New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-11-24
PRAIRIE LIFE:
A Tale OF Revenge.

Tale OF Revenge.
Although much has been written on prairie life
| many wild adventure, and many yet wilder scene,
has been left undescrbed. Poor Rnxton who died at
st. Louis, and whose highly entertaining and ya!ua-
bic work, Scenes in the Far West" is enriched
with many story and which, no doubt to the
people Of the East seem like tales from the Arabian
nights. There is much originality about the man
nera and habits of the trapper and frontersman that
one IL struck with their peculiar language or mode of
| expressing themselves, as well their singular
costume They are, in fact, as distinct and marked
class as sailors, and have many odd and quaint
sayings.
Its generally the commission of crime, some dis
appointment IN life Or native love Of adventure and
peTI; That make these men desert the comforts Of
civilized society for the wds and hants of the red
man. We can imagine the terrible reaction which
takes place when the storm OF passion or wreck of
disappointed hope sweeps the sensitive soul, and
leaves desolatlon-a ruin Of the former man. It is
msfortunes like these which acorch and drv I'D the
| finest feeng-soIne moral wrong or injustice com
mtted by others toward them in revenging which
they have been compelled to leave their homes and
become eyiles in the far West.
story is told Of an extraordinary meeting and an
act of revenge said to have taken place many long
four, who had been rowing for many years in the
West all strangers to each other, were one day
cdentaly thrown together, when strange and bloody
scene ensued. These men presented a striking con
trast in feature. The youngest was delicately made
with long hair and light blue eyes. His exposure had
given him rich brown complexion. He was of the
medium stature and made for strength and activity.
There was dark void over his features, which told
that with him the light Of hope had gone out. He
was travelling on mule, with his rifle in his gum
leather at the bow Of his saddle when he overlook a
man on foot, with gun on his shoulder and pistols in
his belt, who was over six feet in height, and had
deep wide scar his right cheek. AS day
drawing to o close, they proposed to camp, and
brought up at the head fork Of the Pawnee. Shortly
after they had camped, was seen reConnoiter-
ing them with rife in his hand, and having satisfied
himself that the 81 friendly, he came modify
into the camp and, after looking ernly at the two
men. was asked by Scar Cheek to come to the
ground He a stout. muscular man, much older
than the other two. with deep, habitua scowl, long,
black, matted hair aid very unprepossessng tea-
lures. Some commonplace remarks were made but
no questions were asked by either party
1t was near twilight when the young man, who had
gathered some buffalo chips to make a fire to cook
with, suddenly perceived a man approaching them on
mule He came steadily and tearessy on to the
ye for Indians then CHANGING at the deerskin dress
Of the trio, he observed, old feathers some time out,
2 The man was about fifty years old, and his
gray hairs conrasted strangely with his dark bronzed
features upon which care and misfortune were strong
ly stamped He was only half clad in the miserable
skins he wore, and he dismounted Scar Cheek ask
ed ;. where from " From the Kaw,'' (kansas) he
replied, throwing down bundle OF otter skins. After
ulls;iddling and stalking out his mule he brought him
self to the ground and taking his rifle, looked at the
printing, and shaking the power in the pan, he added
a few grains to it then placing piece of thin
dry skin it to keep it from the damp, he shut the
pan. The group watched the old trapper, who seem
ed not to notice them, while Scar Cheek became in
teresteG and showed certain uneasiness. He looked
towards his rife and once Or twice loosened the
pistols i'll his belt as if they incomm0ded him. The
Young man and the stout man with the scowl ez,
changed gIances, but no word passed So far no ques
tons had been asked as to who the other was what
little conversation passed was very laconic, and not a
smile 'rreathe,l the lip of any one Of them.
, The little supper was eaten in silence, each man
seeming to lie wrapt in his own thoughts. 1t was
that the watch Shnr1 he divided nuunliV
among the four each man standing on guard two
hours-the cd trappcr taking the first watch, the
young man next. aud Scar Cheek and he with the
scowi following.
It was bright moonlight night, and over that bar
ren wild waste Of prairie, not sound was heard a
the three lay sleeping on their blankets. The ole
tlappcr paced up and down. ran his eyes around the
wild waste before him, and then would stop and NUT
Ter t. himself. - 1t cannot be-, he said half aloud
but the time and that scar may have disguised him
That boy, too-its strange feel drawn towards him
then that villain with the scowl, and the muscles Of
the old trappers face worked conyulsiTely which the
maonbeals falling upon disclosed traces of by.gont
refinement. The rapper noiselessly approached the
sleeping men, and. kneeling down. gazed intenty up
Oh the features Of EACH and scanned them deeply
Walking of, he muttered to himself again, saying
" 1t shall be- and then Judging by the stars that hi
watch was up, he approached the Young man an'
woke him. pressing his finger upon his lip to CON
marG silence at the time and notioned him to follow
They walked off some distance, when the trappel
taking the young man by the shoulder, turned hi
fully, whispered in his ear, % Are YOU Perry Ward
The Young man started wildly, but the trapper pre-
vented him by saying Enough, enough He the
told him that he his uncle and that the man wit
the scar was the murderer of his father and that
with the scowl had convicted him the trapper) 0
forgery by his false oath.
The blood deserted the lips of the young man, an
his eyes glared and dated almost from their socket
He squeezed his uncles hand, and then, with meal
ing glance, as he looked to his rifle, moved TOWARD
7. the camp.
"No, no.! said the old traprer, not in cold blood
give them a chance.
They cautiously returned to the camp and four
both the men in a dead sleep. The uncle and nephe
stood over them Scar Check was breathing har
when he suddenly cried out
Il did not murder Perry Ward
j" LIAR. said the trapper, in voice of thunder, al
the Two men started and bounded to their feet.
- Red skins about" asked they in a voice.
No worse than red SKINS said the trappe
& Harry Ward is about" and Selling his knife
plunged it into Scar Cheeks heart.
" Then take that" said he of the scowl and raj
ing his rifle the trapper fell corpse.
With bound and wild cry the young man jun
ed at the murderer of his uncle and with his kni
gave him several fatal wounds. The struggle was
fearful one, however and the young man had also
celvet several bad cuts, when his adversary fell fro
~ the loss blood and after expired, Thus end
m this strange meeting, and thus were father and unt
rn revengel.
an NoSnr Ory VERSUS rFIIISt.-(iOOd reasons