Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-12-30

swept away from our great country
and be no more. My friends. I love
your poor race. If could do anything
for you to avert your troubles I would
do 1t for you. Ny friends. please let
me propose one thing If you will
wait six or seven days. or until my
return from st. Paul, will 60 to see
two great men, Mr.. Rice and General
Sibley. and make known your
troubles, and the whiskey traders who
are buying our young men and selling
them again &c the highest bidder
They asked me will these great
men listen and hear your talking2'
Well think they will. I know these
men personally. liam poor man,
cannot 60 down in the stage. I am
young and can walk from here to st.
Paul in two days. think I co7ld re-
turn in six days sure. 'Well.' said
the braves, If you think you can &C.
complish some good, and get the hear
ing of the two chiefs at st. Paul, we
will wait seven days..
In the night my wife made me two
pairs Of new moccasins and before
davbreak | was on my way. l felt 50
we'll and light, and thought could
outrun any four legged animal. I
passed through Sank Rapids toward
the evening, and continued my jour-
ney. Toward night stepped out from
the road and under the heavy limbs OF
an oak tree lay down to sleep. For
about five hours could not sleep. The
thought Of my errand was go Import
ant. At last lost my sleeplessness
and just before day break I was up
and took fresh start I was in St.
Paul curly in the morning Ct the
third day.
My first visit was to Mr.. Rice. He
called me into his parJors. and asked
me the object of my visit, I said,
"Mr. Rice, my object to visit you is
that we are having a very serious
trouble, or expect to have, if you and
General Sibley cannot help US out of
it, Here commenced to tell him
all about the trouble from beginning
to end. WELL Mr.. Johnson he said,
II am glad you have come to make
known to us your trouble. and that
you expect to have very serious one.
Yes, this very thing. the traffic in
human beings, should and must be
stopped at once. You go to General
Sibley and show this letter to him.
When do you expect to return home7
"Just as soon as yon may give all the
Instructions
entered into the Office of the gener-
al, and handed the letter of Mr.. Rice
to him. I watched him during the
reading OF the letter. He would now
and then give me nod. I thought it
very good indication. Re turned and
said with an earnest emphasis, ''Yes,
this very traffic in your people to the
whites shall and must cease at once.
When you reach home, if they are
still buying and selling the young
indians, you will please write to Us,
and we will take good care of the men
who buy and sell - The general gave
me papers to show those who were the
most conspicuous persons shook
hands with him, and thanking him
for his instructions and the papers he
gave me, I returned to Mr.. Rice s
office.
| He asked me how I came down. I'll
used my legs and feet" You expect
to ~ back todayf'' ''Yes, just as soon
as go out of your Office l shall steer
my journey toward home, for 1 must
get home thee days from today.
There are three braves from Leech
Lake who are waiting for me at Grow
Wing, and it is very important that I
should be there on the third day from
today
He opened his drawer and handed
me twenty-five dollars. This very
generous gift given Unexpectedly to
me, was an expression of joy that
words cannot express. I stepped out
of his Office with light heart and
much elated Relieved of my anxiet-
les my body and legs were easily
moved. There was NO inpediment on
my person, and walked like the
heart of the forest. On the first night
of my return journev I walked quite
distance. there being claar moon
light. The third day I arrived home,
we'll ard hearty.
CONTINUED Next Week