The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-02-06
He Died Saying "Cuss.o
Wanderer from the Frontier
What was Found on his BreastI

head in his hands, and one could not
help noticing him. He wore coat of
wolf skins, bearskin cap, buckskin
breeches, and his grizzly hair hung
down on his shoulders ia a tangled
mass. He had drifted East from the
wild frontier, and he had fallen sick. No
one knew for a long time what allied
him, as he would not reply to inqui-
ries; but finally, when policeman
shook his arm and repeated the inquiry,
the man slowly lifted his head and re-
pied:
"I'm playedl' .-..
His face was pale and hagged, and it
was plain that he was going to have an
attack of fever. He was sent TO the
hospital for treatment, lie making no
inquiries AMI answering no questions.
This was month ago. He had his
personal effects in a sort of a sack.
These were a beech-loading rifle, a
hatchet, knife, and several other ar
ticles, and when he had been laid on a
bed in one of the wards, he insisted
that the bag be placed under his head,
They offered him medicine, but he
turned away his face, and no argument
could induce him to swallow any.
"But, you are sick man." said the
doctor, as he held the medicine up.
"Cuss sickness" replied the old man.
"And you may die!''
"Cuss death!" ....
lie grew worse as the days went by,
and was sometimes out of his head and
talking of Indian fights and buffalo
hunts, but not once did he speak of FAM
lily, friends, or of himself. He would
not let them undress him, comb his hair,
or show him any attentions LeyOnd
leaving his food on the stand. A rag
ing fever was burning up his system,
and when the doctors found that the old
man would not take their medicine,
they knew that death was only mat
ter of days.
lie must lave had an iron constitu-
tion ami heart like warrior, for he
held death at arms length until the
other day. When it was seen that he
could last but few hours longer, the
nurse asked him If clergyman should
be called.
"Cuss clergymen!" replied the old
map, those being the first words he had
spoken for three days.
However, two hours after his mind
wandered, and he sat up in bed and
called out:
II tell ye, the Lord ISM going to be
hard on fellow who has ft Injunsl"
He was quiet again until an hour be-
fore his death, when the nurse made
one more effort, and asked:
"Will you give me your name?"
"Cuss my name!' replied the old
man.
Haven't you any friends?"
'Cuss friends!"
"Do you wish:us to send your thing'
to any one?" -
"Cuss any one!''
"Do you realize," continued thu
nurse, "that you are very near tht
grave?"
"Cuss the gravel" was the monoto-
nous reply.
No further questions were asked
and during the next hour the strange
old man dropped quietly asleep In deatt
uttering no word and making no sign.
When they came to remove the cloth
ing and prepare the body for the grave
what do you suppose they found, care
fully wrapped in oilskin and laying OF
his breast? A daguerreotype picture o.
little grill 1t was taken years anC
years ago, and when the child was fv,
or six years old. The face of the LITTLE
one was fair to look upon, and the cast
which held it has been Scared by bul
lets, There were dozen scars on the
old mans body to prove that he haC
lived wild life, but there was not {
line among his effects to reveal hil
name, or the name of the child who's,
picture he had worn on his breast fol-
years and years. Who was she? Hi,
own darling, perhaps. He would no
have treasured the picture so carefully
unless there Was love In his heart.
No one would have believed that thu
wolf skin coat covered a heart which
could feel love or tenderness, but 1t did
lie might have been returning homC
after years of weary wandering, or h
might have left the frontier 10 be sur,
of Christian burial, and hoping tha
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