in' on the Illinois side, and I wanted to go. Now, Johnnie
Kongapod is a good Injun, and I arranged with him that he should go with
me.

"You didn't know that I wore a wig, did ye, elder? No? Well, most people
don't. I have had to wear a wig ever since I had the scarlet fever, when
I was a girl. I'm kind o' ashamed to tell of it, I've so much nateral
pride, but have to speak of it when I tell this story.

"Johnnie Kongapod never saw a wig before I showed him mine, and I never
showed it to him until I had to.

"Well, he came over from Illinois, and we started off together to the
camp-meetin'. It was a lovely time on the prairies. The grass was all
ripe and wavin', and the creeks were all alive with ducks, and there
were prairie chickens everywhere. I felt very brisk and chipper.

"We had two smart horses, and we cantered along. I sang hymns, and sort
o' preached to Johnnie, when all at once we saw a shadow on the prairie
like a cloud, and who should come ridin' up but three Injuns! I was
terribly frightened. I could see that they were hostile Injuns--Sacs,
from Black Hawk. One of them swung his tommyhawk in the air, and made
signs that he was goin' to scalp me. Johnnie began to beg for me, and I
thought that my last hour had come.

"The Injun wheeled his pony, rode away, then turned and came dashin'
towards me, with tommyhawk lifted.

"'Me scalp!' said he, as he dashed by me. Then he turned his horse and
came plungin' towards me again.

"Elder, what do you think I did? I snatched off my bonnet and threw it
upon the ground. Then I grabbed my wig, held it up in the air, and when
the Injun came rushin' by I held it out to him.

"'There it is,' said I.

"Well--would you believe it?--that Injun gave one glance at it, and put
spurs to his horse, and he never stopped runnin' till he was out of
sight. The two other Injuns took one look at my wig as I held it out in
my hand.

"'Scalped herself!' said one.

"'Took her head off!' said the other. 'She conjur's!'

"They spurred their horses and flew over the prairie like the wind.
And--and--must I say it?--Johnnie Kongapod--he ran too; and so I put on
my wig, picked up my sun-bonnet, and turned and came home again.

"There are some doughnuts, Johnnie Kongapod, if you did desert me.

"Elder, this is a strange country. And don't you believe any stories
about honest Injuns that the law condemns, and that go home to see their
families overnight and return again; you will