The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-11-06
by DAYS IN TEXAS.
q sseaeeeeeseeeeeesss.

A b.
BY Melsey A. Booth)
md truth are two cardinal vlr-
ub-strat,im underlying oil true
morally. socially, or religious
billy real foundation on which
e character. and We naturally
Ind expect this quality in all
istory; hence there is no room
disuuisition or rhetorical dis
ndeavor TO make this paper as
ccncise as possible, in relating
nd facts as they occurred.
edwards is seldom pleasure.
litter the lapse of SO many years
Fly all of our old friends and
have passed beyond times
p, Aaron It. Boyce. removed to
the year 1897 THE year WAS
b Wisconsin, then territory
its lead mines. He stopped
lar IN the town of Bastrop and
n the mercantile business. lie
IA bought and located league
{ land. known as the NJ. Castro
tied on Giileland's creek north
|#en miles. Two of my brothers
the old homestead, settled six
rs ago. Here my father stood
4 OF his broad acres. monarch
prveyed, and could have been
kly happy and prosperous mad
Nor Wild Indians, wolves, bears.
73eatamounts and wild cats. be-
Dst Of smaller animals which
IN TO all kinds OF poultry.
IRE so numerous at thai day,
~ calves when not protected by
lie.
nce we heard the hleatlng of a
3E hen my mother Went to the
3 the lantern light the wolves
n Hike fire and their fierce snap
s3elt to be unpieasantiy near.
ga horse that had been staked
Mae at night, almost killed
also a pet colt running loose III
s#badly torn.
nbcr SEEING d large loaber wolf
house, although our dogs tried
a him, he trotted leisuroly alons
leeming to notice them. Bears
Encls hogs. tear them and often
!. saw one of ours torn fear
anthers also We're troublesome,
same was true of all others of
Ind. Deer would approach very
lshouse. and sometimes buffalo.
gA buffalo COW, l remember near
|sfact. the people depended large
I'D game to supply their table
rs.
these circumstances, life was
i rendered burden. The soil
Fricli. The country surrounding
III was one vast prairie. that
having time. like large field Of
rain ready for the reapers. The
ler grew along the creek banks,
efficient for fire wood and meag-
ements. You would have courted
leave home in search of suitable
Il building purposes. Ny father
ssort to ditching TO enclose his
IxiiS vel y II w 90 hpI
1.-THE hot summers caused the
gSrack and cave in after hard
ifkmen had to be guarded for
trprlsc.
FINALLY to leave the farm on &C
6pstile Indians. and remove into
fpents distant seven miles. On
4lo river ! had a brother muir
n home. He started to Austin
G morning overtaking some
"a chased him nearly two miles.
Tell by the trampled grass which
Estall. He was shot in The back.
9$were burned: when found was
.ESThe Indians had scalped him,
scalp. ! was a very
N But il was one scsnN Of horror
Btpmped on my mind. which can
6faced by time. My mother was
M bitter grief and anguish.
16lieve she ever got over the
Il hated Texas to her diving day,
tscircumstance, also. was wildly
~ 1t was one night when we
le. There was not man on the
raise a finger in defense of the
Mi two grown brothers had car
pnr horses to the Colorado bot
ayety, knowing that if there was
more than another that a horse
id dreaded, It was Indians lit
on account of their iiendish ap-
Sand peculiar wild odor). In
ii wild rye grew in great profu-
stock grew fat grazing on it,
II dark we heard bowling of
id loud hooting of owls. At first
" know what to make of it; but,
II soon OWNED the truth that it
3pproach of Indians. They con-
fawing nearer and nearer The
AIs we knew by the watch dog
M frantic with rage and fear. IN
36ther opened the door and he.
III We kept perfectly still, hal
III when not finding any horses,
III departed went a mile above
Ind cut loose some horses tied
MS door.
&enture seems sufficiently thrill
III story is not all told. We We're
WI time all forted up in our. log
tfly expecting an attack by In
IA brothers were melting bars
Nnnjng bullets into moulds made
ufpose,; slow work. but the only
ben.
der the good providence of God,
z{again spared adding another
l4pter TO Texas history.
Ehese were times that tried mems
|ffact, we lived for many years
III the indiana scalping knife.
IN due those pioneers who itced
N death TO make II possible FOR
G1rity TO live in peace and secur-
who desired home IN
m remember Mr.. Gilleland who
stralped by Indians and left for
Id not live long aftcrward.
jHNrlte many mole incidents Of
IA turn from these narrowing
4brilling adventure. that touch
~ chord in my life which vi
~ painfully, 10 the time when
and school houses were
16Ine interest even In sparsely
Wghborhcods. Although the
III that day would hardly bear
fomparison with those of the
m ii was evidence Of security
~ houses were log cabins with
land stick chimneysi our seats
|&ewn smooth on one side with
stuck in each end for legs o
thout even Il suggestion for a
"a against, \ long slab extend
WHho rao,, -ar,ra6 TOR s,itr ,-rIf