Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1877-08-02
SPOTTED T1IL'S DA UGH
TER.

-DurlDS the latl0r years OF lD6
war part of Spotted Tails fami-
ly was at Fort Laramie, and with
them was his .favorite daughter, a
young girl of 1S The fort was
then garrisoned by companies of
an Ohio volunteer cavalry regi-
mentt and among the officers was
a handsome young lieutenant, of
pleasant manners. Spotted Tails
daughter fell violently in love with
this young man. Her passion
does not seem 10 have been recip-
rocated, and it is said he did all he
could to convince her he could not
marry her, and therefore it would
be wrong for him to visit her or re-
ceive visits from her But the in
fatua:ed girl would not be con
vinced, aud could not see why she,
a princess and the daughter of the
most powerful chief on the plalus,
was not a suitable wife for the
young soldier. Day after day she
would dress herself with scrnpu-
lous care, and come to the fort to
see her beloved. It was pitiable
to observe her as, hour after hour,
she would sit on the doorstep of
the officers quarters, waiting for
him to come out. At other times
she would follow him about like a
dog, seemingly happy tto be near
him, and enjoy the poor privilege
of looking at him.
Spotted Tail, hearing OF the
strange conduct of his daughter,
and deeply mortified as her want
Of self-respect, FASTENED to the
fort, and, putting her IN charge OF
some kind friends, bid them carry
her into the Rocky Mountains,
where he bad a little camp, aud a
portion of his people dwelt in the
fall and winter time. They were
told to divert her in every way,
and, if possible, endeavor to make
her forget her foolish passion
She went away meekly enough, but
fell into deep melancholy, from
which no effort of friends could
rouse her. Presently she refused
to take food, and pinned away I'M
iii she was q mere skeleton.
One day courier, whose horse
was covered with foam, sought the
chief to tell him his daughter was
dying of IL broken heart, and
wlsned to see him once more be
fore she passed to the spirit land
Away, over mountain and stream,
hurried the great chief, aud paused
not by night or by day uutil he
reached tie bedside of his beloved
child. lie found her alive. but
sinking very fast, and she bid him
Sit close beside her and held her
hands iu his while she told him
all the simple story Of her love
and suffering, and a broken heart.
She said 81 shall soon be at rest,
! my father, and with those Of our
kindred who have gone before. In
that beautiful land L will wait for
you, and you will soon come to
join me, dear father, for your hair
Is white with years of care and
toll, and you are growing old and
tired. You are great chief, and
have yet many warriors, but l pray
you not to quarrel with the whites,
who are more numerous than the
leaves OF the trees of the forest
Spare your people, my father, and
rest yet Il little while in peace,
when you will have reached the
end OF the journey cf life, and
come to join me in that happy
home where / am going. The pale
faces are the people I loved s.
well, and between you and them I
hope war will never come again
And, oh, my father and my Chief
when | am dead take my poor
wasted body and lay it to rest cn
the hill beside the fort where ]
learned to love so well"
The chief promised he would &c
all as she wished, but bid her live
and she might yet be happy. She
fingered few days and then the
faithful heart ceased to beat. Al
most broken-hearted, Spotted Tai
bid his attendants prepare the
body for burial, and bear 1t as rap
idly as possible on their shoulder,
to the fort. Rev. A. Wright, thel
Post Chaplain at Fort Laramie
describes the funeral as follows il
letter to the writer of this sketch
THE CHAPLAIN s STORY.
It is now over 10 years since th
death of Monica, as she was called
and many of the interesting fact
connected with her sad story ar
forgotten. l was then Chaplain a
Fort Laramie, and one day in Feb
ruary messenger arrived and an
nounced that Spotted Tail, wit
a band numbering 300, was on th
other side OF the North Platte riv
e er, with the dead body of hi
daughter, which he had brough
4 from the Powder river country, l
!: days travel, and desired ,c bury
J on the hillside near the fort. Ger
f MayDadier, then in command, ,wer
with his officers to the river ban