The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-02-12
ne DIED SAYlNG "CUSS."
A WamdeRer from the E'r0ntier..WhN
was Found On HE Breast.
From the Detroit Free Press. ]

He sat on the steps of tho City Hall,
head in his hands, and one could not help
but notice him. lie wore coat Of wolf
skins, bearskin cap, buekskin breeches,
and his grizzly hair hung down on his
shoulders in 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 inquiries; but finally, when a
policeman shook his arm and repeated the
inquiry, the man slowly lifted his head
and replied:
''l'm played -
His face was pale and haggard, and it
was plain that he was going to have an at
tack Of fever. He was sent, to the hos
pital for treatment, he making no inqui'
ries and answering no questions.
This vas month ago. He had his per-
sonal effects in sort of sack. These
were breech-loading rife, Ratchet, a
knife and several other articles, and when
he had been laid on bed in one of the
wards, he insisted that the bag be placed
under his head. They offered him medi'
cine, but he turned sway his face, and no
argument could induce him to swallow
any.
"But you are a sick man." said the
doctor, as he held the medicine up.
''Cuss Sickness replied the old man
"And you may die"
''Cuss DEATH"
He grew worse as the days went by,
and was sometimes out Of bis head, and
talking strange talk Of Indian fights and
buffalo hunts, but not once did he speak
OF family, friends or Of himself He would
not let them undress him, comb his hair,
or show him any attentions beyond leav.
ing his food or the stand. Araging fever
was burning up his system, and when the
doctor found that the old man would not
take his medicine, they knew that death
was only matter Of days.
He must have had an iron constitution
and 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
man, 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 isn't going to be
hard on TELLER who has fit Injlns p
He was quiet again until an hour before
his death. when the nurse made one more
effort, and asked:
"Will you give me your name?"
''Cuss my name!" replied the cid man.
Haven't you any friends!'
''Cuss friends !"
"Do you wish US to send your things to
any one!"
''Cuss any one!'
'Do you realize" continued the nurse,
shat you are very near the grave"
''Cuss the grave!' was tho monoto-
nous reply.
No further questions were asked, and
during the next hour the strange old man
dropped quietly asleep in death. uttering
no word and making no sign. When they
came to remove the clothing and prepare
the body for the grave, what do you sup:
pose they found. carefully wrapped in
oilskin and lying on his breast! A daguer.
reotype picture Of little girl 1t was
taken years and years ago, and when the
child was five or six years old. The face
of the little one was fair to look upon,
and the case which held it had been
SCARED by bullets. There was = dozen
scars on the old man body to prove that
he had lived . Wild life, but there was not
\ line among his effects to reveal his
name, or the name of the child whose
picture he had worn on his breast for
years. Who was she? His own darling,
perhaps. He would not have treasured
the picture so carefully unless there was
love in his heart. 49,
No one would have believed that the
wolf.skin coat covered heart which
could feel love or tenderness; bnt it did.
he might have been returning home after
years Of weary wandering, or he might
LA -