Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-10-14
If ye amt coward yell resent that,


and stood beside the lone man. A small
hand was laid on his shoulder, and a
voice was whispered in his ear:
"Bear it for my sake"
There was a full minute in which no
one moved. Joseph's face looked ghost
ly white i'll the gloom, and they could
SEQ him tremble,
"He'sa coward, just asI thought, said
tho Texan, as he turned away. The 9th
ers followed him, some feeling ashamed
aud others surprised or gratifed, and by
and by the word reached every wagon
that Joseph aud Joseph's brother were
towards.
Next morning when the Wagon train
was ready to move, the Captain passed
near Joseph's wagon op purpose, to
say:
IF there are any towards In this
train, they needn't travel with Us any
further"
1t was cruel thrust. Joseph was
Harvesting his horse, and bis brother
was slowing away the cooking utensils.
The strange mans face grew white
again, aud his hand went down for
revolver. but just then u voice called
out:
Don't mind it, Joseph, we'll 20 on
alone"
The train moved off without them
some of tho old hunters taunting and
Joking, and others fearful that tho two
would be butchered by the Indians be-
fore the day was over. When tho white
topped wagon got so far away that 0ioy
seemed no larger than his hand, Joseph
moved along the 5rail, his face stern
and so busy with tho thoughts that he
did not hear tho consoliug words:
"Never mind, Joseph, we arc trying to
do right"
That night when tho train Of tho gold
hunters went into camp, they could not
500 the lone wagon, though many Of the
men, ashamed of their conduct, looked
long aud earnestly for it. They had seen
Indians afar off and knew that tho red
devils would pounce down OH q single
team as they sighted it.
Darkness came, midnight came, and
tho sentinels heard nothing but tho
stamping Of tho horses and the howls of
coyotes. At 2 o'clock the reports of
rifles and the fierce yelis Of Indians
flosted up through the little valley, and
the camp was aroused in II moment.
"rbo devils have jumped in on Joseph
and his BROTHER" whispered one Of tho
men, as he stood on u knoll and bent his
head to listen.
Good huff! towards have no bust
ness out here" growled tho Texan.
The first speaker wheeled, struck the
ruffian sledge hammer blow in the
face, and then running for the horses,
cried out:
"Come Cd, come on! A dozen of us
can be spared for the rescue"
Sixteen men swept down tho valley
like the wind. The firing and yelling
continued, proving that tho man who
had been called a coward was making
| heroic fight. In ton minutes they came
down upon tho lone camp, made light al
| day by tho burning wagon. Fifty feel
from the bonfire and hemmed in by 1
circle of dancing, leaping, bowling saw
| ages, was Josoph's dead body. Tho golt
hunters heard tho pop! pop! pop! 0
tho boys revolver as they burst int
view, and tho next moment they wer'
charging down upon the Demons, using
rifle and revolver with terrible effect
In two minutes not living Indian wa'
in sight. Joseph's brother stood owe
the dead body, turning HIM over witt
his hand. The men cheered wildly q
thew looked around, but the boy looke'
M in their faces without exultation
surprise or gladness.
There were three dead Indians besid
the wagon, killed where the fight began
and the corpses in front of Joseph
brother numbered more than the vic
tins of tho sixteen men.
"Is Joseph badly burt 7" asked ono
the men, az he halted his horse besid
the boy.
"He is dealw whispered tho white
faced defender.
SIS he7" God forgive mo for the pal
| l took last night. q
"You called him a coward, erie
Josephs brother, land you are to blau
for this. Was he q coward? Look her
and there, and there! We drove thel
back from the wagon-drove them OF
uL =; Jo,Jt Vo,, orn h