The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-12-17

- N 1857 I was barely eleven when
l shot my first Indian. He was a
chief. l knew that from his
headdress. His name l never
learned. Here is the story:
Ny parents, with their seven chill
dren, had moved from Iowa to Kan
sas three years earlier. My father
had taken up claim In Salt Creek
valley and built comfortable home
But he was not to enjoy the good days
that seemed to be dawning for us.
Kansas just then was torn by the
s.svery feud, and in the bitter strife Of
.oa time my father, after making an
4r... very speech at a nearby post
a'Ey , store, was mobbed and his
led the trigger The stiffness of the
'4ver was split by roar as the report
echoed from bank to bank Down tum-
bled the chief over the edge, rolling
over and over like shot rabbit till he
landed plump in the water.
A yell from the band he had led, and
q score Of Indians swarmed up to the
bank. But our men drove them back.
and they gave up the attack as bad
job. At dawn we limped worn out into
Fort Kearny. The soldiers there start
ed on a wild goose chase for the In
dams. They were never caught The
slashed, scalped bodies Of our dead
were found beside the wrecked looted
wagons.
When was thirteen my mother was
building a hotel for the use Of passing
gold hunters. for this was late in 1859,
when the gold fever swept America
and all roads led to Pixies peak. Our
Salt Creek valley home lay on one Of
the most travelled routes.
Hotel building and furnishing are
not on the free list So l wanted to
help raise money for our Valley Grove
House With an older boy named
Dave Phillips l planned a trapping
started
We bought an OK team and wagon
to transport the traps, camp outfit and
provisions and took large supply of
ammunition, besides extra rifles. Our
destination was the Republican river.
1t courses more than $50 miles from
Leavenworth. but the country about it
was reputed rich in beaver. | acted as
scout on the journey, going ahead to
pick out trails, locate camping grounds
and look out for breakers. The infor-
nation concerning the beaver proved
gHrrect Z i.s game was indeed SO plen-
49, hat 'ye INCLUDED to pitch a per-
,F@ eos" ? follow in n side hill and
aDiae4e.i Il ~ The dimensions Of de-
sS.ak ss2=3 yCo-1. h-
. We had seen no Indians Oh our trip
out and were not concerned in that
quarter, though we were too good
plainsmen to relax our vigilance.
There were other foes, as we discov-
cred the first night In our new quar-
tiers.
We were aroused by cOmInotiOn
In the corral where the oxen were
confined, and, hurrying out with our
rifles, we found huge bear intent
upon a feast of beef. The oxen were
believing in terror, one of them dash
ing crazily about the inclosure and
the other so badly hurt that it could
not get up.
Phillips, who was In the lead, fired
frst, but succeeded only in wounding
the bear. Pain was now added to the
savagery of hunger, and the infuriated
monster rushed upon Phillips. Dave
leaped back, but his foot slipped on a
bit of ice, and he went down with
thud, his rife flying from his hand as
he struck
A bullet from my rife entered the
distended mouth of the onrushing bear
and pierced the brain, and the huge
mass fell lifeless almost across Dawes
body. The OK had to be killed. "a,
Dawes chance to square his account
with me came a fortnight later. We