The Red Cloud chief., 1902-06-13
STORIES OF THE EARLY DAYS.
Some Rather Doubtful Yarns Spun BY Two
Of Our Oldest Settlers.

Of Our Oldest Settlers.
On a pleasant evening not long ago
two Of our aged citizens RECALLED a gap.
ing crowd of interested listeners with
talos of the early days that would make
a tenderfoot's hair stand on end, and
seems almost a miracle that these two
men are alive to relate the story OF
of their experiences in the early days
of what then was part of the territory
Of Louisiana, but is now the state of
Nebraska.
Away back in the summer of 1912
two young men deserted from the
American army, stationed at Fort Nj.
agara, and started westward on q jour
ney of exploration, After nearly a
year of wandering they reached a point
on the Missouri river not far from
where the city of st. Joseph now
stands. Failing in their endeavors To
exc out a livelihood at the small trad.
ing post located there, they determined
to push on westward.
Early in June, 1918, these footsore
and weary lads espied smoke curling
from the tepees of IN Indian village,
and as they had eaten nothing for four
days save a few scattering blades Of
buffalo grass, they decided to throw
themselves upon the mercy Of the saw.
ages Imagine their surprise and de.
I light upon discovering that the Occu.
pant OF the largest tent was none other
I than Forked Lightning, chief Of the
q Sioux, whose fame had already spread
$ to the east and whose great grandson,
the bioodthirsty Red Cloud, afterward
became famous through the city Of Red
I Cloud being named for him. The weary
wanderers were Hospitality received,
rs they were the first white men ever
seen by the Indians in this part OF the
country. Upon being pressed to re.
main over night the young men decided
they could do no better the Boys
Home had not been built AZ that time),
and accepted the chiefs hospitality.
During the evening they entertained
h Forked lightning with such Interesting
narratives of war, travel ant adven,
e turc that he offered extraordinary in,
n ducements TO the young men To remain
d and join the tribe rs his head cuunsel
y ors.
The above is in Subslan - the story
d of how Matt" Bentley ana - Jimmy
Grams happrurd L. Or the lil,, whit,
men to set loot on whai l. uow Web
ster county. The camp of the Indiana
AT that time vas near the mouth %
1t Elm creek, about four miles east Of thi
Q city, where the creek cmpties into tn,
h Republican river.
le Upon ono occasion the young adven
At turers wandered away from the cam
p, OF their protectors, and it came nea
e being their undoing, They had foI
Ne lowed u westward course, aud whe
le near where Gus Roats now lives the
IA were attacked by n tailed deer
but after a terrific battle With the fer,
:" cious beast they succeeded in overcon
n ing him and ended his miserable e,
n. ~lslence by thro wing him oven II ia
of fence into n snow bank nearly seve
h. feet deep, holding him there until !
'e fruZe To death. To commemorate III
NJ epoch in their lives Bentley aud Graz
nd decided to drive a stake nearby
of mark the spot. which they finally iii,
and il is claimed that this WAS u
y" identical stake found by Silas Caro-
nd when he located at Red Cloud over
rly half century later,
NO Upon returning to camp next ds
~ they were Informed that II scoutil
party, had just come in and repOrt'
20, that there was n good opportunity
on, open u bans IN the neighborhoOd
DIV Red Cloud, and they Immediately star
ed two of the swlftest runners Of Il
tribe for St. Louis to procure the nj
yer essary implements, In an meredith
'ict short space of time THESE runners
turned, and upon investigation 1t "
discovered that lhey had failed To
cure " very important articles us
IA opening banks-a dark lantern "A
ION a can Of n~itro.glycerin, Nothing dau,
icb ed. these two fearless youths Diet,
mined To make the effort, and, proci
'on my II guide, they started for the see
the IL their prospective labors, Upon
irving at n poiLt about half a m