagining that
one day she would be their wretched victim.
She was determined, If possible, to get her.
self and child away from their clutches and
die in some other way than by their tor
lures. She had always been girl of fear
less disposition, quick in her movements,
and very observant. She pretended to be
bodily languid and almost immovable state.
After hours of waiting and watching their
dances and listening to their plans for fur
ther depredations, when they had ceased to
observe her she found way to slip away
beyond the fires into the dark brush. For
hours and hours, through two days and
nights, she struggled on, nearly dead, until
she fell exhausted in the camp of the cav
airy.
''It was happy time, of course, when she
found her young husband alive. All they
had in the world was gone but after the
horrors of their experience had passed away
little, and health was in a measure re-
stored, they started out afresh. Mrs. Lar
inner has always been the business manager
of the firm. Her husband never had his
many years the court of claims awarded
Mrs. Larimer a sum of money for her losses
by Indian depredations, and the valuable
information she had given the United States
troops, and during the conduct Of her case
she made warm friends in the Indian dep
relation claims department, who are always
glad to see her when she comes East"
The Hair Trade in London.