Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-06-14
DAILY STORY
MORE EFFECTIVE THAN RIFLES
tOriginal.]

tiers and little son were the members /
of the family, and Herman Harris, a |
young plainsman was to act as guide.
Betsy Henderson, the oldest daughter /
was aged nineteen, her sister Belle fif |
teen and Ben seven. The party started |
on the 25th of June.
Dad" said Ben, as they were about !
to cross the Missouri river, "what'm l
goin' to do Fourth % july"
well be out on the plains on the |
Fourth
won't l have nOthin' to fire."
''I'll let you shoot my revolver"
~ want some rockets N crackers, N
/ things"
I'm afraid you'll have to go without
'em this year"
| The girls were listening to this con-
versatiOn. and Betsy begged her father
TO take along some fireworks, but the
old man said he had no money to burn
up that way and no room to carry the
stuff. He resolutely declined.
| Now, Herman Harris had been pick
ell up at St Joseph to be with the par
ty for matter Of Il few weeks, when
it was expected he would separate
from them, and they would have no
| further mutual interest. 1t never oc-
| Cured to John Henderson that there
could possibly be any stronger tie be-
tween them than the journey. He
| didn't reckon ON but two girls and Il
young man TO encounter the dangers
of Il new country together. When Bet
| Sy Henderson was told that Herman
| Harris was to he their guide and. cX-
| cepting her old father, sole defense
against Indians and cutthroats she
brought Il great big pair of eyes TO bear
on him. She might as we'll have lev
eled Il revolver. 50 far as his future
| freedom was concerned. for he tiguri-
lively threw up his hands, while she
figuratively went through him for his
| heart
The second evening out Herman in
formed Betsy that he had something to
show her, and, taking her TO the wag-
on, they stopped, and there, tied up
against the wagons bottom, was Il
bundle.
"What is it," asked Betsy, looking
at him with her faring eyes
whats the first thing ever heard
you say you wanted?"
Il don't know"
81 do; heard you ask your father
for fireworks to celebrate the Fourth
with"
$50 did,
81 went Off and got 'em. There
wasn't room in the wagon, so l prs EN-
up there
The big eyes took on a certain soft
ness, and that was the beginning of it..
n couple of dollars worth of fireworks
= The party had been out Il week when
they met a returning train. from which
they received information that there
We're some hostile Indians farther on
and they had better turn back. At
least they had better make u dctOur.
, Henderson listened to this grimly
thought of his wife and children at the
mercy of savaGeS and was inclined To
turn. He finally concluded TO make the
detOur.
The next eqening m Indian was de-
serted on the horizon. 1t was after sun
set, and the form of the warrior stood
out in silhouette against Il broad strip
of red left on the horizon. Then anOth-
or appeared near the first and another
till Henderson counted twenty silhou-
; cites. His heart sank within him.
The line, scattered over half a mile
1 of alkali dirt. moved toward the
schooner. on whose white top the last
light of day was lingering. If the In
.. dams were hostile death - horrible
4 death-was certain. The old man
wruug his hands. The Indians came on
to within rife range, then sent a single
o shot
I There was nothing to do but get be-
TO- hind the wagon, distribute the rifles
and die Every member took a rife
y including little Ben, who found Il con
u venient rest on a spoke. Harris took
position midway between the front and
rear wheels. The Indians advanced
with n scattering fire. They did not
: know the weakness Of their enemy. Il
=, was now getting dark.
Suddenly Herman Harris threw dowl
his rife and, taking his knife from his
belt cut the thongs that held the bun
I die under the wagon.
Drop your rifles" he said to the 9th
n ers. We'll try these"
; To the mother and her children IN
l. gave roman candles. to the fathe
s rockets, while, taking a pinwheel, HI
e passed under the wagon and, gettint
up on the other side. fastened it to thu
n wagon with a nail through it's center
IS Then, scratching n match, he igniteC
the fuse.
The Indians stopped and wondered
In the center Of the schooner they saw
= a great fiery eye throwing out spark
10 on every side. Then a fountain o
y sparks scared into the air, and OIL
'e popped a star. In a moment Their
We're several such fountains, all shoot
IF ing stars. But the most frightful dem
Onstration was a stream of fire direct
- ed over their heads, out of which burs
q cluster of stars. This was too muc
for the Indians superstitious nature:
They turned tail and fled for thei
lives and their souls.