Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-09-15
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INDIAN GRATITUDE.
A sKETCH OF WESTERN LIFE
BY A. E. WALTERS.

! BY A. Z. WALTERS.
About ten years since, az sat in an
ANTICIPATED pioneer hut, situated in one of
the most remote settlements of Zebraska,
partaking of a scanty board provisions.
poor, famished Indian made his appear
ance at the door and begged for some
thing to eat. The generosity of my ma
tire was moved blythe story of his priva
tons and wrongs, to all of which his
WEAKNESS gave evidence He stated, in
toleraby good English. that he had been
for two days on ffea4sless excursion for
game; that he had an aged mother at
home. whose comfort and existence de-
pended on his skill as hunter, and worst
of all, that be had killed no game, and
that he could not bear the idea of letting
his poor old mother. perish from hunger
although at present he did not know how
he could remedy the matter.
Never mind, brother" | said, in the
kindest manner possibie Though my
board is not very plenteous, what | have
you shall willingly share, and after you
have BEEN atisticd, we will then consider
what is best to do for the relief of the
Ifamishing mother at home" A flush Of
qualification overcast the features Of the
savage as he drew near the table and sat
down. He ate with an cagerness which
proved to me that his was no sham com
plant.
+" White man not all devil said tie
Indian. after few moments silence, and
he looked at me win . tear in his eye
| saw that the expfgssson came from his
heart. ..
What do you mean," l asked, "by
such an unreasonable expression p He
then informed me that he had stopped at
the hut of q white man only few miles
north of me, and had begged for some
thing to eat, but was insulted and abused
by the uufeeling occupant. He described
him so well that | knew it was my near,
est neighbor, Flint, with whom | had but
little dealings on account Of his unsocia
bilty.
Bad white man neter come to good "
continued the Indian, land good white
man never come to bad"
" Indeed" said |, there are too many
who, surrounded by the blessings anG
Injuries of life, forget to administer to
he necessities of those who have been
less favored by high heaven, and conse
quently, are in want. But, brother, we
should remember, that though blessed to
day, to morrow we may be destitute, and
dependent upon the Charities of others ::
and above all, we should never forget Or
refuse TO feed the hungry, clothe the ma
ked, and lift up him that is fallen"
White man talks right" said the In-
dian, while look of satisfaction beamed
from bis eye; good actions never forgot
never die. We do good, the Great
Spirit sends US good; we do bad, Great
Spirit sends US bad"
Thus reasoned the poor wild savage,
and thought that his reasonings we're
sound, and | wished that all white men
thought just as he did, and acted upon
the same principles in their dealings to-
wards one another; act as if they thought
that, hereafter, they would be judged by
their actions. How much better our
world would he
The meal having been dispatched, !
turned the subject Of conversation toward
the furnishing mother at home.
3" All. yeS!' he said, springing to his
feet, she must not die, must away; but
if should kill no game" he said, mourn
fully as he fastened toward the door,
then all is over, and | could not live
after that, for then evil ghosts would
haunt me, and would die and 60 to the
world of evil spirits.
We must prevent such tragedies" l
said. " Yesterday | had the good for
tune to shoot line deer, and you can
have the half of it as we'll as not; also
portion of corn, and we will set out i'm
m diately; l will go with you and help
to carry the burden"
l then asked where he lived, when he
informed me that his wigwam was situa
ted on the banks Of the Platte, some fiji
teen miles distant. then tossed upon
his back the half of the deer before men
toned, and shouldering sack Of corn
myself we moved off. Had been lucky
enough to have possessed team Of horses
it would have saved me long and tire
some walk; but the reader must recollect
that on the wild prairies Of he West, the
VA yam 10 iufdildSIy uoCUJ oOG1uSO InOg
are easier maintained than horses.
! 1t is needless to enter into detailed
account OF the journey. 1t will suffice to
say, the assistance came in time, and that
the aged and fanishing mother was soon
made happy and cheerful, After some
time speut with my savage yet grateful
friends, and after receiving manifold
blessings and assurances Of return for
my goodness. lreturned 10 my own home,
lreyolving III my mind as did so the nov
i city oil the day 5 adventure, and to what
it might hereafter luaI And could not