Weekly Trinity journal., 1864-04-16
COUNTY OFFICIAL DIRECTORY.
Prairie Life.
A TALE OF REVENGE.


tanning and valuable work, u Scenes in the Far
Vest is enriched with many story and scene
which, no doubt, to the people of the East seem
like tales from the Arabian Knights. There Is
so much originality about the manner and habits
of the trapper and frontiersman, that one IS
struck with their peculiar language or mode OF
expressing themselves, well their singular
costume. They are, in fact, distinct and
marked class sailors, and have many odd
and quaint sayings.
1t is generally the commission of crime, some
disappointment in life, or a native love OF adyen-
ture and peril that makes these men desert the
comforts of civilized society for the wild old
haunts of the red man. We can imagine the
terrible reaction when the storm of passion or
the wreck of disappointed hopes sweeps over the
sensitive SOUL and leaves desolation-a ruin of
the former man. 1t is misfortunes like these
which scorch and dry up the finest feelings
some mortal wrong or injustice committed by
others towards them, in revenging which they
had been compelled to leave their homes and be-
come exilcs in the far west.
A story is told of the extraordinary meeting
and an act of revenge, said to have taken place
many long years ago, the fork of the Pawnee.
A party of four who had been rowing for many
years in the West, all strangers to each other,
one day accidently thrown together, when
a strange and bloody scene ensued These men
presented striking contrast in feature. The
youngest delicately made, with long hair
and blue eyes !; his exposure had given him n
rich brown complexion. He was of medium
stature, and made for strength and agility
There was dark void over his features that told
that with him the light of hope had gone out
He was travelling lnnle with his rifle i'll his
gun leather at the how of his saddle, when he
overlook man on foot. with gun OIL his
shoulder and pistols III his belt, who was over
six feet, and had deep wide scar on his right
cheek. As day drawing to close they pro-
posed to camp. and brought MP ut the end of
the fork of the Pawnce. Shortly after they had
camped n man was seen accommodating them
with rifle in his hand. and having satisfied
himself that his sign was friendly. he came mod
| erately into the camp, and after looking sternly
| at the two men. WAS asked hy Scar Check to
| - come to the ground. He was a stout miiscu-
lar man. much older than the other two. with a
deep. hahitual >c"wl. long. black. mattel hair.
and very nnprcpoSScs>ng features. Some com
monplarr remarks were made. hui no questions
were asked lv either party.
1t was near twilight when the Young man VIII"
had gathered some buffalo chip, +" make fire
to cook with. suddenly perceived man al'-
preaching them on mule he came steadily
and fearleSSlv on the camp. and casting i look
on the three said, Took We for Indians :: then
gancing ut the ,lccr-Skim dress of the trio. he
observed. Old lcal,crS-->omc time ont ell g.
hairs contraSteI strangely with his dark. hronzed
features. upon which care and misfortune were
marked. He only half clad by the miscr-
able skins he wore. and as he dismountcd. Scar
Cheek aSkcl Where from p? From the
Raw Kansas he replied. throwing down Il
bundle of otter skins. After unsaddling and
taking ont his mule he brought himself to the
ground. and taking his rifle looked at the prim-
ing, and shall ing the powder i'll the pan. he adj
detl few more grains tn it then placing n thin
dry skin over It to keep it from the damp, he shut
the pan.
The group watched the old trappcr who seem
ed not to notice them while Scar Cheek became
interested and showed Il certain uncasiness. He
looked towards his own rifle ami once or twice
looscned the pistols in his belt. as il they dis
commanded him. The Young and the stout man
with fIc >cowl exchanged chances. but words
passed. SO far questions had been asked as
to who the other what little conversation
passed was very laconic. and not smile had
wrcathcd the lip of any of them.
The little supper eaten in silence. each
ntn seeming to be wrapt in his own thoughts.
1t was agreed that the watch should be divided
equally between the four. each man standing
guard two hours-the old trapper taking the first
watch. the Young man next and Scar Check and
lc with the seoul following.
1t WAS bright moonlight night, and over the
Wild waste of prairie not sound was heard
the three lay sleeping on their blankets. The
old trappcr paced up and down, ran his eyes
around the wild waste before him, and then would
stop and muttcr to himself, '.-It cannot be he, ="
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
william with the scowl," and the muscles of the
old trappcrs face worked convulsively which
the moon beams falling upon, disclosed traces of
hy-gonc refinement The trapper noiselessly APP
preached the sleeping men, and kneeling down,
eazcd intently upon the face of each and scan
ned them deeply. Walking off, he muttered to
himself again, saving 1t shall be, and then
judging by the stars that his watch was up, he
approached the young man and awoke him.
pressing his finger on his lip to command silence
at the time and motioned him to follow. They
walked off some distance, when the trapper TAX
ing the young man by the shoulder, turned his
face to the moonlight, and after gazing at it
wistfully, whispered in his ear, q Are you Perry
Wari?' The young man started wildly, but the
trapper prevented his reply by saying, .. Enough,
enough He then told him that he was his I'M
Gle. and that the man with the scar was the MUIR
derer of his father and that he with the scowl
had convicted him (the trapper) of forgery by
his false oath. The. blood deserted the lips of
the Young man, and his eyes gIared and dilated
almost from their sockets. He squeezed his I'M
cle's hand, and then, with a meaning glance as
he looked to his rifle, moved towards the camp.
No, no. said the trapper, 20 not in cold blood;
give them chance" They cautiously returned
to the camp and found both the men in deep
sleep, The uncle and nephew stood over them.
Scar Cheek was breathing hard, when he quick
y cried out. q l did not murder poor Perry
Ward q Liar! said the trapper in voice of
thunder, and the two men started and bounded
to their feet. "No, worse than redskins said
the trapper, q Harry Ward is about and Selling
his knife he plunged it in Scar Cheeks heart
% Then take that" said he with a scowl, and
raising his rife, the trapper fell a corpse. With
a bonnd and a wild cry the young man jumped
at the murderer of his uncle, and with his knife
gave him several fatal wounds. The struggle
was fearful one, however, and the young man
had also received several bad cuts, when his adj
versary fell from the loss of BLOOD and soon af-
ter expired. Thus ended this strange meeting
and thus were uncle and nephew revenged.
M C. 4 NJ TOR WITT.