are buildings burning on the farms west
of us." We arose and dressed, lighting our lamps. My father and the
neighbor, Mr. Holmes Fowler, said they would creep up carefully and see
what it meant. Mother and I were left alone. Father returned shortly
saying, "The vacant houses are all burned. I shall send you and mother,
Mrs. Fowler and her three children to Winnebago to get men to come to
our rescue. We will stay here and guard our stock." Four miles east and
near our road leading to Winnebago lived two young men. Said father,
"You stop there and send one of the neighbors for help." We started just
at break of day. When two miles from home a sight met our gaze that
surely froze the blood in our veins. There, a short distance from the
road, quietly grazing in the tall slough grass, were three Indian
ponies. Every moment we expected to see their riders rise from the grass
and make a dash for us. Quietly we drove on feeling more dead than
alive, expecting every moment to hear that awful Indian yell. But
nothing happened.

During the winter, six months before, a band of one hundred Sioux
braves, their squaws and papooses camped six miles west of our home.
Often several of them at a time came down to the settlement. We always
gave them food and never thought of being afraid of them. When they
broke camp they camped one night near our house. How well I remember
taking out a milk pan of doughnuts and passing them around. I wonder if
those doughnuts left an impression! Two miles from Winnebago we had to
ford the Blue Earth River. The banks were quite steep. One of our horses
was a high spirited full blood Morgan mare. She always made it a point
to kick when going down those banks, often coming down astride of the
tongue of the wagon. My brave mother was the driver that day. We reached
the bank. Carefully, with steady, dainty steps, head proudly raised, she
slowly took us down that steep bank and across the river bringing us
safely upon the other side. I say she, for so much depended upon her,
for her good mate was always gentle. Fully she seemed to realize the
situation and fully demonstrated her love, and realized the
responsibility placed upon her one mate. Just before entering Winnebago
we met a company of ten mounted men going to the help of the three men
we had left. They returned that day accompanied by father and his two
neighbors bringing their herds of stock. After being in Winnebago a few
days we received word that a