" Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."
An unfortunate accident occurred at one time to a most estimable lady in Nevada, which illustrates so aptly the spirit of the times that it may be mentioned. The first smith shop was built on the west side of Main street, just north of the Murrie Hotel. It was a low building, of rough logs, and with a wide and heavy door, on huge wooden hinges, which opened outward. The demands of rapidly increasing population caused the place to be temporarily occupied as a residence. The excellent lady before mentioned, in silks, kids and feathers, made, as in duty bound, a formal call upon the more lately arrived mistress of the erstwhile smithy. As she daintily approached the great door and was about to indicate her presence by a knock, it was hurriedly thrown open by the lady inside, and the visitor felled by the blow from the door, with a broken nose and a bruised countenance.
There are few indications that Story County was ever the home of known Indian tribes, or of prehistoric races. As shown elsewhere, it is a part of the comparatively recent formations, and seems to have been used by roving tribes as hunting and fishing grounds. The great Sioux nations claimed the Missouri River and the Northwest, while the Iowas and more recent tribes were conceded the same rights on the Mississippi and the lower Des Moines. There were also. Indian villages on the Iowa River near the present location of the Musquawkies, in Tama County, and there were occasional wars and predatory incursions on Iowa soil between various tribes, but there are no traditions of battles on Story County soil between warring tribes, nor between Indians and whites. There was, however', one veritable Indian scare. One memorable morning in the spring of 1857, before break of day, a man stopped at the door of the McLain House, in Nevada, his horses covered with foam. His wagon contained his family and such valuables as could be hastily gathered. He came from the northwest, and was escaping from murderous savages. He evidently regarded his flight thus far as little short of a miracle, and did not believe that he had yet reached a place of security. The Indians were on the war path, and had already murdered all whites in his neighborhood. His honest excitement was contagious. Men took measures for defense, and women in dire fear and confusion ran to and fro. In the absence of stockades it was seriously proposed to occupy the frame court-house. Its walls would have afforded little more protection from fire and bullets than if they had been made of paper. Within a few hours it was learned that the enemy was some miles distant, and had probably not ventured nearer than Spirit Lake, where they had committed great destruction of life and property, and had taken some prisoners, entirely destroying that frontier settlement. But the panic was wide-spread and serious, and some families in this county fled from their homes. In one instance a physician on a visit to a, patient discovered that the famiily, patient included, had sought a place of greater safety by flight.
Small bands of friendly Indians some times camped in the groves, or on the borders of the streams, fishing and hunting, and occasionally startled the lone housekeeper by peering into the window, with nose flat against the pane, instead of giving an alarm by rapping on the door. Mrs. Dr. Kellogg had such a visit at the old Barndollar House, in Nevada. The Indian had killed a deer, and with a broken and bloody knife in his hand wished to borrow another. The Doctor had gone in the direction of the slain deer, and was an object of much solicitude till he put in an appearance. S.