s' journey, and there being no stopping place or house of any
kind on the route, he, of course, was obliged to camp out one night.
Our anxiety during his absence was terrible, and we remember vividly
our overpowering sense of relief, when, at the close of the third day,
long before his form was discernible, some familiar song in his clear
ringing tones, broke on the still night air, to assure the dear home
folks he was safe and well. Like the man whose business was so urgent
he could not stop to rest, but now and then picked up a stone and
carried it some distance, then threw it down, and went on relieved and
encouraged, so we, when we laid down this burden of anxiety felt
rested and better able to bear our daily trials.

It is due to our only neighbors, the Indians, to say that they were by
no means troublesome, that our intercourse with them was pleasant, and
to some of them we became much attached. A great chief's wife was a
frequent visitor at our house, her little son, of perhaps eight
winters being her invariable attendant. On one occasion having missed
a small case-knife of rather peculiar formation, which was in daily
use, I ventured to ask her if the little lad had taken it to their
wigwam, it occurred to me he might have done so, innocently to show to
some of his family, in whose honesty I had implicit faith. The old
woman drew herself up to her full height, and with a grace and dignity
which would have done honor to the mother of the Gracchi, said, in all
the expressiveness of her native tongue: "_The son of Ne-ba-quum
cannot steal!_" In real admiration and reverent contrition, I laid my
hand on the injured mother's shoulder, and explained my meaning. She
accepted my apology fully and graciously, giving me her hand, in token
that my error was condoned, and you will readily believe it was never
repeated. Through all the years of our residence at Long Prairie she
and her family were always welcome guests at our house, when in their
wanderings they came that way, and when, during our late war, her
brave, loyal husband's offers to assist us in our struggle, were
contemptuously scorned by one of our Generals, and the mortified,
broken-hearted old chieftain, unable to bear up under such an insult,
went to the "happy hunting grounds," we sincerely mourned the loss of
our staunch and honored friend, Ne-ba-quum.

Some time in January, our five year old boy was very suddenly seized
with pleurisy in its most violent fo