Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-03-26

4
walk all day long without the least sign o
fatigue. Occasionally would take him u
behind me, but he generally insisted upol
walking, and let him have his way. HI
was particularly solicitous about my com
fort and convenience, and every day | wa
delighted with the development of new
phases in his character He had a nobl
mind, and was as sympathetic and soft
hearted as child He had, too, an air o
chivalry and courtesy about him, whicl
was peculiarly engaging, and needed moth
ing but the opportunity to make himself |
real courtier | tried to induce him to ea
with me, but he could not be prevailed
upon to do so, always standing by me witt
a deferential air, and anticipating all my
wants. | was greatly astonished at hi
general decorum, and often wondered wher,
he acquired his gentle and often dignifiet
manners, never having noticed such char
acteristics in any other Indian. All tn,
reward he asked for his faithful service:
was kind treatment, and assurances from
me that | appreciated him.
He came one day where | was cleaning
my pistols, the perfect personification o.
commiseration and grief. observed thai
he was deeply disturbed, but waited fol-
him to speak.
FINALLY he said, ''Pawnees soon get on
war path big Mixing their paint now.
Pale-faced chief have to leave fore long, OIL
Pawnees take scalp of pale-faced chief.
Joe can't save pale-faced chief if he stay,
but will tell him when to leave"
After this | frequently heard him mutter-
ing to himself. heard him say one morn.
ing:
''Pawnees heap kill pale-faces when get
war-paint on. Shant kill pale-faced chief,
for Joe will save him. Joe will never see
pale-faced chief after he runs away from
Pawnee braves. Poor Joe! Poor Joel"
Then he would weep bitterly, seeming to
suffer the most poignant sorrow.
\ week or ten days after this warning he
came to me and said:
''Pale-faced chief must close his wigwam
and 90 where the pale-faces are thick as
the leaves on the trees (meaning Fort
Kearney, where large number of soldiers
were stationed).
1.-The Pawnee braves have got on war
paint and their plumes, ard many ranchmen
and stagemen be sent to the happy hunting
grounds. Pale-faced chief has been Joe's
brother. When he goes away Joe will &c
too, for Joe has told the Great Spirit he will
never take any more scalps from the pale
faced chiefs brothers. Pale-faced chief
must go away"
had made up my mind to go when Joe
gave the final warning. for it never entered
my head TO doubt his word about the
threatened outbreak OF the Pawnees.
asked for a relief, and a young man
about twenty years of age was sent down the
road to take my place. | was called a
coward for desiring to leave, but | felt as
strongly as ever felt anything in my life
that | was fleeing from place where Ger
tain death awaited me if | remained /
made preparations TO leave that night on
the same stage that brought my relief
4 short time before dark Joe bundled up
his blankets and the little mementOes | had
given him. | had beautiful little ivory
framed looking glass, and, knowing how
longingly he had looked upon il all the
time he had been with me, ! gave 1t to him,
together with photograph of myself \
miser never gaZed upon his boarded piles
of gold more lovingly than Joe did upon
these simple gifts. With tears streaming
down his cheeks he sal sood-by, and struck
out across the sterile plains, bearing bur
den of grief | watched his receding form
disappear in the gathering gloom, and won
dered if, during the lonely Indian sojourn
with me, | had succeeded in instilling into
his mind any new ideas bearing upon human
life,
All, the savage has soul as well as the
saint, and Joe, as he wandered on and
thought of what his ''white brother" had
told him during the time they had occupied
together that little isolated "dobey" on
the plains, doubtless felt his humble heart
thrill with emotions he had never before ex-
perienced. / boarded the Eastern stage
that night, feeling confident that the next
few days would be big with fate.
| warned the ranchmen and stage station
keepers as We passed along of their impend-
ing danger, but my warnings were treated
as the nervous apprehensions of man mot
from the State. On the third night after
my departure from Plum Creek arrived at
Omaha at late hour The next morning
awoke, got up and hoisted the window in
nv room at the Herndon House and looked
out on the street.
heard newsboy cry out, ''Here's your
morning papers. All about the Indian
massacre Procuring paper, turned to
the telegraphic columns, and this is what |
saw:
s'Terrible Indian Massacre - The Red
Devils Again on the War path-Ranchmen,
Stage Station keepers, and Telegraph Oper-
ators Ruthlessly Butchered-The Operator
at Plum Creek, After Being Brutally
Scalped, Has Wooden Stake Driven Down
His Throat
Was it Providence that saved me from a
terrible tragic death, and led the other man
into its very jawsl'
cannot answer this question, but | can
say that Indian Joe has ever since been
a grand hero in my sight, and nothing would
crafty me more than to meet him again.