The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1877-10-25
Rls q cruel thrust Joseph was

q ~. " - 9eSNfh6 apfttl W. SVVNtHe
8ltnnsils. The strange sman's facs
grew white again, and his. hand
a9t down for his revolver, but just
/ thenia voice called out:
S)on't mind it, Joseph; well goon
alone
The traintmovcd oifwithout them,
some of the gold hunters taunting
andjoking, and others fearful that
the two wSuld be butchered by the
indians before the day was over,
When the white,t1pped5 wagons
! were SO far away. that they seemed
i 40 larger than his hand Joseph
moved 4 alSae op The trail, his facs
sAe u Us Nill
his thoughts that'he did ROT Sheas
the consoling words;
@Neyer mind, Joseph; we are try
+ ing to do right"
That night, when the wagon train
Of gold hunters went into camp, they
could not see the lone wagon, though
many of the men, ashamed of their
conduct, looked long and earnestly
for it. They had seen Indians afar
off, and they knew the red devils
would pounce down upon the single
team as soon as they sighted it.
Darkness came, midnight came,
and the sentinels heard nothing but
the stamping of the horses and the
howls of the coyotes. At two o'clock
the reports of rifles and the fierce
yells of Indians floated up through
the little valley, and the camp was
aroused in moment.
"Tho devils have jumped in on
Joseph and his brothorl" Whispered
one of the men, as he stood on a
knoll and bent his head to listen.
"Good nufIl towards have no bust
ness out herel growled the Texan.
The first speaker wheeled, struck
the ruiiian sledge,hamer blow in
the face, and then running for the
horses, cried out:
Come on! come onl A dozen of us
can be spared for the rescued
Sixteen men swept down the val
ley like the wind. The firing and
the yelling continued, proving that
the man. who had been called cow
ard was making heroic fight. In
ten minutes they came upon the
lone camp, made light as day by the
burning wagon. Fifty feet from the
bonfire, and hemmed in by a circle
Of dancing, leaping, bowling sava-
ges, was Joseph's brother, standing
over Josoph's dead body. The gold
hunters heard the pop! pop! popl Of
the boys revolver as they burst in
view, and the next moment they
we're charging down upon the de-
NOUS, using rifle and revolver with
terrible effect. In two minutes not
live Indian was in sight. Joseph's
brother stood over the body, an emp
ty revolver in each hand The men
cheored wildly as they looked around,
but the boy looked up into their
faces without sign of exultation,
surprise, or gladncss.
There were three dead Indians be-
side the wagon, killed whore the
fight commenced, and the corpses in
front of Josoph's brother numbered
more than the victims Of the sixteen
men.
"Is Joseph badly hurt?' asked one
of the men, as he halted beside the
boy.
"Ho is dead" whispered! the white
faced defender
ale isl God forgive me for the
part l took last night"
"You called him coward" cried
Joseph's brother, "and you arc to
blame for thisl Was he a cowardH
Look there! and thorel and thercl
We drove them back from the wagon
drove them clear out horel Joseph
is dead. You are his murderers!"
Every man was near enough to
hear his voice and to note his action
as he picked up the rifle of an mdi'
an and sent II bullet through his own
head. With ordinations Of griei
and alarm trembling on their lips
the mon sprang from their saddles
The boy was dead-dead as Joseph
and both corpscs were bleeding from