Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-06-06


That night we started out with fresh
Fcourages and for two days and nights
were in constant danger. thenswe reached
1.-THE Sioux. grounds, where the Blackfeet
were afraid to come, and as the Sioux
we're not knowing to our presence, we
lcoull get along withoutso much caution in
bunting. aoe
AT length we reached lodge of the
Pawnee Loups on -the-Big Platte, and
were safe ;fortthey were. and always have
been. if not imposed upon, and abused by
them, friendly to the whites. Here we
rested few days and had a grand buffa-
10 hunt, and that hunt had like to be the
last of one Steve Cooper.
!, "A BUFFALO HUNT iasa "a
We had started one of the largest herds
| ever saw, and were lowering over the
skirts, singing out the fattest and best,
and, killing them 1t was rare sport, and
although | have been so long in the noun.
taihs. can never keep cool in buffalo
chase. There is not danger enough to
readiness, while it's another thing still to
hunting deer and elk.
Well. was taking full hand in the
sport; and my blood were up to fever
heat. when an old bull came tearing along
by me; like mad. 1t struck me that lie
had glorious robe, worth the taking; SO
let drive at him, and when the lead
struck him. instead of yielding, he just
turned to one side, and made plunge at
me, as if he tho't he'd have company to
t'other world. were riding little Injun
poney, net much larger than good sized
dog, but we'll trained, and when the Buff
falo made his lunge the poney jumped
sideways, and as | was not expecting
iany ything of the kind, he jumped from un-
der me. As tell caught him around
the neck and then we had it; the bull
would plunge at me and the poney would
Jump to one side out OF his way, and
expecting every moment that my hold
would break, and l knowed that were
gone.
l tell you that 1 had been in good
many scrapes in my life, and had been SO
close to death that l could almost see his
scythe but the idea of being trampled
and horned to death by buffalo bull
warn't at all pleasant. l wanted to pray,
now, it's a fact boys. but Lord hadn't
prayed since l was baby at home, with
my mother, and didn't know how to
pray. there was one prayer my mother
learnt me, that happened to recollect !;
and l said it in double quick time
Now lay down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep;
| If / should die before wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take.
BY the time | said my prayer, Alb Mer
rill came to my assistance, and was saved.
tell you boys, have thought of that
prayer good many times since, and of
how thoughtless and wicked we are. ne
yer to think of that great Being we all be-
lieve made us; never speak of him ex-
cept when we swear, until we get into
danger, and then we go to praying to him
for help. have thought of these things
since then, as [ lay in my camp on the
mountains, and remembered my old home
in the States. and my good mother who is
one of the angels now, till | thought l
could see her looking out one of the bright
stars at me and sometimes l have felt
her hand laid on my head as she used to
do Of nights. after we had all gone to bed
but her, and hear her say, as she used to
say. God bless my boy p and l have
prayed good many times since then.
You think the wild life of a trapper is
one but ll;le better than savage, but |
tell you there are too many hours when
he is by himself, aud all around him SO
many grand and solemn things, not to
make him think. And his path is SO full
OF dangers, that he don't know what mi.
mute he must die, tha: he naturally thinks
of that other world. And though most
of US are wicked, we are many times sor,
ry, and we hopes. He knows US and will
forgive.
Ola Steve sat and his countenance work
ed as though his mind was dwelling on
images of the past, when att last he arous
ed himself it was to say, q Come boys, il
is time to turn in, you will want to sleel
in the morning."
We did not ask for continuance Of his
narrative of the " trip n," we know thai
he had reached St. Louis in safety, and
had spent many years in safety. and had
spent many years since in his pursuit, and
were satisfied
Thus Is L1FE-If we die to-day, the
sun will shine as brightly, and the bird.
sing as sweet!y tomorrow. Busines.
will not be suspended a moment, and the
great mass will not bestow thought up,
on our memories. Is he dead 2" will
be the solemn inquiry of few as they
pass to their work. But no one will mis-,
us except our immediate connections, and
. in short time. they will forget us. and
, laugh as merriIy as when we sat beside
. them. Thus shall we all, now active ii
life, pass away. Our childsen CROWD
, close behind US, and they will son be
. gone. In few years. not living being
can say, " remember him u We lived
7 in another age. and did business with