The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-06-24

lndl ne udu got out VI the eHcIuy
country.
But in this he was mistaken. as he
soon found out. AS the tree-top swung
around little curve in the stream he
saw quite a little village Of wigwams
ahead, on the side of a hill sloping
Of the camp convinced him that 1t be-
longed to one Of the nonresident
tribes, and he concluded that it was
well his trip had not been put off until
morning, provided it proved to be a
successful one, of course-for If this
were another tribe, the union Jim
Crow had spoken of would no doubt
be made at once, and the war on the
whites be Immediately begun.
Hewas so intently engaged in watch
Ing the camp as he drifted past it, that
he did not notice the approach Of
canoe containing two Indians until 1t
brushed the branches of the tree-top,
as it passed by. He would not have
known, then, what Jared his craft,
had not one of the Indians said some
thing, as he put out his paddle and
gave the tree-top a push. The sound
of the voice made his heart beat hard
and fast, but he held his breath and
did not dare to move as much as a
finger for long time after that. When
he ventured to look around the camp
was out of sight.
That was the last he saw of any In
dams. But he did not dare to leave
the tree-top yet awhile, for. from all
he knew to the contrary, there might
be others ahead.
About noon he came in sight of the
first farm. Here was the place for
his work of warning to begin. He man
aged to paddle his craft near shore,
and pretty soon he stood on land again.
He lost no time in telling the settler
his story. An hour later the man and
his family, with John as passenger,
drove toward ST. Marys. They
warned all the settlers along the road,
and the frightened men lost no time
in seeking for safer quarters.
st. Mary's was reached about
O'Clock. In short time active prep
arations were going forward for the
protection of the town. The women
and children were put in the places of
greatest safety, and men were detail
ed to watch for the enemy's approach
from all quarters
The Indians did not attack the place
that night. But on the following
night they came. expecting, no doubt,
to find it an easy prey to their muir
derous methods of warfare. But in
this way they were mistaken The citi-
| them so briskly that they were taken
| by surprise, and they made a rapid
retreat, leaving several of their num-
Der behind them, dead and wounded.
John found himself a hero; but he
bore his honors modestly, as the real
hero always does. Il only did what
anyone else would have done in my
| place." he said
The day after the attack of the In
dians, Mr.. Sanford and his family and
other settlers arrived Hugh had over
taken his father when near the end of
the thirty miles journey. Mrs. San.
ford was so frightened at the thought
Of the danger John had braved, that
she would not listen to the proposal
of her husband that she should stay
with her friends and let him go to st
Mary's to find out whether the boy
had succeeded in his daring undertak
ing, so they all came together. and the
family reunion was complete.
presume the world has never heard
of this frontier hero of mine before
But l am glad to tell his story, and tC
assure you that in telling it, 1 have
not been obliged to draw on magma
ton. John Sanford still lives on the
old farm in Minnesota. and there
met him last summer. and found on
all about his boyhood bravery. But
found it out from others-not from
him.-Montreal Family Herald.