The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-09-09
MORNING, SEPTEMBER 8, 1870.

had often helped them shoe their team
when the blacksmith was sick; and we
went up to the spring together. You
couldn't see wink, and we darsent take
a light for them thieves TO shoot US by,
and we softly crawled up to the spring.
There was a big cottonwood CROWN Just
aside of It, and we ran agin this, and bill
something sittin' like, leaning against the
trunk. Canvas says I, Canvas, my
boy, Is that you p And he never made
no reply, but kept rs quiet rs q skull on q
tombstone. Jim Bruce says !, jus,
scratch for lantern; there's some thin
wrong I felt Of the body. and there was
n wet, sticky stream upon It. Canvas,
says I. what Is the matterr and no word.
Jim soon fetched n light, and there was
Canvas, stone dead. pinned to the tree by
seven arrows. And the thieves had cul
of his hands and put them In his pockets
and cut of his ears and fastened them on
his forehead 7 ,...-F -.r.- -.
Oh! what q vengeful glitter shone In his
eye! rs
Young man. they say when a woman
loses her first young 'un, 1t breaks her,
and rs how lion robbed of her cubs !.
crazy; but may you never feel rs did
when I saw Canvas-him rs had been my
pard; had sot by the same fire, and drank
out Of the same dipper. and shared hi.
last terbacker with me-when l saw old
Canvas. cut up like sheep. and dead for.
ever from me. Ten thousand devils was
tuggin' at my hoart, and sank, with q
yell. down by his dead side
Tho emotion Of the stranger almost
overpowered him. rs he recalled these az
ony.days of the past,
They told me afterward that my yell
reused the camp and they came rushing
out to the spring; but ! didn't know II
then. was stunned like, and never
knew what happened. When morning
came. they buried Canvas near where he
died. They didn't leave no mound tG
draw the Injuns; but on that ground
knelt and cried. don't look rs II could
cry. but did then. Canvas said l. old
pard, you're gone You was thirty-foul
years old. So help me God, I'll kill an
lnjun for every year of yours, till wipe
out the scorev They took me away, and
for four weeks was laid In q fever, which
mighty made mo pass In my checks; but
didn't for I couldn't die until I'd kept my
word with Canvas
Young man. no continued. after a
pause, Il left that train at Tucson, and
sence that time have been roamin.'
have come in this trip to get a little
money, and I'm goin' back. Dye see
this knife?' .,... i....-
He pulled out from his belt q huge
broad knife. with wide handle, ant
handed It to me. In tho wood I saw thir'
teen holes as If bored with gimlots.
You sec them holes' Every one Is .
'Pachee. It's my account-book, and
every Injun I kill, In goes q hole. I've
got u good many more to make fore dc
as I said to Canvas; but I'm goin' back,
and p'r'nps may meet Canvas some day
If keep my word. which the proachei
says Is the right way :.
What room there was here for homily
on human vengeance! But could no
give 1t. .-.-..-..... ............
= We'll, you've kindly heard my story
and you're from Maine; thank ye fol
both. TIN goin' to turn In
And with this rough good night, he
rolled himself in his blankets, and the
regular breathings soon showed him to bt
asleep. had but ftful slumbers until
early morning. when tho teamster reused
me to take his leave, and then disap'
peared. r..... ...r.
Nearly q year after my connection with
the mines took me to Tucson; and while
there, n scouting party came In with q
badly wounded man who WAS with them
NOT q soldier, but one who was alwuy.
eager for an Indian flght-and further
than this. nothing was known Of him.
Out of curiosity. / went In with the
surgeon to SEQ him; and there lay Cen
trcpole Bill. He recognized no one, bu,
kept In deep stupOr, bleeding from IN
ternal wounds that could not be stanch.
cd.
lie was an awful fighter said the Doc
tor, and he has done nothing but follow
tho scouts
Doctor said I. I know that man.
And rs he watched, I told his story.
We sat there several hours, and Mt last
the struggle came. The dying man rails
ing himself on the pallet, looked fixedly
ut the ceiling. and In hoarse voice,
said: 49,.
There's q show-a Canvas and he
fell back, dead.
I looked. afterward, in his belt, and
found two knives, and In e.ch Of tho ham
dies there were seventeen holes. These
keepsakes I begged, and have them to
this day.-Orerland Monthly.