Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-01-18
MISCELLANY.
Prairie Life.
A TALE OF VENGEANCE.

st. Louis, and whose highly entertain
ing and valuable work "Scenes in the
Far West" is enriched with many sio.
ry and scene which, no doubt, to the
people in the East, seem like tales from
the Arabian Nights. There is so much
originality about the manner and habits
of the trapper and frontiersman that one
is struck with their peculiar language or
of expressing ngthemselves, as well as their
singular costume They are, in fact as
distinct and marked a class as sailors,
and have as many old and quaint say
ings. IN .r.yt r..... ..sf v........ ...
1t is generally The commission of
crime, some disappointment in life, or
a natural love adventure and peril and
privatlon that makes these men desert the
comforts of civilized society, for the
wilds and haunts of the red man. We
can imagine the terrible reaction which
takes place when the storm of passion
or wreck of disappointed hopes sweep
over the sensitive soul and leaves des-
olalioL; a ruin of the former man. 1t
is misfortunes like those which scorch
and dry up the finest feelings some NOR
al wrong or injustice committed by 9th
ers towards them, in revenging which
they have been compelled to leave their
homes, and become exiles in the Far
West.
A story is told Of an extraordinary
meeting, and act of revenge, said to have
taken place many years ago on the fork
OF the Pawnee. Apar,y Of four who
had been roaming for many years in the
West, all strangers to each other, were
one day accidentally thrown together
when a strange and bloody scene ensued.
These men presented a striking contrast
in feature. The youngest was delicate
ly made, with long light hair and blue
eyes; exposure had given him a rich
brown complexion. He was of medium
stature and made for strength and agility.
There was dark void over his features
which told that with him the light of hope
had gone out. He was travelling on his
mule with his rifle gun on his shoulder
and pistols in his belt, who was over six
feet high, and had deep wide scar on
his right cheek. As the day was draw
ing to a close, they proposed 10 camp,
and brought up at the head of the fork
OF the Pawnee. Shortly after they had
camped a man was seen accommodating
them with rifle in his hand, and having
satisfied himself that the sign was friend
ly, he came moodily into the camp, and
after looking sternly at the two men, he
was asked by Scar Cheek to come to
the ground He was stout muscular
man, much older than the other two, with
i deep haoitual scowl, long black matted
hair, and very unprepossing features.-
Some common place remarks were made
hut no questions were asked by either
party.
1t was near twilight when the yonng
man who had gathered some Buffalo
chips totmake fire to cook with, sud
denly perceived man approaching them
on a mule; he came steadily and fear
lessly 10 the camp, and casting a look at
the :hree said, Look ye for Indians;' then
glancing a: the deer skin dress of the
trio, he observed: "Old feathers, some
time out, eh! The man was about fifty
years old, and his grey hairs contrasted
very strangely with his dark bronzed
features on which care and misfortune
were strongly stamped. He was only
half clad by the miserable skins he wore,
and as he dismounted, Scar Cheek ask
ed, "where from!'' "From the Kaw,"
(Kansas he replied, throwing down
bundle of otter skins. After unsaddling
and stalking out his mule, he brought
himself to the ground, and taking his RI
fle, looked at the priming, and shaking The
powder in the pan, he added few more
grains TO it, then placing piece of dry
skin over tito keep it from the damp, he
shut the pan. The group watched the
old trapper, who seemed not 10 notice
them, while Scar Cheek became uneasy
and showed certain uneasiness. He look
ed towards his own rifle, and looked once
or twice at the pistols in his belt as If
they incommoded him. The young
man and the stout one with the scowl
exchanged glances, but no word passed.
So far no questions had been asked as
to who the other was; what little conver-
sation passed was very laconic, and not
a smile was on the lip of any one OF
them. -
The little supper was eaten in silence,
each man seeming to be wrapped in his
own thoughts. II was agreed the watch
should be equally divided among the
four, each man standing on guard two
hours; the old trapper taking the frst
watch, the young man next, and Scar
Cheek and he with the scowl following,
1t was a bright moonlight night; and
over that barren wild waste of prairie,
not sound was heard as the three lay
sleeping in their blankets. The old trap
per paced up and down, ran his ewes
around the wild waste before him, and
then stop and mutter to himself, sit can
not be-" he said aloud. shut time and
that scar may have disguised him. That
boy, too-it's strange feel drawn to.
wards him: then that williams face NOV.
ed convulsiveiy, which in the moon
beams falling upon, disclosed traces of a
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