Ellsworth American., 1877-05-24

be batchered by the Indians before the
day was over. When the white-toppeC
wagons we're so far away that they seemed
no larger than his hand. Joseph moved
| along on the trail. his face stern and dark
aud SO busy with his thoughts that he did
not hear the consoling words
Never mind. Joseph; we are trying ia
do right.
Tha, night when the wagon train ol
the gold hunters went into camp. they
! could not see the lone wagon, though
many OF the men ashamed OF their con-
/ duet, looked long and earnestly for. il,
| They had seen Indians alar of, aud they
| knew that the red devils would pouncg
| down upon a single team as soon rs they
sighted it.
| Darkness came; midnight came. and the
sentnels 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 mp
/ through the little valley, and the camp
was aroused in moment
The devils have jumped in on Joseph
| and his brother. whispered one OF the
met, as he stood ON a knoll aud bent his
| head 10 listen.
/ Good nun! Cowards have no business
! out here, growled the Texan.
The first speaker wheeled. struck the
ruifian sledge-hammer blow in the face,
| aud then, running for the horses, cried
out
Come on come on. 4 dozen OF Us can
be spared for the rescue!'
Sixteen men swept down the valley like
| the wind. The firing and the yelling con-
I tinned, d,proving that the man who had been
called a coward was making heroic fight.
In ten minutes they came upon the lone
! camp. made light as day by the burning
wagon. Fity feet from the bonfire and
| hemmed IN by circle OF dancing, leapiEg
1 bowling savagcs, was Joseph's brother
standing over Joseph's dead body. The
| gold hunters heard the pop pop! pop OF
| the boys revolver "A, they burst into view
and The mex, moment they were charging
( Down upon the demons. using rte and re-
volver with terrible effect In two min
uteS not live Indian was In sight To-
seph's brother stood over the body. an
empty revolver in his hand. The men
! checred wildly as they looked around, but
the boy looked up into their faces without
sign OF exultaiion, surprise or glsdness.
There were three dead Indians beside
the wagon, killed where the hght com
mcnccd, and the corpse> in front OF ,Io-
seph's brother numbered more than the
victims of the sixteen men.
Is Joseph badly hurt:' .ked one OF tn.
men. as he halted his horse beside the
bov.
He i deadi' whispered the white. face
defender
lie is, God forgive me for the part |
/ took last night
You called him coward cried 10.
seph's brother. and you are TO blame for
this, Was he a coward? Look there aud
there ami there We drove them back
from the wa:oa-drove them clear out
here. Joseph is dead. You are his mur.
deters''
Every man was near enough 10 hear his
Voice and To note his action as he picked
up the rlile OF au Indian and sent n bull let
through h- own head. With exclamat ions
OF grief and alarm trembling on their lips,
the men sprang from their saddles IN,
boy was dcai-iead a Jo-eph-and botn
corp-es were bleeding from dozen
wounds.
We'll carry EN- up 10 the train and have
burial iii the morning said one OF tn,
men, and the bodies were taken up behind
two OF the horsemen. They did have
burial. aud men looked into the grave VIII
tears in their eyes FOR they had discovered
that Joseph's brother was womau.-ye.
u woman with the whitest throat aud soft
est hands Il might have been Joseph>'
wife, or sister. or sweetheart. No one
could tell that; but they could tell how
they had wronged him and they said, a,
they stood around the grave
We hope the Lord won't lay it up asin
US, = New York sun.