Milford chronicle., 1909-01-22

chief knew that from his
headdress. His name ! never
learned. Here is the story:
Ny parents, with their seven chill
dren, had moved from Iowa to Kan
tas three years earlier. My father
had taken up a claim iIraSalt Creek
valley and built r. 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
slavery feud, and in the bitter strife Of
the time my father, after making an
antislavery speech at a nearby post
traders store, was mobbed and his
life threatened. On this occasion one
Of my fathers irate audience-a man.
Charles Dunno by name-stabbed my
loved parent in the side At the time
Of the attack ! stood unarmed over
my wounded fathers body and tried
with childish strength to fight Off his
assailant; but, though he escaped with
life IN him from the place where he
was assaulted, he subsequently sue
cumbed to his injuries. and in the fol
lowing spring he died. This calamity
deprived my mother and our family
Of a worthy and esteemed head of the
household, his death being an incident
in the horrid internecine strife that
eyentuated in the tragedies Of the civH
war. l was then ten years old.
l could ride any horse alive. had a
knack Of shooting straight, and 1 knew
something about herding cattle J.
thought these qualities might earn me
a living. They did
A firm Of overland freighters- Rus
sell, Majors & Waddell-were at Leav-
enworth. One Of them. Mr.. Majors.
had been a friend of my father.
asked him for a job as extra" on one
OF his wagon trains. The pay was $40
a mOnth-a fortune it seemed to me
then. The work was the sort usually
int usted to grown man, and it
meant not only perpetual hustling. but
a lot of danger as well. for the plains
in those days were anything but free
from Indians. This latter thought
frightened even my brave mother. .
Boyllke. was delighted at the idea.
AAAs 4AeAIoAo otlAA AC NUAAlA AahF AlAG D
on as extra for one trip. If l did
well could have a regular job. re- .
solved to do miracles as an extra.
The train was made up OF twenty
Eve loaded wagons, each carrying
1000 pounds, each drawn by six yoke
Of oxen and guided by a "bullwhack-
er," driver with a long, loud cracking
whip. Then there was a bunch Of
loose cattle. On this occasion the
train was made up Of only three
wagons. and we were driving large
herd of beef cattle to Fort Kearny for
the use of Colonel Albert Sydney John
stOn and his command. who were on
their way to Salt Lake to fight the
MOrmons. l was only one Of several
extras. Though we always set guard.
40 Indians had appeared
One noon, however. when we stopped
FOR dinner and were loafng about on
the grass waiting for the pot to boil
we heard a scathing volley Of shots
from a copse. Some bullets and a
iOzen or more arrows whistled into
amp. Everybody had jumped up at
he first shot. But three Of our men
umbled over at once as II they had
)een tripped up Then number Of
hings happened almost too quickly to
describe.
Two bands Of Indians were gallop-
ng toward us. One band stampeded
nd ran of our cattle while the other
rushed" us Our men gave them 4
warm welcome and sent them back on
he run. But the fight was not over.
The braves" only cantered out Of
ange. There they were joined by 9TH
rs. They Outnumbered US eight or
en- to one. We could nrt hope to
tand against such a multitude We
olted for the South Platte river with
be sayages at our heels and found
helter behind the steep banks From
here we opened fire again and drove
be following redskins once more out
range.
Frank Mccarthy. our boss said our
ne chance was to follow the Platte
ver to Fort Kearny. keeping out Of
ght under its banks So the thirty
We mile march began through knee
W WaANA anu AAAAN AetA AA1s nan a Aee
e kept It up. l was dead tired. but It
as no time for rest or complaining
lst the same. by nightfall my short
gs wouldn't keep up with the process !
on. dropped back. little by little,
nl plodding on as fast as my aching |
ct could move. We thought we had
ven the Indians the slip, but / still |
gged my short. heavy rife. 1t was |
muzzle loading mississippi Jaeger" a..
ID carried a slug and two buckshot
each charge. N,
The moon had risen. and was try q
g to catch up with the rest. Sudden ~
in front Of me and at the top OF the
gh bank, saw against the moon the
ad and high war bonnet Of an In
an chief. He was bent double The -
en- ahead could not see him. but he
d his gun leveled at them. l knew =
he fred he could scarcely miss at y
at range Some one Of my friends .,
lst be killed. / had halted at sight