The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-07-19
TN 1862 two young men were living

iOiiy VI
- west and north of Fort Ridgley
AID a dozen or more southeast of the
Upper Sioux Agency. They had pushed
farther west than the other settlers,
in order TO get land that perfectly
pleased them.
The young men were not relatives,
but their friendship was so close that
they seemed like brothers. The older
a grave man at twenty-one years, was
named Howard-his first name / can
not recall. Howard called the other
"Jim," and have met nobody who re-
members Jim's family name. He was
boyish and laughing, and apparently
about seventeen years old.
On one of the last days Of July Jim
fell III with measles. and getting up
too soon, he suffered a relapse. How
ard visited the doctor at the Upper
Agency and got some medicine. but
Jims fever fingered and his condition
remained low.
On Tuesday, August 10. at 10 o'clock
In the morning, the sun beat hotly
upon the rough pine boards OF the cab
in. Howard had given Jim a sip OF
water, and watched him close his eyes
in half sleep, and then stepped TO the
door, hoping for n touch Of breeze or
the sight OF rising cloud. when he
saw n man galloping across the prairie
from the main trail He halted at the
very door. his horse lecked with foam.
Little Crow and all the Indians are
upw he said leaning forward and
speaking in rapid. low voice. "They
are everywhere! Nobody knows how
many settlers they killed last night.
They may get here at any time. Fifty
of us are going to make n stand Mt
the mouth Of the Redwood. Take your
gun and gallop over there quick as
you can"
Howard said simply, "Jlm Is too sick
to CO."
81 heard he was sick" returned the
man, as he gathered up the reins. II
never mean to give man any bad ad-
vice." he continued, speaking more
slowly, "but here's the long and short
of the matter. You get out on your
pony and ride hard, and one man Is
killed-not you. You stay here. and
two men are killed-you one of them.
There's no getting around IT,"
The sound of Jim tossing on the bed
came through the open door.
"It's time for his medicine" said
Howard.
Without another word the messenger
galloped away aud Howard turned
into the cabin.
whats up. Howard?" came In fec
BILE tones.
Nothing, jim; keep quiet"
"Who was it, Howard"
"Just a man riding by. Said he'd
heard you were sick. Here, take this
and see If you can't get another nap"
Five minutes later Howard came
forth and looked about. He could see
nothing In any direction except open,
level prairie, dry and gray with the
hot sun and scorchng wind Of August,
and few little gray cabins like their
own, the nearest n mile and half
away, with no sign Of life about It.
Near where Howard stood was moth
ing except the little square house and
a stable n few yards away of about
the same size. There was no cellar
under either building. Two small
stacks of new wheat and one OF oats
stood near the stable. beyond which
was little patch of potatoes with
rude fence around It. The COW and
two oxen were grazing near the pick
eted pony.
Hope of repelling attack was mad
ness, for the shotgun and the rifle I'm
the cabin were both muzzle. leaders.
and the savages would come we'll
armed, well-mounted. In numbers. and
like the whirlwind. To fly. with Jim
mounted on the pony. was impossible
The boy was weak, feverish, and
half the time delirious. Flight would
mean his death even If they escaped
the Indians. There seemed to be no
course open except quietly to await
their fate: but TO this he could not re-
concllc himself; at least he could die
fighting. But ut this reflection n plan
OF possible escape flashed into his
mind. He started suddenly. swept his
gaze once more over the plain and ran
into the house.
Jim opened his eyes and muttered in
coherently. Howard did not wait to
listen. Jim, I'll have to leave you
few minutes. There's little work I've
got to do. Lie still and I'll soon be
back" Then he ran out
His first move was TO loosen the
pony from the picket rope. Then he
ran to the barn and came out with
small hand-saw. hatchet. shovel.
two or three laths and handful of
nails. With these he went to the we'll
an ordinary well. which he and Jim
had dug early in the spring. 1t was
about fifty feet deep. some four feet
square, and curbed with common. six
inch boards, dovetailed at the corners
Above ground there was the usual
box-like enclosure. with two-by-fours
reaching up from two diagonally OPP
poslte corners. with n crosspiece Mt the
top supporting the iron pulley wheel
through which ran the long rope with
a wooden bucket on each end.
Beside the well stood the larger
bucket, with an iron bail. made from
the half OF a small barrel which they
had used TO draw up the dirt while
the well was being excavated. but
which now served as n drinking tub
for tho stock. In this Howard had
placed his tools and he now hastily
unlocked one of the regular buckets
and fastened this In its place.
The nature of the formation through