The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-01-12


learned. Here is the story:
Ny parents. with their seven chill
dren. had moved from Iowa TO Kan
sas three years earlier My father
bad 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
antislavery 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 / stood unarmed over
my wounded fathers body and tried
with childish strength to fight of his
assailant; but, though he escaped with
life in him from the place where he
was assaulted, be 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
eventuated In the tragedies of the civil
war. was then ten years old.
/ could ride any horse alive. / had a
knack Of shooting straight. and knew
something about herding cattle. |
thought these qualities might earn me
living. They did.
A 6rm Of overland freighters-Rus-
sell. Majors & waddell-were at Leav-
enworth. One of them. Mr.. Majors.
had been friend Of my father. l
asked him for job as extra" on one
Of his wagon trains The pay was $40
month"; fortune It seemed to me
then. The work was the sort usually
intrusted to q grown man. and II
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 be would take me
on as extra for one trip. II did
well | could have a regular Job. 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 .bullwhack-
err" driver with 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 bis command. who were on
their way to Salt Lake 20 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 70 bon
we heard a scathing voIley OF shots
from a copse. Some bullets and a
dozen or more arrows whistled into
camp. Everybody had jumped up at
the frst shot. But three Of our men
tumbled over at once. as n they had
been tripped up. Then a number Of
things happened almost too quickly 10
describe.
Two bands or Indians were gaIlop-
ing toward us. One band stampeded
and ran OF our cattle. while the other
rushed Us. Our men gars them a
warm welcome and sent them back on
the run. Bot the fight was not over.
The braves only cantered out OF
range. There they were Joined By 9th.
er. They outnumbered US eight or
ten 20 one. We could not hope TO
stand against such a multitude. We
bolted for the South Platte river with
the savases at our heels and found
shelter behind the steep banks. From
there we opened Gre 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 Us banks. So the thirty.
Eve mile march began through knee
deep water and guicksand. Half a day
We kept II up. was dead tired. but II
was no time for rest or complsinlns.
Just the same. By nightfail my short
legs wouldn't keep up with tho process.
sion dropped back, little BY lisfis.
still piodding on as fast as mr. aching
feet could move. We thought we had
1 given the Indians the alp. but sill
luEged my short, heavy rife. II was
q murzie loading mississippi Jaeger''
and carried a slug and two buckshot
10 each charge.
The moon had risen, and I was Try.
Ing 70 catch up with the rest. Sudden
lv. 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
bad his run leveIed at them. knew
II he fired be could scarcely miss at
that range. Some one Of my friends