Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-10-17
GBe familp GirfIe.
DEATH OF RED JACKET.
BY MINNIE MYRTLE.

I1OuS6, Oh CHOl6Iu liiOlDuo, WuSE6 nc Hdu
gone that day dressed with more than
ordinary care, with all his gay apparel
and ornaments. When he returned he
said to his wife, Il am sick; could not
stay till the Council had finished. I
shall never recover" s9
He then took off all his rich costume
and laid it carefully away; reclined him.
self upon his couch, and did not rise again
till morning, or speak except to answer
some slight question. His wife prepared
him medicine, which he patiently took,
but said, ut viii do no good; / shall die"
The next day he called her to him, and
requested her and the little girl he loved
so much to sit beside him, and listen to
his parting words.
q am going to die" he said. Il shall
never leave the house again alive wish
to thank you for your kindness to me-
You have loved me. You have always
prepared my food, and taken care of nv
clothes, and been patient with me. I am
sorry ever treated you undindly. lam
sorry | ever left you, because of your new
religion and am convinced that it is a
good religion, and has made you better
woman, and wish you to persevere in it..
| should like to have lived a little longer
for your sake. | meant to build you a
new house and make you more comforta-
BILE, but it is now too late. But hope
my little daughter will remember what |
have so often told her-not to 60 in the
streets with strangers, or associate with
improper persons. She must stay with
her mother, and grow up respectable
woman.
8 When am dead, it will be noised
abroad through all the world they will
hear Of it across the great waters and say,
Red Jacket, the great orator is dead.
And white men will come and ask you
for my body. They will wish to bury
me. But do not let them take me. Clothe
me in my simplest dress-put on my leg
gins and my moccasins, and hang the
cross which | have worn so long around
my neck, and let it lie upon my BOSOM
Then bury me among my people. Neither
do | wish to be buried with Pagan rites.
wish the ceremonies to be as you like,
according to the customs of your new re-
ligion if you choose. Your minister says
the dead will rise. Perhaps they will
If they do, | wish to rise with my old
comrades. I do not wish to rise among
paIe-faces. l wish to be surrounded by
red men. Do not make feast according
to the customs of the Indians. Whenev-
er my friends chose, they could come and
feast with me when was well, and / do
not wish those who have never eaten
with me in my cabin, to surfeit at my
funeral feast"
When he had finished, he laid himself
again upon the couch and did not rise
again. He lived several days, but was
most of the time in a stupor or else deli
rious. He often asked for Mr.. Harris,
the missionary, and afterward would I'M
consciously mutter-"I do not hate him;
he thinks hate him, but I don't. /
woufu nor nurr nm. The missionary
was sent for repeatedly, but did not re-
turn till he was dead. When the mes
senger told him that Mr.. Harris had not
come, he replied, "Very we'll. The great
Spirit will order it as he sees best, wheth-
er | have. an opportunity to speak with
him." Again he would murmur-a He
accused me of being snake, and trying
to bite somebody. This was very true,
and wish to repent and make satisfac-
ton"
Whether it was Mr.. Harris that he re-
ferred to all the time he was talking in
this way, could not be ascertained, as he
did not seem to comprehend if any direct
question was put to him, but from his re-
marks, and his known enmity to him.
this was the natural supposition. Some
times he would think he saw some of his
old companions around him, and exclaim.
There is Farmers Brother; why does
he trouble newly does he stand there
looking at me ?" then he would again
sink into a stupor.
The wife and daughter were the only
ones to whom he spoke parting words or
gave parting blessing; but as his last
hour drew nigh, his family all gathered
around him, and mournful it was to think
that the children were not his own-his
were all sleeping in the little churchyard
where he was soon to be lain-they were
his step-children-the children of his IA
vorite wife.
These he had always loved and cher
ished, and they loved and honored him.
for this their mother had taught them
The wife sat by his pillow and rested her
hand upon his head. At his feet stood
the two sons, who are now aged and
Christian men, and by his side the little
girl, whose little hand rested upon his
withered and trembling palm. His last
words were still, Where is the mission
"" and then he clasped the child to
his bosom, while she sobbed in anguish
her ears caught his hurried breathing
his arms relaxed their hold-she looked
mp, and he was gone.
He had requested that vial of water
might be placed in his hand when he was
prepared for the burial, but the reason of
tho request no one could divine. It was
complied with, however, and all his wish
es strictly needed. The funeral took
/ place in the little mission church, with
appropriate but the most simple ceremo-
MES; and he was buried in the little mis-
sion burying ground, at the gateway of
what was once an old around him
his own people-aged men, sachems,
chiefs and warriors, and little children.
nea- Emphasis is known to be of great
consequence to a public speaker. Ges-
ture is something equally impressive. An
anecdote is related of clergyman who
u IL - e.