The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-01-27

Honor.
A correspondent of the Detroit Free Press gives the
following among other deeply interesting anecdotes of
the great Indian warrior and Prophet Tecumseh
While the enemy was in full possession Of the coun.
try around Monroe and Detroit, Tecumseh, with a large
band of warriors, visited the river Raisin. The inhabi
tants along the river had been in want of subsistence.
Old Mr.. Rivard, a Frenchman, who was lame, and un-
able to procure a living for himself and family had con-
trived to keep out of sight of the wandering band Of
savages a pair of oxen, with which his son was able to
procure a scanty support for the family. It so happen
ed that while at labor with the oxen, Tecumseh, who
had come over from Melden, met him in the roed, and
walking up to him said %@~
my friend, 1 must have these oxen. Nv young
men are very hungry, and they have nothing to eat.
We must have these oxen.'
Young Rivard demonstrated. He told the chief that
if he took the oxen his father would starve to death.
'Well,' said Tecumseh, we are the conquerors and
everything we want is ours. l must have the oxen !;
my people must not star7e, but I will not be so mean as
to rob you of them. l will pay you. one hundred dollars
for them, and that is far more than they are worth
but we must have them
Tecumseh got a white man to write an order on the
British Indian Agent, Col. Elliott, who promptly re.
fused to pay it, saying, 6 We are entitled to support from
the country we have conquered, I will not pay it,
The young man with a sorrowful heart, returned with
the answer to Tecumseh, who said, Tomorrow, We will
90 and see.'
In the morning he took young Rivard and went to
see the Colonel. On meeting him he said
do you still refuse to pay for the oxen I bought?
YES said the Colonel and he reiterated the reason
for refusal.
Bought them,' said the chief, { for my young men
who were very hungry. I promised to pay for them,
and they shall be paid for. l have always heard that
white nations went to war with each other and not with
peaceful individuals that they did not rob and plumber
poor people. I will not
WELL said the Colonel, Il will not pay for them
you can do as you please said the chief, but be-
fore Tecumseh and his warriors came to fight the battles
of the great king, they had enough to eat, for which
they had only to thank the Master Of Life and their
good rifles. Their hunting grounds supplied them with
food enough, and to them they can return
This threat produced a sudden ~changein the Colonel's
mind. The detection of the great chief he well knew,
( would Immediately withdraw all the nations of the red
men from the British service and without them, they
were nearly powerless on the frontier.
'Well,' said the Colonel, if l must pay l will
'Give ne hard money said Tecumseh, not rag
money'-(army bills
The Colonel then counted out one hundred dollars in
coin, and gave them to him. The chief handed the
money to young Rivard, and then said to the Colonel,
Give me one dollar more 1t was given, and he hand
ed that also to Rivard saying:
take that-it will pay you for the time and trouble
you have lost in getting your money .
I'VE have a span Of horses said an economist, the
other day, ION our farm, that support themselves with
ont anv cost why, how is that 2 exclaimed a
listener. sWhy, you see,' remarked the questioned,
one is a saw horse, and the other a clothes horse.
An Irishman being told that the newly-invented stove
would lust save half the usual fuel, replied, sArrah,
then, I'll have two, and save it all, my jewell
you are a Yankee said a fellow, t~auntingly to his
neighbor. well, sir, I am no more responsible for
having been born a Yankee, than you are for having
been Sc-n an ass
The late Mr.. John Jones, being asked by . friend,
6 How he kept himself from being involved in Que:
rels 2 replied, by letting the angry person have all
the quarrel to himself
in their payments, always recovered in their sickness, as
they were good customers, and physicians could not af-
ford to lose them.
The author who was discovered in the act of robbing
a bank, has been released on the plea-'he was only
taking notes?
sZounds, fellow! exclaimed a choleric old gentleman
to a very phlegnatic fellow, i shall 60 out of my wits
8 Well, you won't have far to co. said the phlegmatic
John, did you find ana eggs in the old hens nest
this morning /? No, sir, ifshe has laid any she mislaid
them
Father, are there any boys in Congress ? mo, my
son, why do you ask that question ? Because the pa
pers said the other day that the members Kicked Mr..
Browns Bill out o. the house,
An old lady ran into the garden after her daughter, the
other day, on being told she had gone there with .
rake s s..1s tnsf
tOLD MAN ELooUENT.'-In answer to a correspond
ent, the New York Post states as follows to whom the
above appellation was originally applied, and by whom
it was invented
"The title Old Man Eloquent belongs by right Of
priority to Isecrates, who was so affected by the news of
Philips victory over the Athenians, at Cheronea, that
he Immediate expired. The patent was bestowed by
John Milton in a sonnet to Lady Margaret Ley:
daughter to that good Earl, once President
OF England's counsel and her treasury,
Who livcth in both unstaincd with gold or fee,
And left them both, more in himself content,
Till sad the breaking of that Parliament
Broke him. as at that dishonest victory
At Cherona, fatal to libelty,
i Kilrd with report that old man eloquent"