The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1902-01-30
HEROISM OF AN OLD-TIMER
Continued from first page.


knife, and killing her baby, too
The little girl in some way escaped
with her life. but was seriousl,
wounded.
''Jnst before daylight [ heard tn,
girl CRYING AID sobbing, and creeping
out from my hiding place, | soor
found her Her arm was broken ant
she was wounded in two places from
arrows shot at her as she had fec
when her mother was killed
81 brought her back to my hiding
place in the brush, covered her Will
my shirt and tire my undershirt into
handages for her arm, which ixec
up with wet clay. She suffered
fnghtfully, but | did all | could fol
her, little as it was.
"Thus we stay ed five days an6
five nights without a thing to eat,
unit we we're almost consumed with
the hunger fever. Maggie-that was
her name-was crying and begging
for bread, but | had none to give her.
TO forage for it meant death and
probably torture, bur couldn't stand
the sight Of her Suffering Finally
L told her that the next day we
would have plenty of bread and tried
to cheer her up. 1t was time to do
something desperate. Looking out
from my hiding place | saw three
chiefs walking around by the house,
and making Maggie promise to stay
sui whcre she was unit came back,
| went out to meet them. They did
not hear me coming at first, their
cks being turned toward me, and
when they heard my footsteps the,
TUNED suddenly as if fearing sur
prise. threw up my hands to show
that | was unarmed. | advanced
boldly to tie old chief, White Bird,
aid told him had had nothing to
eat since the war began and that
wanted something to eat or to be
permitted to 60 where could get it
"Tney scowled and didn't seem to
take particularly to my request. The
old chief said that they killed 10
wagonloads of white men yesterday
and we're going to kill all that they
could find. | put on bold front
and told them that | had been in
that country for IA years and had
never yet wronged an Indian. AS a
result of my talk two of the chiefs,
including White Bird, were tor letting
me go, but the third was more blood
thirsty and insisted that | be killed
forthwith ortut least that my right
ann he cut off SO | could not return
and fight them. They were arguing
the question and it was beginning to
look pretty black for my chances.
1t appeared rs If | would be held a
prisoner if not killed Immediately,
which would be much preferable.
Better to be dead than a prisoner IN
the hands of the Indians Old White
Bird had six shooter at his side.
L saw it and SUI denly stepping for
ward and pointing to it barred my
breast and said: Come, no more of
this talk. XII me now. | am
ready That was enough for the
old chief. He reached out his hand
aid shook hands with me and SAID
l had great and noble heart like
his and told me | could 90 to my
friends. Some squaws rode up at
this time and asked me to give them
a drink of water all around. When
l complied 1T made them all laugh
to see a white man in such mental
occupation.
81 then went to the brush and
brought out the little girl in my
arms. The chiefs didn't like this
last move, but permitted me to pass.
After | had gone short distance
the chief called me back, | thought
at first we WAS going to change his
mud and was about to- kill us, but
| went back. But it was not for
thai he had called me. 1t was to
give us an Indian guard past the
outposls, without which we could
not have escaped
"Bdding the Indians good. bye at
the outposts we kept on, not safe