The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1859-10-12
The T.uaier's Last Shot.

L % sec IN oil hilnt"f OF tFat ct Iii MS
buckskin garI,, armed with n rife, knife
and tomahawk, is not = very. unusual
thing in the c;ly Of St. L'tris. for thai
town il the headquarters Of the North
Western Fur Company, and the name OF
Chntaau, Auhre.s, Dc, are Historically
fixed therein.
Sma few yenrs' ago, ] was sitting IN
the reading room i: of tue Virginia Hotel
there, cnnvcrs;ng with q gentleman on
business when an. old man dressed and
completely nrnle,! as q hunter or trapper
is wi.n in his accustomed wids, entered
and niinutely scanned the features Of
o,srv one present. He was evidently
quite oil, and very tain and feeble, look
ing rs It he had, recently r,sen from n
couch Of sickness. Yet his dark eye
besmcd brightly. even tierccly in its sunk
on sockets, aud his erect form seemed to
struggle against the moral darkness which
prrvaied it.
The cd man shook his head as he fin
i,hsl hi. gaze around the room, and
muttering il = low voice, "1he cusa is
not here" h. turned away
Having finished my business ] also left
and went up to the Planters House
where boarded " hen arrived it lacked
hut few minutes Of dinner time. aud
the guestS were gathering into the SIT
ting room, waiting fnr gong TO sound.
had just Suffered, when the odd hunter,
who had hei"re attracted my attention.
rlso cam: IN, nni rs before commenced
an inspection OF every countenHnce.
Suddenly his eve k;n'ilel with fire
more fierce than lever saw glow in hu
man face Iefnre, and he strobe up to
Young fellow who bore the name Of be-
ing tho most daring hunter Of the North
West Company, Of which he was trad
ing sgont when on a hunt. and the most
reckless gambler and widest debauehee
of the crowd when in the city. His name
vas Auruste St. Frain Only three
days before hal seen him on the Bloody
l<Isnl in the river opposite to st. Louis,
stand at ten PAGES against one of the best
shots in the city, and not "a nerve tremb-
led, nor hi, face patel, but he winged his
man coolly as if he had been shooting ut a
bird. Yet now. when tire old man step
p,d up before him, and IS he caught 4
glance of his fierce eve his courage and
presence of mind seemed utterly to fail him
and he trembled. while the old mans
voice, loud and Gear as bugle, rang in
his car:
Il hae sought you long, Augusta St,
Frair, sa1 found you. Remember
ADELE
A. he spoke, the omnors click of the
oil mans rife was heard. Astonishod
into silence the crowd drew on ether side,
while St. Frain tearing his shirt bosom
open, said in = low hopeless tone:
''Eiro old man, | des ,rve it,"
Tho old hunter had scarce waited for
the word; before st, Vrain's last word
MAS spoken. the bullet from the old hun
tiers rfij had passed through bis heart,
He sank corpse on the floor, murmur-
my only ono word adele
Tho old man stood and gazed on the
body moment thcn he muttered, at Is
right have fired my last shot
In moment he was scizad-he made
no resis.ance-and hurried of to prison
AS WAS then practicing attorney in the
courts Of that city. feeling 3 sympathy f.,
ths old man, Eotftred my services. He
r5co;rcel me kindly and calmly, but Lis
voice WAS very feeble as lie replied: r
It's lt,l- u.o you can he to ne, sir,
for haze fired my last shot, and tramp-
III my iasttramp. But as you seem 10 be
shout the only friend I've gnt around
here, | may rs well ease ny mind and
,ell YOU why ! shot St. Nra;n. Two
wears ago would sooner have shot my
self than RAISED my hand to harm hair
of his head. IL, was young, handsome
snd brave; as good a lranpor rs ever
,irew q Iea'! on 3 grizz!y'S eve. loved
him..
The OIL mans VOICE grew husky, his
ZIP qu;rcrcd, he paused u moment and
liralI lie went on;
1 MS not the Onir one Tint loved INN
my ADELE. then Only sixtenn, the i'm
sge 81 her ppor dead III ither-she loved
HIM, AMI Inc pr .tcndel tn i,ye her He
pro,uisel to narrv Der. anl 6n!er that
promise ruined her. i6.,e ar,i shame
l-,a;la b y keep the secrei until il could
=, long.r he kept; then he iird from her.
left h.rio bring Laho nIo the world,
AL then to de. broken hearted, upon
her busonl. Both Of them sleep in one
grave on the bank of the Yellowstone
For ;imc thought should have to lay
= tI'.rr too, before found him, but now ]
esre not for life any longer
Tried to cheer up the old man; | tol1
Lir, that the mere recital of his wrongs
before 81 western jury would acquit him.
hut be only shook his head and muttered
Ny last shot i. fired; ! am at the end OF
my last tramp.
One week afterwards q few of us who
had discovered in him brother Of the
.,nystic tie, gave him honorable burial
in ne;glboring cemetery; for he Iassed
SWAY as quietly ar if he had laid irim
down by pleasant camp fire to rest after
long weary hunt. Green were the
sprigs cast in his grave, and true the
hands which threw them.