The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1909-01-07

neuuUTtSS. Ills Ilttlllc htNt'
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 II claim in Salt Creek
valley and built Il 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 fcud, and in the bitter strife of
the time my father. after making an
antislavery speech ut nearby post
traders store, was mobbed and his
nte threatened. On this occasion one
OF my fathers iratc audicncc-a man,
Charles Dunno by name-stabbcd my
loved parent In the side At the time
Of the attack | stood unarmcd over
my wounded fathers body and tried
with childish strength to fight off his
nssailant; 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 worthy and esteemed head Of the
household. his death being an incident
In the horrid interneclne strife that
eventuated in the tragedies of the civil
war. l was then ten years old
| could ride any horse alive. | had n
knack OF shooting straight. and knew
something about hcrding cattle
thought these qualities might earn me
living. They did
A firm Of overland freighters-R
sell. Majors & Waddell-wcre ut 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
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
Bovlke. | was delighted at the idea
Mr. Majors said he would take me
on as extra for one trip. If | did
we'll | could have Il regular job re.
solved to do miracles as an extra
The train" was made ny of twenty
five loaded wagons each carrying
1000 pounds en- b drawn 10y six yoke
of oxen and guided by a "bullwhack
or" n driver with n LONG loud cracking
whip Then there was IA bunch Of
loose cattle On this occasion the
- al
wagons. and we were driving Il large
herd Of beef cattle to Fort kcarny for
the use of Colonel Albert sydney John
sion and his command who were on
their way to Salt Lake to fight the
Mormons | 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 a scathing voley Of shots
from a copse. Some bullets and
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
DteH lIlIptu UP utI IL uuiuDtl VI
things happened almost too quickly to
describe.
Two bands Of Indians were gallop-
Ing toward us. One band stampeded
aud ran off our cattle. while the other
crushed" us Our men gave them a
warm welcome and sent them back on
the run But the fight was not over
e
range. There they were joined by 9th
ers They outnumbered us eight or
ten to one We could not hope to
stand against such n multitude. We
bolted for the South Platte river with
the savages at our heels and found
shelter behind the steep banks. From
there we opened fire again and drove
the following redskins once more ont
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 a day
we kept it up was dead tired. but it
was no time for rest or complaining
Just the same. by nlghtfall my shert
legs wouldn't keep up with the process
sion dropped back, little by little.
still plodding on as fast rs my aching
feet could move. We thought we had
given the Indians the slip, but | still
lugged my short. heavy rife 1t was
muzzle loading mississippi Jaeger
and carried a slug and two buckshot
y each S Sharse-