f
Indians, and, after smoking, and presenting them with a few trinkets,
had departed again, in peace and good-will.

Not to delay information upon an important point, we may state that
Harvey Richter was a young minister who had recently been appointed
missionary to the Indians. The official members of his denomination,
while movements were on foot concerning the spiritual welfare of the
heathen in other parts of the world, became convinced that the red-men
of the American wilds were neglected, and conceding fully the force of
the inference drawn thence, young men were induced to offer themselves
as laborers in the savage American vineyard. Great latitude was
granted in their choice of ground--being allowed an area of thousands
upon thousands of square miles over which the red-man roamed in his
pristine barbarism. The vineyard was truly vast and the laborers few.

While his friends selected stations comparatively but a short distance
from the bounds of civilization, Harvey Richter decided to go to the
Far Northwest. Away up among the grand old mountains and majestic
solitudes, hugging the rills and streams which roll eastward to feed
the great continental artery called the Mississippi, he believed lay
his true sphere of duty. Could the precious seed be deposited there,
if even in a single spot, he was sure its growth would be rapid and
certain, and, like the little rills, it might at length become the
great, steadily-flowing source of light and life.

Harvey Richter had read and studied much regarding the American
aborigines. To choose one of the wildest, most untamed tribes for his
pupils, was in perfect keeping with his convictions and his character
for courage. Hence he selected the present hunting-grounds of the
Sioux, in upper Minnesota. Shortly before he started he was married to
Cora Brandon, whose devotion to her great Master and to her husband
would have carried her through any earthly tribulations. Although she
had not urged the resolution which the young minister had taken, yet
she gladly gave up a luxurious home and kind friends to bear him
company.

There was yet another whose devotion to the young missionary was
scarcely less than that of the faithful wife. We refer to the
Irishman, Teddy, who had been a favorite servant for many years in
the family of the Richters. Having fully determined on sharing the
fortunes of his young master, it would have grieved his heart very
deeply had he been left behind.