Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1915-10-14
The Arrows Few Very Near Them.

'ne Arrows Few Very Near Them.
was built for the horses. and the bo, )
we're told they could ride old Ranni-
bal, who was a big, clumsy old horse,
but very gentle. They used to climb
to his back with a ladder. One boy
would grasp him by the name and the
other would put his arms around his
brother. and away they would go over
the prairies. but Indians had never
bothered them, so their father and
mother felt it was safe for them to
ride alone.
One day. after they had been there
ABOUT a year. their father had to 60 to
the nearest town, which was many
miles away. and could not return be-
fore the next day. but their mother
did not feel afraid, she had been there
SO long without seeing the Indians.
The boys rode a short distance with
their father and then turned back, but
the days were so nice they did not go
directly home. Old Hannibal trotted
along. enjoying it as much as the boys
did, when all at once he made a queer
whinnying noise, and the boys saw
that he trembled.
They did not know that horses could
scent Indians, but they felt that some
thing was wrong. Old Hannibal gal.
Hoped toward home. the boys clinging
on as well as they could. when "wbiz,
Whit" something few past them.
r.lnk Uhn -o0 hnhfnl $500 -
raw a short distance from them three
or four Indians. He did not tell John,
but told him to make old Hannibal
60 faster.
1Whizi Whit" came again, and this
time the arrows few very near them.
Are the Indians after us?" asked
John.
Yes" said Frank; hang on and we
may get away" but their little hearts
were beating fast
The mother had been watching the
boys through a spyglass, and saw by
the way old Hannibal acted that some
thin was the matter. Then she saw
the Indians. She went in and bar.
ricaded the door. for the poor mother
knew the boys would not have a
chance Of escape IL the horse stopped
at the house. and her only hope was
that he would gallop on to the town,
some miles beyond. but even she did
lot think the boys would be alive.
Then she prayed.
Meanwhile the boys were near the
barn. and whit" again came the ar.
rows. This time they felt a sbarp
pain. and Just then old Hannibal ran
into the barn.
The Indians came up behind them.
looked around the barn. shook the
door OF b cabin, looked I'm the win. |
dow and for some unknown reason did
not break down the door. They may
have thought the place deserted, as
there was no sign Of life. But where
were the boys. and why did the In.
dams give up looking for them?
The mother saw from her hiding
place that the Indians were going
away and taking old Hannibal with
them. But where were the boys7
She did not dare think what had han
pened to them After a long time she
unbarred the door and went into the
barn. John! Frank" she called
Then she listened. Did she hear SOME.
one a Mother! Yes. it came from
under the floor. Again she called. and
this time she heard very plainly
Mother. here we are under the fioori"
And there they were. As old Han.
nibal bounded into the stable the bova
fell from bis back and rolled into a
hole In the floor, and falling on the
soft dressing under the stable they
had In some miraculous way e~scaped
the eyes Of the Indians. T.,
The mother took a ladder and soo,
reached them. but they were pinned
together by an arrow through the fie.h
on their thin shoulders. The peonIe ,
who lived on the prairies iu those DAYS !
how to do all sorts of things A.,
and the mother soon removed the 4.
n dressed the wounds. Then
sne knelt and thanked the One who =