The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1956-07-19

their homes some distance away
Their settlement had been made ir
1911, just before the war of 1872 be
gan.
Late one night the Minor Spicer:
were about to retire when they heard
some one calling in front of their cab
in. Spicer went out and found a bis
Indian with two rifles and a deer
quartered and slung across his horse
The white man asked the red one
what he wanted and the Indian re
piled in his own language. Spicer ther
told him he would have to answer
in English or he might get shot off
his horse. He finally made Spicer un-
derstand that he wanted to stay over
night, request that was reluctantly
granted.
The savage's rifles were put in a
corner and his venison hung up in
the one-room cabin. The horse was
put in the large pig sty, the only
stable the Spicers had on the place.
Inside the cabin the Indian cut off
piece of the venison for Mrs. Spicer
to cook for him, which she did in
the usual way with plenty of pepper
and salt. He drew up to the table but
only ate mouthful or two of it.
Then seeing that the family were a.
bout to go to bed he put his scalp
ing knife and tomahawk in the cor
ner with his guns and stretched out
before the fireplace to sleep.
Both Spicer and his wife were a
bit troubled about their Indian guest
and only feigned sleep, really re-
naming awake, slyly watching him.
The Indian turned over on his back
with his eyes shut.
Finally, certain that the white cou-
pie were asleep, he raised slowly and
sat up on the hearth, peering stealth
lily over his shoulder.
Satisfied that the Spicers were a.
sleep the Indian quietly got to his
feet and slithered silently across the
room to where his arms had been
laid, then picking up his knife started
back. The watchful Spicers had cold
chills and the husband was about to
reach for his own gun, which stood
by the bed. The Indian stood NOM
ent to ascertain if he had awakened
anybody, then he turned to his ven
ison and cut off piece weighing
about two pounds and laid it on the
live Goals.
On the fire the meat warmed
through, then began to sizzle. Then
done to suit him, the In
dian pulled it off the fire, squatted
on the floor and ate it all up.
The meal finished he slipped just
as quietly back to the corner, put
the knife away again and stretched
out before the fire to sleep. She Spic-
ers remained awake all night but
the Indian slept soundly until day
light.
Though the incident was not re-
ferred to by either the white couple
or their Indian guest, the former ac-
cepted it as an indication that the
Indian did not like the white womans
cooking-it was too highly seasoned.
The extra gun belonged to the In
dams father, who with him had be-
come lost in the woods the day
before. After taking his rifle and
covering his parent, under log, with
his blanket, the young Indian had
wandered around until he had seen
the Spicer's light and SO had been
guided to their cabin.
Spicer related that actually it was
the Indian with the knife and not the
white man and wife who were in the
most danger that midnight. He easily
could have shot the Indian before he
got to them and fully intended to do
It but something did not know
what, had stayed his hand.
Thus assured of the white family's
and their hospitality
towards them, the Indians came oft
en- to the Spicer cabins. The relations
we're pleasant, the white family said
and lasted all through the War of