The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-02-08

DStWc6n llcIIi, Dul WHICH, 1 ulOcIeuOl
them better l saw that they were very
fond of each other. 1t was q fine sigh
to see Nose sitting on the moss grown
hillock under the cedar stitching away
with a coarse needle and thread on some
garments for Jack. and carefully cutting
the fringes on the deer skin strips
wherewith to ornament the boys shirt
and leggings. When the suit was i'm
ished, and Jack stood before Us, dressed
Ike a miniature hunter and grinning
with delight, Nose gazed at him with
evident pride, and turning away actually
winked at me, while giving a satisfied
grunt that sounded very much like
"Durn him" II was not caress exact
ly, but it was as near the thing as Nose
seemed capable Of.
One Sunday, while taking walk with
Jack, asked him if he knew who made
these woods.
Them woods?' he answered with an
air of surprise--them woods? why
nobody didn't make them, they growed'
/ was almost afraid to put the nexr
question. At last l said, Jack, do you
know who God is2'
Never hearn Of he; where he hailed
from?" This was literally his answer.
Ny thoughts wandered back to my
home in the far East, and the image oi
my children rose to my mind. NJ,
heart swelled with sympathy for this
little waif, and unfit. az felt myself to
be a teacher of religious matters.
could not, for very shame, abstain from
making an effort to awaken his mind TO
some comprehension Of God and his at
tributes. 1 began that very evening to
tell him stories from the Bible, startin.
with the creation of the world. Jack
was all attention. He sat quite still, wi. n
eyes and mouth wide open. Evidenu
he felt no doubt Of the truth of all that ]
told him. 1t is probable, indeed, that HI
was entirely ignorant of such thing as
falsehOOd, having lived alone with Nose
who had neither motive nor disposition
to lie. IspoSe to him also of my ch:l-
dren at home, and told him they never
'ared to retire to rest until they had
asked Gods protection This seemed t.
make strong impression on him. and b
day or twj after ward, when we had more
talks of the same kind, he told me h.
was kind of skeered about God" anu
wouldn't l tell him what to say for t,.
keep Him from a hurting him of q
night?' | bade him kneel down at my
side rnd repeat after me, which he did
in low voice, the child's good old prayer
Now lay ME down to sleep,
pray the Lord my soul to keep;
And if die before l wake,
pray the Lord my soul to take.
had to repeat It several times before he
had it by heart, but when he found that
he could say it perfectly without help
his delight was very great.
After this / often read him simple
hymns from the PRAYER book. And his
memory once reused it was astonishing
70 see how quickly he learned them b.
heart. When, however. rela ed 10 him
he death of Christ and al'emp ed to ex-
plain the atonement, he WAS mre puz
zled than edited. "Why,' he said dad
wouldn't let no one hurt me- Why
didn't God keep them Jews from killing
His SON.
Nose had all these things at second
hand, for heard long conversations be
tween him and Jack at night after we
had all retired, Jack telling his father the
stories l had related to him. and Nose
grunting running accompaniment ex-
pressive of his wonder, not unmixed with
an occasional oath. His astohishmen
be first time he saw Jack kneeling to
say his prayers WAS 80 ludicrous that
had TO repress an inclination TO laugh
Yet he seemed impressed, and was more
han usually silent afterwards; perhape
he sight had touched some silent chord
in his memory.
One evening, Jack having retired
much fatigued afer long and success
FIJI foray af!er trout. I asked Nose, point
blank. whose the things we're which j
had found IN the back room.
l was afraid I had given offence by the
question, it was so long before got al
answer; at length he spoke, somewhat
is follows: "She wor Jacks mother
Mary wor her name. l never couldn't
md out whar she bailed from; she never
wouldn't tell. She war always kind of
above me, and l never dared ask her
much questions about her kin. When
me and Ike were with the Utes, we were
ou; with them after buffalo down on the
Platte one day-that's now more'n ten
years ago-lnd we heard firing one
morning, and We secuted up toward
whar the sound came from. We found
hat the Sioux had attacked wagon
train and killed all hands. We pitched
into them, Of course, and we whipped
them, too. While the Others were fol
lowing their trail. me and Ike. we looked
round to see eff we could pick up any
;hings that would be of use to us, for
here was lots Of things laying about. 1
seed queer trail leading to some bushes
and followed it, and found gal laying
on the sage. 1 thought she wor dead.
but she opened her b ack eyes after
while, and 1 carried her to my horse and
'ook her to the camp. She wouldn't do
but cry, and she told us the
savages had killed her f,lher, and she
wor all alone in the word. felt awful
sorry for her, and took her to the village.
and afer a while / claimed her, and
told her as she was to be my wife.
@But Ike, he wanted her too, and that's
why me and him qriarreled; and seeing
he was backed by the Injlns, though he
had one squaw already, l put Mary on
horse one night and We travelled as fast
as we could get into the California trail.
But we had to rest next day, for Mary,
she couldd't stand nothing. / hid her in
some bushes and watched my trail, for |
was dead sure they would follow us. Sure
enough, about noon there comes Ike with
two Iniuns, and seeing there were no
more of them. and they would find us
anyhow. Isrepped out Of the bush and
followed to them to stop; but they shoots
at me-yes, and hits me. too, though
nothing to speak of-and 1 down with
the old gun and takes Ike between the
eyes as clean as squirrel, and he never
knowed what hurt him.
The Injuns they turned and run, and
T never seed them no more. But / was
. ILa and I buried hi on