Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-07-03

In the fall of 1878 between four and
FIVE hundred Cheyenne Indians escaped
from their reservation In Indian Ter
ritory, and, separating into squads,
committed. many acts of atrocity on
the settlers ard stockmen Of Western
Kansas.
The Indians proposed to return to
their former hunting grounds In Ne
braska, which they had reluctantly left
under military authority. Their hos
tility was against every white man, and
they left a trail of bloodshed and desc
lation behind them.
The troops which had been sent to
force the runaway Cheyennes back to
their reservation were of little or no
avail In preventing their evil depreda-
lions and the merciless slaughter of
many people living along the frontier.
Like the sudden descent Of a de-
structive storm, the Cheyennes came
down upon the unsuspecting settlers of
those prairies, burning cabins and other
property, and sparing no one.
At the time of those fearful raids
there was a family living in little
cabin on a prairie stream in Sheridan
County.
The family consisted of Mr.. and Mrs.
Bassett and their two boys, Edward
and Frank. The two boys were alone
at the cabin. Their parents had gone
that morning to a town twelve miles
distant to do some necessary trading,
never dreaming of the doom so soon to
visit their peaceful neighborhood.
Edward Bassett was a boy Of four
teen, with a manly face, fearless blue
eyes and strong limbs. He was sit
ting on log near the side of the
cabin, his hands occupied with knife,
whiting out piece Of pine board a
toy for his less fortunate younger
brother.
Frank Bassett was ten years old,
and his pale, thin face, with its pathetic
dark eyes, told only too plainly that his
young life had borne much suffering.
An accident had made the boy a
cripple, but not pet Wish, entirely help
less one. He could not walk much with
out some aid from others, but he was
always patient, and very useful in help
ing his busy mother.
Franks character was quite as man.
~ as that of his robust brother, and
his less active life gave him great
advantage in reading and study. Just
then Frank sat in the doorway read
ing aloud, as he often did while Ed
ward occupied himself with knife and
a pine stick.
Suddenly their pleasant pastime was
disturbed by hearing horseman come
tearing along down the prairie road to-
ward the cabin.
"Who Is it 2" asked Frank.
Its Ira Sykes, 1 think" answered
Edward, watching the horseman ap-
proach. yes, It's Ira, and he's COM
ing here"
Both boys intently watched the horse.
nan as he rode rapidly toward them.
Ira Sykes was an honest, good
hearted cowboy employed at a neigh
boring ranch, and the Bassett boys
wondered what he wanted at the
cabin.
The cowboy dashed up, refined In his
pony and addressed the boys:
Hello, yer kids! Whar's yer father
an mother?'
"Gone to town." replied Edward.
Ira's face looked troubled, but he
said quickly:
well, l reckon yer lads hev lived
out hyar on Their purary long 'nough
not ter be plumb towards, anyhow
Their time has now come fur yer ter
show yer nerve. Their blamed redskins
hev made a break from Their Injun
Nation. an air comm mighty fast outer
this hyar settlement, a-mowin' down
Their whites like a reg'ler tornady."
1.-THE Injunsw calculated both boys
their eyes large from sudden alarm.
Are they the real bad, scalping In
juns, Ira?" asked Edward, glanclng ap
prehensively at his afflicted brother.
'Ther rail, dog-gorn, scalpin' kind
Ed assured the cowboy. I'm ridin
as fast as l kin ter warn Their families
out on Wolf Greek, an git them tel
ride fur their towns, whar they XIII
hev perfection. Thar's no time to foo
away, boys. Eff yer want ter save vel
scalps, yer must pull outen hyar tel
oncet. See tibet big smoke a-risin' VI
down ter the southwest? Thet's thel
red imps Albumin ther cabins an hay
stacks on Antelope purary."
Edward jumped up and ran to the
corner of the cabin, where he could
see in the direction to which Ira
pointed.
"All along the southwestern horizon
he could see great columns Of dense
smoke ascending, and rendering thI
sunlight more hazy tiian was natural.
, "Come, Ed" Ira called, yer mus
git away frum hyar"
YES" answered the hoy, evidently