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

In the summer and autumn of 1865 |
was the operator in charge of the Overland
Telegraph Company's office at Plum Creek
Station, Neb., about fifty miles west of
Fort Kearney.
Before took charge at Plum Creek a
company of soldiers had been stationed there
10 keep the unfriendly Indians in subjection
and to subdue any outbreak on the part of
those who pretended to be on good terms
with the Government. But affairs on the
plains being quiet, the presence of the troops
was considered no longer necessary, and
they were ordered into Omaha
Every one else out there being so confident
that no danger threatened them, | went to
work without any apprehension myself of
coming troubles. The company furnished
me with good horse, two navy revolvers,
and carbine, and my quarters were in an
adobe building, called in the parlance of the
plains .'dobey." The walls We're built of
sod, and the roof was built of strong cotton
wood logs in the place of rafters, and covered
with the same material that the walls were
composed of In the summer time grass
and flowers grew up on the sides and top of
the ''dobey, and made it very pleasant
place of abode.
Ny communication with the people of the
world was rather limited. the, only persons
ever saw being travellers in the overland
stage, movers in ox-wagons bound for the
Pacific slope, and an occasional visit from
a ranchman of the plains.
For a while the novelty of being almost
entirely alone and free from the restraints
that civilized life imposes upon us was very
pleasant, but when became accustomed to
this. the silence of the desert during the
daytime was almost overpOwering, and
there were times when | almost sighed for
sight of even a hostile Indian. The ship
wrecked sailor who is cast away in mid
ocean alone in a boat, finds some escape
from the lonesome stiffness in the soft splash
ing of the waves, but a man alone on the
plains has not even that much noise to
break the dread mOnotony. There were no
birds there to charm the ear and lend an air
If life to the scene except now and then the
screech of the desert hawk could be heard,
the notes of which were unmusical and far
apart. Sitting in my little office some days
everything was so hushed and still | could
almost imagine that everybody else in the
world was dead and that | had been left
behind as a sentinel guarding their tOmbs.
often found myself wondering what the
feelings of man would be if he knew there
was not a living being in the world beside
himself. and he was destined to live through
all ages to come surrounded by an everlast-
ing silence. At night the scene from my
office window was weird and ghOst-like,
but the ravenous coyotes broke the stiffness
that reigned throughout the day by snap
ping and snarling at each other until the
dawned
For the sake of passing the time, | got to
firing at the creatures with my carbine and
revolvers, and it was astonishing to note
how quick they would devour one when he
fell, pierced by bullet. Some nights |
would kill four or five, and in the morning
when | went out to see what remained of
their carcases, not a bone would be found
left behind. In time | discovered that they
would tear the flesh from the bones and
then carry them to their lairs to pick during
the day. / killed buffalos, antelOpes and
kind of sport, and so glad was to see any
human, the ugliest and most ignorant man
on the globe would have been an hOnored
and welcome guest. After remaining a
month in that vast solitude, / resolved to
throw up my position-although it was a
lucrative one-and 60 where | could have
the company of at least one human being,
but an incident occurred just at that time
which caused me to alter my determination.
Sitting one day in the door of my ''dobey
peeling some potatoes for dinner, was
startled by the appearance of shadow but
a little distance from me. Glanclng up
suddenly, ''Loi the poor Indian was
standing a few feet from the door with
lordly mien and an air which | thought de
noted an intention to possess himself of my
scalp. Not desiring, however, to part with
it, | sprang from my seat and had him
covered with my carbine before he had
time to ''get the drop" on me.
'.Pale face no shoot. Heap good friend, "
said he. ''Me good Injun, and do heap
work for pale faces Cooky and wash
good. Pawnee brave-ugh."
AT first | was under the impression that
there was more than one present, bnt when
/ discovered my mistake | put down my
carbine and felt no further alarm.
He told me he had been captured by the
Sioux from the Pawnee tribe, but had es-
caped from his captors, and if / would let
him stay he would work for me, and be
cheap big clever lnjun.
hailed his coming with delight; in the
first place because wanted some kind OF
companion, and in the second because was
fond of studying the Indian character, and
here was a splendid opportunity OF gratify-
ing the whim | made him wash himself
and put on suit OF my clothes,
and found when he was decently rugged
out. sans war-paint, feathers, and other
gewgaws. that he was tolerably fair specl-
men of the genus homo.
He had a long Indian name ] could not
spell or pronounce, so | proposed to MN 10
change IL to "Joe.n This suited him
greatly. and all during the day, while he
was washing the pots and doing the ''house-
work. generally. | could hear him saying
to himself:
o.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 chiei
heap squaws A.. ho
/ mistrusted him at first, fearing that nc
would run off with my horse and firearms,
but in time learned to trust him implicitly
and became very fond of him. The sequel
to INV story will prove how worthy he was
of my confidence. o,,o.
All, what royal time We had together,
chasing the antelope and buffalo. My IN
terest revived in this sport, after the pro
tracted silence was broken, and some DAYS
We would wander many miles out on the