Elsie's Journey on Inland Waters

she too were in need of a nap; perceiving which Gra

hile, resting upon couches or in easy chairs, they talked in a quiet way of the various inte

It is an ideal prairie farm-with farmhouse, barn, stock-sheds, all made of corn-husks as well as the picket fence su

showed fields of grass and grain, pasture too, and sky effects-all made

t papa to take us to s

ontinued Walter; "it is made of the same materials and

The timbers we were told are from young cedar trees, stuffed and stained to produce the effect of age; then it has fine upper and lower balconies shaded by a project

claimed Grace, and springing to his feet, Walter hastened to t

since I left you?" asked Grace, in a

, and I wouldn't have missed it on any account, though we are all very tired

I am glad, mamma, that you came

ant, quiet time here together," returned Grandma Elsie, looking up with an affectionate smile into the face o

"for you have not been over strong since

areful of our dear mother," remarked the ca

face and laying a caressing hand for a moment on

"we have been resting nicely here, talking over the

re you have been and what you have seen s

and interesting things in Machinery Hall. We went up to the gallery there and took a ride in the travelling crane. It is like an elevated railroad, is moved by electricity, and runs the whole length of the building, twenty or thirty fe

Oh, machines, of course! But I should h

ke. I own I didn't care over much for them myself. But in the restful, cooling, breezy ride, with nothing to do but watch the goings on of other people, and a glance now and then at something interesting as we glided past it, I did find a good dea

g; leaving Mrs. Dinsmore, Mrs. Travilla, and the younger ones occupying the comfortable seats on the Dolphin's deck, and enjoying the cool evening

safely in bed, and for some minutes no one left in the little

emember that history tells us there was only a fort and a trading post here then, where now this great city stands,

he sweet-toned reply, immediately followe

station. Eleven years afterward his cabin was replaced by a fort. I do not know how long that fort stood, but Lossing tells us that in 1796 a mulatto from St. Domingo found his way to that far-off wilderness, and that the I

ment had been building there was formally dedicated and called Fort Dearborn, in honor of the then Secretary of War. It stood on a slight elevation on the south bank of the Chicago River, about half a mile from its mouth, and directly opposite,

or eight years, when in June of 1812 war was declared by our government with Great Britain. Of cour

a port where her commerce was not favored; and worse still, was continually seizing our sailors and forcing them into her service; depriv

plied Grandma Elsie, smilin

rong and well built,

side a sally-port and covered way that led down to the river for the double purpose of obtaining water du

ot because they had no oxen. Some material was furnished from Fort Wayne, but so econ

e only other residents of the post at that time were the wives of Captain Heald and Lieutenant Helm, the second in

ment for the British, who yearly made them large presents as bribes to secure their alliance. Portions of their tribes had been engaged in the battle of Tippecanoe, fought the prev

ald playing at battledore, one of them, named Nan-non-gee, turned to the interpreter with the remark, 'The white

been enough to warn the officers of the fort to make

ld seems to have been strangely bli

ame rushing wildly in crying out: 'The Indians! the Indians!' 'What? where?' exclaimed her husband. 'Up at Lee's, killing and scalping!' she gasped in reply, and went on to tell that the alarm had been given by a boy, the son of Mr. Lee,

rt. The alarm had reached there also, and a scow with Ensign Ronan and six men started at once up the river to rescue the Burns family. Also a cannon was fired to

iers got back safe

re the next day recovered and buried near the fort. It was afterward learned that the scalping party were Winnebagoes from Rock River, who had come with the intention of k

the garrison now took refuge. It was an old-fashioned log-house, with a passage through the centre, and piazzas in front and rear extendi

themselves to whatever they could lay their hands upon, but at

om General Hull to Captain Heald. In that despatch Hull told of the declaration of war with England, the invasion of Canada, and the loss of Mackinack. It also ordere

ites!" said Lucilla. "I think I should have concluded from s

make a peace-offering to the savages to induce them to

ns had already received information from Tecumseh of the disasters to the American arms and the withdrawal of Hull's army from Canada, and were growing insolent and restless. The fort was well supplied with ammunition and provisions sufficient to last

wing them to make distribution for themselves; for while they were engaged i

xception of Heald, who would not listen to it, but expressed himself as resolved to yield st

ed upon the commander and remonstrated with him. They said that the march must necessarily be slow on account of the women, children, and infirm persons, therefore, under the circumstances, exceedingly perilou

rrendered without battle having been given by the assailed; and his force was entirely too small to hazard an engagement with the Indians. He added that he had full conf

rs submit to him then, Gr

the fort, he should have done so at once; for delay was certainly increasing the danger, the Indians becoming more un

they had planned to murder them and then destroy those who were in the fort. Therefore they remained inside the pickets and opened a port-hole of one of the block-houses so that the Indians could see a cannon pointing directly toward their group, thus protecting Captain Heald. It ha

em, I presume,"

uch of the provisions as would not be needed by the garrison, was to take place next day; then the whites were to leave the fort and set out upon their journe

trust them!" exclaimed Grace, shudde

hey were not to be trusted in the face of such temptations. Especially he urged him not to put arms and ammunition in their hands, as that would f

hut the gates of the fort and defend it to the last extremity. Black Partridge, a chief who had thus far always been friendly to the whites, and who was a man of great influence too, came to Heald in a quiet way and said, 'Father, I come to deliver to you the medal I wear. It w

d. "I really do not see how it could have been made plainer that the purpose was

eald seems to have paid no more attent

e himself in after years I cannot see. He went steadily on in the execution of his plans, of which, as I have told you, all the other officers, Mr. Kinzie, and friendly Indian chiefs disapproved. That night he had all the guns but such as his party could make use of in their journey-gunscrews, flint, shot, and everything belonging to the use of firearms-thrown into the well. This was done at midnight, when the sentinels were posted and the Indians in their camp; at least, they were supposed to be, but the night was dark, Indians can move noiselessly, an

were angry when they saw how it had been was

le to hold the fort, and they must set out upon their perilous journey. Ah! if Heald had but been less obstinately bent upon having his own way-more willing to listen to the advice a

order to evacuate Fort Dearborn, and knowing of the hostility of the Pottawatomies, had made a rapid march across the country with a party of his Miamis to reinforce Heald and help him to

massacre the whites-men, women, and children. Nor could they entertain any hope of being able to defend themselves, s

Miamis with Wells, m

like a funeral procession. The band struck up the Dead March in 'Saul.' Captain Wells, with his friendly Miamis, took the lead, his face blackened with gun

ies with them?

ian who was to take them to his other trading station, where Niles, Mich., now stands. Poor Mrs. Kinzie! having a daughter among the seemingly doomed ones, how terri