Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-03-07

LuCs oha NO hSuP VIC SAS'SA AAJNNs
1 hailed his coming with delight in
the first place because / wanted some
kind of q companion, and in the second
because was fond of studying the In
dian character, and here was splendid
opportunity of gratifying the whim. I
made him wash himself thoroughly,
and put on suit of my own clothes,
and found when he was decently rugged
out, sans war paint, feathers, and other
gewgaws. that he was a tolerably fair
specimen of the genus homo.
He had long Indian name I could
not spell or pronounc D., so proposed
to him to change it 10 "Joe." This
suited him greatly, and all during the
day, while he was wa ing the pots and
doing the housewcrl generally, I
could hear him saying to himself:
"Pale-faced chief call me Joe, Joe,
Joe. Pale-face heap clever and good
to Joe. Joe will tell Pawnee chief
about pale faced chief, and make him
give pale faced chief heap squaws"
I mistrusted him at first. fearing
that he would run off with my horse
and firearms, but in time I learned to
trust him implicitly and became very
fond Of him. The sequel to my story
will prove how worthy he was of my
confidence.
All! what royal time we had to-
gether, chasing the antelope and buffa-
10. My interest revived in this sport,
after the protracted silence was broken,
and some days we would wander many
miles out on the plains. Joe was fleet of
foot, and could walk all Gay long without
the least sign of fatigue. Occasionally
I would take him up behind me. but
no generally insisted upon walking,
and let him have his way. He was
particularly solicitous about my COM
fort and convenience, and every day l
was delighted with the development Of
new phases in his character. He had
a noble mind, and was as sympathetic
and soft-hearted as O child. He had,
too, an air of chivalry and courtesy
about him, which was peculiarly en-
gaging. and needed nothing but the
opportunity to make himself real
courtier. tried to induce him to eat
with me, but he could not be prevailed
upon to do so, always standing by me
with adeferential air, and anticipating
all my wants. I was greatly astonished
at his general decorum, and often Won
dered where he acquired his gentle and
often dignifed manners, never having
noticed such characteristics in any
other Indian. All the reward he asked
for his faithful services was kind treat
ment, and assurances from me that
appreciated him.
He came one day where I was clean
ing my pistols, the perfect personifica.
ton of commiseration and grief. I
observed that he was deeply disturbed,
but waited for 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, or Pawnees take scalp of
pa,e.faced chief. Joe can't save pale
faced chief if he stay, but will tell him
when to leave"
After this I frequently heard him
muttering to himself. heard him say,
/ one morning:
"Pawnees heap kill pale-faces when
get war-paint on. Shan't 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 joe"
Then he would weep bitterly, seem
ing to suffer the most poignant sorrow.
A week or ten days after this warn
ing he came to me and said:
" Pale-faced chief must close his
wigwam and go where the pale-faces
are thick as the leaves on the trees, "
(meaning Fort Kearney, where large
number of soldiers were stationedD.
1.-THE pawnee braves have got on
war-paint and their plumes, and many
ranchmen and stagemen be sent to TIE
happy hunting-grounds. Pale-faced
chief has been Joe's brother. When
he goes away Joe will go 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. :"
l asked for relief, and young man
about 20 years of age was sent down
| sno Aoau w taho my pIacGs was caiIeu
a coward for desiring to leave, but I
felt as strongly as ever felt anything
in my life that I was fleeing from a
place where certain death awaited me
if I remained. I made preparations to
leave that night on the same stage that
brought my relief.
A short time before dark Joe bun
died up his blankets and the little me-
nentoes I had given him. I had a
beautiful little ivory-framed looking
glass, and, knowing how longingly he
had looked upon it oil the time he had
been with me, I gave it to him, to-
gether with q photograph of myself. A
miser never gaEed upon his boarded
piles of gold more lovingly than Joe
did upon these simple gifts. With
tears streaming down his cheeks he
said good-by, and struck out across
the sterile plains, bearing a burden of
grief. I watched his receding form
disappear in the gathering gloom,
and wondered if, during the lonely In
dams sojourn with me, I had sue
ceeded in installing into his mind any
new ideas bearing unon Human life