The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-27
SAINT PAUL. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1885,

uncommon among Indian men, though moi
among Indian women.
The Chippewa chief, Flat Mouth, thus ad-
dressed the commanding officer:
''Father, we have lost one life. and it is. GER
tain that one more will die of his wounds We
have already taken life for life, and it. Is all
that our customs require. Father, do not
think do not love our people whose blood
has been shed. would fain kill every one OF
the NahtoOessie tribe to revenge them, but a
wise man should be prudent in his revenge.
Father, we Sandy Lake Chippewas are asmall,
q very small band, and we are i'll armed. II
we provoke the Nahteoessies too far, they viii
come to our country in body, and we are not
able to resist them. Father, I am very little,
weak chief CThe varles spoke falsely for he
was the biggest and most eorpulent Indian we
ever saw.) Father, we have already had life
for life, and am satisfied"
Up started the Little Soldier; fire in his eye.
He was properly named, being very little
man, almost dwarf. Yet he was thick set
active and muscular, and his spirit was great.
Little as he was, he enjoyed the repute of be.
ing the bravest and most successful warrior Of
Sandy Lake. He it was, whose brother had
been slain the year before at the Murder Pole.
"Our father with the Flat Mouth, says that
he is satisfied" said the Little Soldier. SO
am not I. We have had life for life, as he
says, bat am not satisfied. This man, point
ing to Toopunkah Zeze shot my brother last
year. and the sun has not yet set twice since he
shot my wife also. This other aided him.
They deserve to die, and they shall die. Boh p
he added to the prisoners, sfgnifymg that they
must march.
Toopunkah Zeze sprung to his feet and Ne
gan to sing his death song. It was something
like the following, many times repeated :
must die, must die,
But willingly fall.
They can take from me but one life
But have takan two from them.
Two for one two for one, two for one &c.
The Split Lip was wholly unable to- initiate
his brave companion. He burst into tears,
and piteously implored the commanding officer
to spare his life. He did not deserve to die, he
one-his gun had missed fire.
Here TOopunkah Zeze ceased singing, and
indignantly interrupted him. ''You lie, dog.
Coward, old woman, you know that you lie.
YOu know that you are as guilty a. am.
Hold your peace, and die like man die like
me-" Then, turning his face away with an
expression Of exceeding contempt, he recon-
Two for one, two for one
and strobe forward, dragging the Split Lip
after him.
Arriving at the place of execution, the Chip
pewas gave them law, and fred. The Split
Lip was shot dead on the spot. Toopunkah
Zeze was also stricken through the body, bat
did not fall. One bullet had cut the rope
which bound him to his companion, and he in
stantly started forward with as good speed "a
If he had been wholly unhurt. A shout of Joy
arose from o neighb0ring cOpse, where q few
Dakotas had hidden themselves to witness the
spectacle. Their joy was Of short duration.
The Little Soldiers gun had missed FIRE, but he
picked his flint and leveled again. Toopunkah
Zeze had gotten hundred and fifty yards from
his foes, when the second bullet struck and
killed him instantly.
After this catastrophe, all the Dakotians quit
ted the vicinity of Fort Smelling, and did not
return to 1t for some months. It was aaid that
they formed conspiracy, to demand . eoun-
Gil, and kill the Indian Agent and the COM
manding officer. If this was fact, they had no
opportunity, or wanted the spirit to execute
their purpose.
The Flat Mouths band fingered in the Fort
till their wounded comrade died. He was sen.
sible of his condition and bore his pains with
great fortitude. When he felt his end approach
he desired that his horse night be gaily capa.
risoned and brought TO the hospital window, so
that he might touch the animal. he then took
from his medicine bag Q large cake Of maple
sugar and held 1t forth. It may seem strange,
but 1t Is true, that the beast cat it from hi
hand. His features were radiant with delight
as he fell back on his pillow exhausted. Hi.
horse had eaten the sugar, he said, and he wae
sure of q favorable reception, and comfortable
quarters in the other world. Half an hour af
ter he breathed his last. We tried to discover
the details of his superstition, but eonld not
succeed. It q q subject on which Indians un.
willingly discourse,