The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-05-29
UNCLE JOHNS INDIAN STORY.

known, was considered one OF the
best story-tellers extant. His stories
always had a touch of the marvellous
in them, and his listeners generally
ended his sentences with exclamations
about as follows: "Indeedp
"Styangep "Wonderful" and some
times with prolonged cha! ha
ha" that rent the air with its noisy
vibration.
Ohce upon a time a party Of us
were seated around red-hot stove,
in certain State, telling jokes and
relating adventures, Our conyersa-
ton was beginning to flag, when we
were suddenly enliyened by the ap-
pearance Of Uncle John. He came
forward and took seat, and, AMER
being duly catechised about his
health, was reques.et to tell a story.
"Tell us new story, Uncle John, >
implored dozen voices at once.
"Hold on, all of you," said Uncle
John, with assumed Indignation,
"Allow me to say that I am not a
story-teller, that l never was'a story
teller and that in all probability |
never shall be a story-teller. But,
gentlemen" said he, "allow me to
relate a reality-something with a
foundation - something indubitably
unqueshonable, unquestionably true.
Remen Der, gentlemen, that if I tell
you anything, it will be something
real-something to be relied upon,
said Uncle John, whose face had now
assumed a ludicrous appearance.
"Tell us about something that
really occurred, Uncle John," said
one of tbe>party.
"WelI, boys" said Uncle John,.
"Tve an idea in my head that I don't
think I've ever told you about. It is
q little incident that occurred in the
land of romance-the Ear West'-I
am going to tell you,' he continued,
"about a scrape that l got into
among those red devils, yclept
Indians. The West had been my
home from early childhood. Ny
father and mother had moved from
one of the Middle States when they
were first married, and had chosen
the West as the field in which they
would find their veal or wee. Well,
as soon as l was old enough | was
taught the use of firearms; and Of
ten, when my father was at work in
the field, 1 would saddle and bride
one Of our powerful horses and ride
forth on the plains, very frequently
securing enough small game to sup
ply the family with meat. [ used to
pride myself on being q frst-rate
shot; though the long, heavy rifle
that I was taught to use would have
been burden for an ordinary youth,
to me long practice had made it SO
familiar that I could carry it all day
with as much ease as a Kentucky boy
would a common shotgun.
"Our life in the West had been a
very prosperous and peaceable one
until I was about entering my 4
twentieth year. The Indians had new
er molested us, though they used to
come to our house to beg, sometimes
to trade, and not unfrequently for no
other purpose than to steal such
as might be conveniently |
concealed among their dirty wrap
pings 4 I always detected their thefts,
In sometimes would prevent them
,,om carrying off the coveted articles
" Eoldliv declaring that they had
tolen them and demanding their
estitutio.1.
"Well "a. said, "allwent we'll until
was about entering my twentieth
ear, when an Incident occurred that
vas destined to prove cue OF the
most remarkable episodes in my
ife's history, and this is how it came
bout.
"1Iy father had given me a horse
or my own use. | had spent a great
Ieal of my time in breaking and
raining it, and in all the great West
here was not, perhaps finer or
lobler animal than "Duke Yelling
on, for that was my horses name.
Duke, as [ commonly called him,
nd myself were fast friends. In
Iced, this spirited animal seemed to
,e as much attached to me as 1 was
o him; he was as docile as a lamb if
commanded, and at the same time,
l wished it, he was off over the
,lains like the wind. Perhaps. his
alue was enhanced, in my estilna-
ion, by the fact that 1 used to spend
ny pleasure hours in galloping over
he plains accompanied by pretty
Jellie Martin, the charming daughter
f Squire Martin, who resided just
our miles west of my own home.
)ne dag had tethered Duke among
lot of fine prairie grass in sight of
he house, and was taking nap for I
efreshment, when my mother came
nd awakened me, telling me that an
indian was prowling about in the !
icinity of my horse in a very sus-
'icious manner, Jumping up, I {
eized my rifle and hurried out to
Ihere / could see my horse. That {
he Indian designed stealing him was {
pparent at a glance, for even as
stepped out of tho house he had '
ut the rope that had tethered him, !
nd was in the act of mounting. r 4
elled at him to stop, but he ap-
cared not to hear me; instead of
topping, he took a northward /
curse, and was soon flying like mad
cross the prairie. An instant l {
,oked at him, and thene raising my F,
fe, fred, not, however, with the 4
zpectation of checking him, for he |
as nearly a quarter Of a mile dis '
mt from me; but rs luck or fate {
ould have it, he fell from the hores c
suddenly as if every nerve aud c
uscle in his body had been severed. 1