St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-12-14
"'LO! THE POOR INDIAN"

i[ :. II 'it y
.@ t".L0! THE POOR INDIAN"
BY,MAcAnoxE.
certain newspapers, that have long been
greatly adverse to the killing uf ANYBODY
except United States soldiers, are irving.
notice, to make sensation on the subject
Of the slaughter of sundry Cheyenne In
dlans, by national troops, on the plains.
Several hundred Of these swarthy horse
thieves were taken, in their camp, and cut
down and cut off, without warning or Quar-
ter; the principal idea BEING, apparehlly.
to get dead sure thing on them.
The newspapers above mentioned. strick-
EN- with ptous horror thereat, raise o terri
BILE hue-and-cry after the officer in com.
mand !; one Colonel Chivington: and come
out uncommonly strong about the rights of
the Red Man; whose ho4tipg-grounds have
been seized, who has been. diiven further
westward. and who is now massacred in
cold blood, like wolf or pantherI
Truly this is very bad for the Red Man.
| don't know but l blame Chivington a lit
tie myself. He slew some hundreds of
Cheyennes: He should have slain some
thousands instead !jHFre!, ';:,I,}
These people who lament 'oe4r'the wroonn gs
aud sorrows Of the aborigines. never saw
that picturesque people at home.
have seen what are called s.fliendly"
Indians, in Illinois. Dirt was their pre-
vaillng peculiarly: vermin their incvita-
ble accompaniment. Unbridled license nd
'ewdness were inherrht'. phafacteHkti5s
with them; and tnery and fire-water their
only if:eas of luxury.
The hostile tribes possess all these en-
nobling traits, with the addition of the
most treacherous. cowardly, indecent love
Of simple cruelty that can be imagined.
The only Indian virtue ,crer knew. of. is
the negative one Of physical endurancS.
Honesty. chastity, tru,hfulness, generosity.
hosp;tality-all the good qualities. in fact.
that make christians Of men-are totally
unkn, VII to the North American savage.
But 1t has been the fashion with certain
ron'ance-wsitcrs to laud up these creatures
as a noble and dignifed race, andrtu: cele.
brate their nasty life lis Infinitely hitker.
frcer, aud purer than our civilized decsncv.
IT anybpdy believes these romances, let
him 60 out TO Colonel Chivington for q
month or two, among the untutored chill
dren ofthe forest, aud he will be speedily
cured. .'s"7 -, - : ~s7@l.>',
On balmy scptcm9yf: Horhing, many
years ago. there might have been seen a
n.ild, plcasant:taccd gentleman, somewhat
beyond lhemiddle age, with gray hair and
wh'skcrs, walking ieisurely through a
black oak forest in the wilus of Mush 0uaw.
kee.
From time TO ti,se he seated himself upon
the mossy ground hendatiilht lofty 4sses,
ami made brief entries in \ black note book.
All nature smiled, and so did the old
genflemans Now, he picked blossom
from the Wild rose vine; now, he examin-
ed q SymiQktrlcal nc"rn, or an oak -apple.
Anon, he watched the swifi-winged hop
scout tiuttcriEg 20 its nest. or poked his
! cane into the grounding ,'barrpw E;thsa
investigating air.
Time relied on, and the old gentleman
pursued his iunocent rumble, gathering
! health and recreation as he went, until on
entering an open glade skirted with buckle.
| berry bushes, he heard voices, aud saw
| two other e ntlemcn approaching.
They joined each otheT iwiihI thei sdiuta-
tion Of strangers, but fell into conversation
with we'll bred case, and finally exchanged
| cards. WA
One of the ew-comers was a tall. melan-
choly-looking man, middle-aged and dig.
nifed. The name on his card was "Sebs
Smith," -.
His companion was iyohff, IhaadspnA
and Byronic, with long hair aud flowereG
scarf His card bore the name of ..Georp,
sL;ppard ~. : : -,
The old gentleman examined these name,
I = 4
own card, upon which was neatly engraved
"James Feninore Cooper .~'''.....
-'.How delightful it il, T saidshs, ..to. NEE
ones fellow authors SO unexpectedly il
this lonely place, far from the busy haunt:
of men! geen'lemen, let US join cur party
and travel together, s-C =.
with pleasures" replied the young man
"And earnestly. pray that We may meet
novel am now preparing - ss..5ssE .,5s
"For my part" !" saidl fhei third" II hop,
we shall fall in with some of the dusky
braves who roam these wilds, unfettercd
and untrammeled by the baneful conven
tionallties that make civilization curse!"
As he spoke, there was rustlinR of The
boughs aud a quick tread of feet, and 81,
tall dark figures, in greasy blankets, with
! ugly stone hatohets ii Fhhfisl handE;iispr
."''Bless me-" said Mr.. Cooper mildly, bu
with q disturbed look, II don't think thi.
is very nice. They don't smell good.''
Two Indians placed themselves close Il
I each Of the gentlemen, and brandishet
their tomahawks in an unnecessary threat
ening manner, considering they were twt
to one-1ndians rarely. fg4tl fnder ,,Gtl>'
unarmed. 5"a'3
..Stay T., cried Seba Smith; II know tn.
savage character we'll. Did l not writ,
7ecumseh? You remember the native gen
erosity and fne sense Of honor exhibited b,
j my Indians in that3wotk.' 81 !,
He opened his coat and waistcoat,, t,
show that he had no wA1pdnbI ind,I kS ID,
his hand on his heart, spoke: & ID "
'Ah-Paleface-n tomahawk-nothiac
Paleface--7ah !-Paleface good maa.-broth
er-ah-amigo! Love Injun much ~
This oration, which was little in tn,
style Of Mre. Plornish'5 Italian converse
tions, failed to produce apx ,gery. profaap4
effect upon the dusky detGsS{ ftheSsldy
but one Of them observing u watch chair
when Mr.. Smith opened his coat, emmedi
ately nabbed it, watch and all, aud put i
lip thy bosom Of his hunting shirt.
~ 0dou1t thhk they comprehend you,
said Mr.. Cooper in 4 discouraged voice
"Suppase we try the language Of signs
i will offer them ransom if they will let u,
CO." !.
.'Suppose We lick them, = said young Lip