Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-04-07

saved from destruction by the bravery
and stratagem Of some Of their
squaws. One of these occasions was
when a gentle eyed, pleasant faced
maiden, Louie, afterward the wife Of
Sitting Bull. saved the great chief and
hundred of his braves from annihila-
ton by running fearful gauntlet Of
death and bringing help to the besieg-
ed warriors In the very teeth Of per-
feet hailstorm Of bullets and arrows.
This dauntless spirit is seen to a
very marked degree In the Indian wo-
men of all the northwestern tribes,
and particularly among the ojibways
Of the Great Lakes. It seems that no
situation Is too appalling, no danger
too great for them to face without hes
itation and without fiinching.
An instance in this connection also
was witnessed by the writer some If
teen years ago, at blueberry camp
a few miles north of Bear Lake In
Minnesota.
Several hundred Ojibway families
were employed in picking the sweet
berries, which grow in great abund-
ance throughout the pine forests Of
this northern region, and which are
Grated and shipped in carlfads to st.
Paul and other city markets to the
southwest during the season Of the
fruits ripening. AS usually happens
at such times, some one had managed
to smuggle several bottles Of whisky
into the redskins possession, running
the risk of the severe penalty prescrib-
ed by law for this offence for the sake
of the few extra dollars which the
thirsty sons Of the forest are always
willing to give for such liquid re-
freshment.
AS a consequence number Of the
bucks, who had felt the inspiring ef-
fects Of a drink or two steal along their
nerves and warm up dormant instincts
of the wild, were kicking up quite "a
lively fuss among themselves, and
knives were beginning to be f1ourished
in rather sinister fashion. while blood
was seen to flow from a number Of
ugly flesh wounds.
One quarrel led to another, and at
length two stalwart specimens Of In
dian manhood, who had probably al
ready had some grudge against each
other in the past, uttered their wild
Of defiance, sprang out in
to a little open space, and, drawing
their knives, went at 1t in a regular
duel to the death.
The next moment a tall old squaw,
the mother of one Of the combatants,
came rushing through the circle OF
spectators, hurting them aside with her
strong arms, and without an instants
without trace Of fear up
on her face, sprang squarely between
the deadly knives! Alas, only to re-
ceive her death wound from the weap-
on of her sown-son, as he aimed Ia
wicked thrust at the body Of his an
tagonist.
At another time, Just below the lit
tie station of Moose Lake, on the st.
Paul and Duluth railroad, the writer
a tragedy almost the par
allel to this.
%. A deformed and hunchbacked In
dian known as Joe Bug, an evil and
desperate outlaw Of that region, had
committed most unprovoked and cold
blooded murder at the station, and was
fleeing for his life toward the cover
of timber mile or so to the south
ward. The whole town had been
aroused, and men were hot on his
track from all directions.
A small party Of Ojibways were
camped beside the railroad, about half
a mile below the station, and here the
outlaw first showed himself after TAX
ing to the brush and willows which
covered the intervening space. But,
this very move, two OF
the pursuers had fianked the camp In
the rear, and when the fugitive cross
ed the track and made for the timber
just back of the tepees they sprang
suddenly In front Of him. blocking his
pathway.
1t chanced that neither Of the men
carried firearms of any kind, and Bug
at once threw up his rifle to shoot
them down. But no sooner had he
raised the gun to his shoulder than one
of the squaws, at the camp, doubtless
the truth Of the situation at
a glance, sprang In front Of the des-
perate outlaw and grasping the muz-
zle Of the rifle. attempted to wrest 1t
from his hands.
That deed Of unselfish bravery cost
her her own life, and saved from death
at least one of the men. Both men
leaped forward to her aid, but were
too late. With a curse of fierce ha-
tired, the outlaw jerked savagely at
the trigger, and the bullet pierced the
heart Of the brave woman.
He had no time for another shot,
for the men were upon him. Leaping
to one side, he eluded them like a
snake and ran for the woods with the
speed Of a deer. A few moments af-
terward he disappeared in the forest,
and was not seen again by white man
or red for a period Of several years.
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