Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-07-18

had no means of making great profits.
as the traders had selling whisky. They
urged him TO keep away from liquor. lie
soon became angry and said he was
going at once to the trading post to
trade horses for whisky. On the next
day the school children. who were given
bread for lunch every day began TO
complain loudly and said that they would
not read any more unless they were
given q full dinner every day.
In August. 1887. a band Of fifty loway
Indians came over from the Weeping
Water to trade With the otoes They
brought fifteen kegs of whisky. Mr.. Mer-
I rill held a great temperance meeting that
day. The next day the whole Otoe VIII
lage was drinking whisky. One Otoe had
his ears cut off and another was stabbed
and died. The Ioways left, taking with
them six Otoe ponies. paid for In whisky.
In 1898 Mr.. Merrill went with the Otoes
on their buffalo hunt. BY this time he
had learned to speak their language and
had translated portions of the Bible and
several hymns into otoe. The otoe
hymns had been printed In a book with
the name:
Wdtwhtl Wdwdklha Eva Wdhonetl
and was the first Nebraska book ever
made.
In spite Of all Mr.. Merrill could do the
Otoe men cared more for whisky and less
for good things every year. They no
longer loved their old-time games and
exercises. They longed for the white
mans flre-water and the visions that
danced before their brains when they
drank II more than for all tho gospel
messages and Christian hymns brought
by the missionary. All they could get
was spent for liquor and food was begged
from tho mission. The young men be-
came impudent and pretended TO be
Sioux In order TO frighten the missionary
family.
1t was six years since Mr. Merrill and
his wife came TO give their lives in
teaching and saving one tribe OF Ne
brasta Indians A baby boy. Samuel
Pcarce. had been born TO them In 1885.
He became Baptist minister and ia
today the second oldest white person
born in Nebraska, the Oldest being Major
William Clark Kennerly of 81. Louis.
Mo, who was born at Fort Atkinson.
November ., 1874 Mr.. Merrill lives al
Squirrel island. Maine. They had built a
lAulbN Aob AAAaaAoh hOAe0 WIN a eINbA
stone chimney. which could be seen for
many miles. In this they held school on
week days for the otoe children and
here they held their Sunday services.
new and deadly enemy 10 the mis-
sion appeared. Mr.. Merrill became the
victim OF consumption. Exposure. over
work and grief hastened It's ravages. He
was deeply discouraged and wrote in his
dairy at this time: Formerly Mrs. Mer-
rll felt perfectly safe day and night.
but II is not so now. The otoes trample
upon my property and rights unreproyed,
They occupy my pasture with their cat
tie and hores when II suits their CON
venience, often leaving the fence thrown
down. They steal my potatoes. pumpkins
and corn by night. As we are alone Il
would not be prudent TO resist these
thefts. How long We shall be able 70
live quietly in our own habitation u un-
certain Inieed we are disturbed often
now. My family fear these vagrant
otoes These Indians do not feel friendly
toward white people. They are migrate
full for favors received"
Mr.. Merrill grew worse rapidly. He died
on February 6. 1870. and was buried on
the east bank OF the Missouri river. oppo-
site Bellevue. The Otoes called him
| ''The-One-W no Always Speaks The >
4 Truth"
On Nebraska farm in saTpy county.
sloping gently TO the Platte river. Is a
grove OF giant cottonwoods over 10 years
old. In their midst stands an old build
! ing With a great stone chimney. This
is the monument and witness today OF
the life and labors OF the first mission
) aries TO Nebraska