The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1926-03-25

SAUk CENTRE He
hidden by brush. The women were
very upset about the Indian out
breaks, so they took turns at watch
ing the road to see it anyone was
coming. Grandmother's turn came.
AS she arrived at the junction, she
noticed someone advancing toward
her. He was quite a distance away
so she couldn't tell exactly what it
was, but she thought it must be an
Indian. She went back and told the
women that an Indian was coming
but that they shouldn't become
alarmed. The man approached tie
house, but it proved to be friendly
half breed instead of an Indian. He
couldn't talk much English; but with
the little he knew he made grand
mother understand that nearly all the
people had been killed in the mas
sacre at Grove Lake. The women,
upon hearing this, became distracted
and ran for protection, leaving grand
mother alone. She asked the half
breed if he would help her hitch the
oxen so she could get away. He said
he'd do anything, if she would only
give him something to eat. He told
her that the Indians had locked him
in a hut which they intended to burn
with him in it. He knew their plans,
so by digging with his fingers he
made a hole large enough to escape.
He had been in the hut for three days
without anything to eat or drink.
She gave him plenty of everything to
eat, and he helped her pack the things
she needed.
In the meantime the women who
had run away from the house came
to the meeting place of the men. Up
on hearing that grandmother was left
alone, grandfather began to worry
and started home right away.
Grandmother was safe with the
half-breed. They started out and
went as far as Richmond. They re-
manned there for a few weeks and
then went back to their old home
When they got back, they found
everything untouched. Later he
asked Chief Little Grow why he
didn't destroy their dwellings and
possessions. In reply the Chief said
that the farmers around there had
always treated the Indians white so
they did not wish to modest their
things.
About this time very small
church was built in New Munich.
Grandmother hadn't been to church
for such long time, and she thought
that walking would get her there
faster than taking the oxen. She
started out at sunrise without having
a bite to eat and walked eighteen
miles to New Munich. She started
home later than she had planned, and
it was quite dark before she was
nearly home. Everything went along
nicely until she met a monstrous tim
Der wolf with three whelps. They
began to come nearer to her, and she
had nothing to protect herself. She
began to run, and finally they stopped
following her. Although she rid
herself of the first pack easily, she
was always afraid of meeting others.
She arrived home later safely; but
she was so very nervous that it took
her long time to get over the fright.
The Sioux and the Chippewa In
dians, having their camps on opposite
sides of the Sank River, were at war
at this time. The Sioux Indians,
were very much in need of food,
came one day and asked grandfather
for one of his fatted calves. He said
he didn't like to give up his incest
fat calf but he would sell one of the
others. The Indians would not think
of paying for one, so they went over
toward the grindsone and began
sharpening their knives. Grandmoth-
er, standing at the window watching
them, thought their end had come; but
they were not the Indians prey. They
went over to the herd of cattle and
picked out his choicest calf. Before
he could say anything they had killed
it. The chief came over, took him
by the arm, and led him over to
where they had killed the calf; while
he watched them, they cut it up and
divided it up among themselves. 1t
was probably better grandfather
didn't get a chance to say what he
thought as he was surrounded by
twenty Indians; he surely would not
have lasted long.
At another time he went to Fort
Abercrombie to sell his produce, as
he expected to get better prices there.
By now he was the owner of two
Indian ponies; but even that travel
was slow because roads were so
wretched- cow paths. It was
not lonely because new fields were
opening out West, and every now
and then covered wagons and their
covered freight were to be seen along
the way. Often he met with old
acquaintance, and it was treat to
make camp with another family he
had known in Kansas City--old
neighbors of theirs, who told him
ever so much home news about his
people. All too soon he must start
back with provisions for the long
winter months to come. The second
evening out, his one horse famed; and
he unhitched and prepared to spend
the night to allow the animal to rest.
When he was eating his supper, some
Indians riding ponies came along.
They were hungry and kept pointing
to his wagon and then to their
mouths. Finally they started to tam
per with his packages and opened one
that contained sugar; they put their
fingers into it and licked them off. He
became disguised and offered them
part of what he had, but even then