Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-01-01

headdress. His name l never
learned. Here is the story:
My 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 a 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
antisavery speech at 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 l 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 calamit
deprived my mother and our family
Of worthy and esteemed head of the
household, his death being an incident
in the horrid internec1ne strife that
eventuated in the tragedies of the civil
war. l was then ten years old.
could ride any horse alive l had a
knack of shooting straight and knew
something about herding cattle.
thought these qualities might earn me
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. I
asked him for 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
intrusted to- a grown man. and 1t
meant not only perpetual hustling, but
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.
Boylike, was delighted at the idea.
Mr. Majors said he would take me
on as extra for one trip. If I did
well I could have regular Job. I re-
solved to do miracles as an extra.
The "train" was made up of twenty
five loaded wagons. each carrying
1000 pounds. each drawn by six yoke
Of oxen and guided by "bullw hack
er," driver with long, loud cracking
whip. Then there was bunch of
loose cattle On this occasion the
train was made up Of only three
wagons, and we were driving a 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. I was only one of several
extras. Though we always set guard.
no Indians had appeared.
One noon, however. when we stopped
for dinner and were loafing about on
the grass waiting for the pot to boil
we heard scathing volley of shots
from copse. Some bullets and a
dozen or more arrows whistled into
camp. Everybody had jumped up at
the first shot. But three of our men
tumbled over at once, as If they had
been tripped up. Then a number Of
things happened almost too quickly to
describe.
ing toward u.s.. One band stampeded
and ran off our cattle, while the other
| rushed" US. Our men gave them a
| warm welcome and sent them back on
! the run. But the fight was not over.
| The "braves" only cantered out OF
range. There they were Joined by 9TH
ers. They outnumbered US eight or
| ten to one We could not hope to
stand against such a multitude. We
bolted for the South Platte river with
the savages at our heels and found
there we opened fire again and drove
the following redskins once more out
Of range.
Frank Mccarthy, our boss, said our
one chance was to follow the Platte
river to Fort Kearny, keeping out OF
sight under its banks. So the thirty
five mile march began through knee
deep water and quicksand. Half day
we kept it up. l was dead tired, but 1t
was no time for rest or complaining
Just the same, by nightfall my short
legs wouldn't keep up with the process
sion. dropped back, little by little
still plodding on as fast as my aching
feet could move. We thought we had
given the Indians the slip, but I still
lugged my short, heavy rife. 1t was
muzzle loading "Mlssissippi Jaeger
and carried a slug and two buckshot
to each charge.
The moon had risen, and I was try
ing to catch up with the rest. Sudden
", in front of me and at the top Of the
high bank, saw against the moon the
head and high war bonnet Of an In
dian chief He was bent double. The
men ahead could not see him, but he
had his gun leveled at them. knew
II he fred he could scarcely miss al
that range. Some one of my friends
must be killed. had halted at sigh,
of him. and he didn't see me. I had
no time to think out the situation.
I brought up my rife and took what
aim could IN the deceptive moon
light. When my sights were JUS
bslow the war bonnsts feathers