Transcript

"It was while we were crossing the plains that I was stolen," she continued. "I was a baby of three. All of the wagons had drawn together, and we were camped for our noonday meal. Indians had been harassing us all along, sneaking around the wagons, begging and stealing. On this particular occasion, they stole upon the train, and were off with me before anyone realized what had happened. If they'd gotten out of sight with me, I'd have been lost to my parents forever.

"But fortunately I was missed within a very few minutes, and the Indians were still in view way off on the plain. Frantically, father, mother and Captain Wareham of our train galloped after them. They bought me back with provisions, with tea, flour and sugar, and the Indians demanded so much for my release that father and mother were left almost nothing. It certainly was a narrow escape for me.

"Many of the tales of redskins you hear are true. They gave wagon caravans untold trouble in those days. Do you remember in the moving picture called "The Covered Wagon," a girl was hidden in a water barrel on the side of one of the carts to protect her from some braves who fancied her? That incident was based on fact, because I've often heard my mother relate it as having happened on our train."