Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-09-07
Johnny Peters
Live-Saving
Raft

were happy. "Uncle Johnny has so
many really true stories to tell us.
said Frank Peters, IL years old.
/, Eyes, and they are more exciting
than fiction" observed Marie Peters IA
Some of EN- are Indian stories
which I love BEST" put in 9-year-old
Jack, the Peters baby
AS soon as supper was over Uncle
John found himself seated in a circle
composed Of three persons, Frank,
| Marie and "Baby" Jack (But after his
sixth birthday, Jack refused to be a
baby, although his. mother always al
luded to him-behind his back-as
"baby.")
What shall it be tonight?" asked
Uncle John, fond Of his three little
kin-folks, and always eager to please
them.
IAN Indian story" said Jack, his
eyes beginning to bulge in anticipation
Of something exciting"
t'Well, I think l have one story you
have never heard. It Is true and of a
happening in my early ,boyhood days
Have ever told you about the time
built a rafe." ,...a.
| @'No, Uncle john" cried all three.
! "Then here goes. It was when
was about 16-maybe a leetle over
that age and maybe leetle under, but
here-abouts. We were living on the
frontier The Indians were pretty
thick about us in those days-that is,
to the west Of us. In describing us
geographically you would have said ::
On the north by unsettled prair1es,
on the east by large river, which
| flowed between, us and civilization;
on the south vast unbroken prairie
land, and on the west Indians. Now,
our western and eastern boundaries
have to do with this story-the river
and the Injuns. r.-y
well, we had been on the new land
about year when the thing am
about to relate happened. Father had
gone to town-ten miles away-to
trade load Of corn for some sugar,
salt and other needed things. Brother
-Henry-youd daddy-and looked
after the farm work during our
fathers absence. Mother and Sister
Susan did their usual work, making
butter, raising chickens. baking sew
Ing and a thousand other duties which
fell to the lot of the early settlers
women folks.
But on the day that father started
to town mother took sick. She had
very bad attack Of chill and fever.
Sister Susan waited on her like a
trained nurse Brother Henry had to
assist with the Homework, as there
was too much for Sister Sue to do
1>c% 20,
me. Father would not be home for
couple OF days, as he went to town
with an OK team-slow travellers!
"The night of the day on which
father went to town heavy rain set
i In, one OF those steady downpours
such as only the pioneers OF the west
know about. All the following day 1t
poured from a heavy sky. The night
| fell and the rain continued to do the
same. On the second day after father
departure it was still coming down as
though the very heavens had opened
their reservoir. We all began to feel
somewhat uneasy Suppose father on
his return should find the ford washed
out. You see, ford was made by the
settlers living along the river. They
carried wagon loads OF sock-gathered
along the river banks-to the shall
lowest places in the river, in some
convenient bend, and half filled q
space in the river bed, fifteen feet
wide and reaching from bank to bank
The farmers and ranchers could drive
through the river on this stone cross
ing, which left about two feet o.
water running over 1t. Boys Woulc
often wade across when visiting
friends on the opposite side.
But at high water time these simple
crossings -fords-were often washed
out by tho heavy rains. And now, the
rain coming down so steadily, caused
us some anxiety on fathers account
We felt afraid that in his anxiety tt
reach home he might attempt to fore
the river and be carried away.
But mother declared that father
would not act so unwisely. Still. she
feared he would set out from town
bomeward bound, and find the roads
Iimpassable at some point on the prairie
where shelter and friendly face
would not be near at hand. So we hae
our several worries And morethan tina
| came to disturb our peace of mind. Or
the evening Of the second day was
/ driving the COWS down to water wher
I saw a dark form dart behind a cluml
of leafless trees. Only an Indian coule
so flatten himself against slender tree
trunk that a casual observer would no
notice him. And only an Indian would
wish to hide himself from the white
settler-an Indian with an evil pur
pose. r. ... ..
81 pretended not have seen the hid
ing savage, and drove the cows or
down the bank to water. But l KEEP
one eye open and hurried the COW:
back to their shed. Then I hastily IN
formed Brother Henry and Sister
Susan of what had seen, telling then
to say nothing that night to mother
about the nearness of the enemy.
knew that she needed good nights
rest, and that her knowledge OF the In
dams presence would avail nothing
that night. The information could wall
till the morning. .....
-"'What shall we do?' asked Henry
and Susan. Like me. they knew that
lurking, sneaking Indian meant ne
good to the white settler. We fell
that this especial spy was there tt
make survey of matters, and tha