Stories of Indiana

Preface

The purpose of this book will be easily felt by the reader. In passing from sketch to sketch a fair impression will appear of what has entered into the commonwealth's making from its earliest beginnings in the wilderness down to the present time. A history of Indiana has not been attempted; yet it is hoped that no person will turn from the perusal of these pages without a distinct sense of how interesting and instructive our State's history really is.

The author, in choosing materials for his sketches, looked first to their value as testimony tending to establish a correct understanding of both traits and conditions. We may be sure of holding human attention and interest whenever we present human life. There is no romance more picturesque and wonderful than the story of actual life ; and life in Indiana has not been less romantic than life elsewhere, as these true stories from her history will tend to prove. From the first footfall of the white man in her forests down to this hour, our State, as wilderness, territory, and commonwealth, has been a theater for tragedy, melodrama, comedy, song, and farce. Upon its stage human life has passed from scene to scene, always developing, spreading, increasing in power and value.

To present a somewhat connected, and yet by no means continuous, series of life sketches, taken at times most favorable to picturesque historical effect, has been the task here assumed. Dry statistical and political details have been avoided. Men and events have been preferred to philosophical and analytical studies of cause and effect.

Each story stands by itself, and may be read without reference to any of the others. In choosing them, one by one, consideration was given to their availability as presenting the characteristics of the people, the time, and the locality, so as to make the book unfold scene after scene running apace with the progress of our State's civilization. Of course the student learned in history will not find much that is new to him as he reads ; yet some of the chapters are made wholly out of matter never before in print, while others contain incidents drawn from the author's private stores of research.

In a work like this it has not seemed necessary to burden the pages with notes of reference and acknowledgments of authority. No man's work has been quoted without a proper indication of the obligation ; but quotation marks have been deemed sufficient for this. Young people, for whom the stories are chiefly intended, do not take kindly to any breaks in what they are reading. Their feelings have been respected, and every page has been written with a hope that it would give them so great a thirst for history that at the end of this little book they would turn to the masters of historical writing, and find them the noblest teachers of what life has been, is, and ought in the future to be.

The history of Indiana may be much easier to read and understand after one has taken a lively jaunt over its most interesting parts, and has seen its most characteristic phases come and go. As an excursionist in a railway coach catches from the windows fine, strong impressions of the country he passes through, may the reader take into his memory what he sees of Indiana's life and progress while perusing the stories of her history herein told.

Contents

The Very First Inhabitants .

The First Human Inhabitants .

Traits and Habits of Wild Indians