Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-03-19
The Usage Captive.

Many years ago Charles Hamilton
settled in the northeastern part of Mis-
souri, territory, at a point considerably
in advance of the line of settlement
and frontier posts. He was widower,
with but one child, bright-eyed
daughter, about dozen years OF age,
who frequently visited the nearest set
Element, where she soon became we'll
known and equally we'll loved by the
settlers.
During these early days this portion
of Missouri became thickly infested
with horse-thieves. The headquarters
of baud were somewhere in the neigh
horhood, although the most diligent
search failed to trace the criminals to
their hiding places.
1t was long time before they gained
any clew as to the identity of the mis-
creants but one night, when one Of
the old settlers was returning to his
home late, he was set upon by party
of dozen men, and deprived of the
young mare that he was driving. The
old gentleman had been hunter in
his young DAYS. and kept his eyes and
ears open. The result was the discov-
cry that the band of horse thieves was
nothing more nor less than party of
Usage Indians, whose main village was
about fifty miles to the northwest.
A few days later an Usage warrior
named Kowah was captured, as he was
hunting in the woods near the settle
ment. He was instantly seized, dis
armed and marched to the village,
where a council was at once called to
determine what should be done with
him.
The community were in such a state
OF evaporation that they were ready to
do anything except to listen to reason.
Many were in favor OF shooting him,
for they considered it unquestionable
that the color Of his skin decided his
guilt; but the more conservative advo-
Gated giving him severe whipping.
Young Marian Hamilton was in the
settlement, and when the young war
rior was publicly cowhided in the viii
lage, she stood by pleading that the
cruel punishment might be stopped.
The Indian turned his dark eyes upon
her with curious look, but never ut
tered word. He stood the punish.
ment with stoicism peculiar to his
rase, and when they had finished, he
took his gun and walked as unconcern-
eddy away as if he were just starting
upon some hunting expedition.
Reaching the edge of the settlement,
he wheeled with the quickness of light
ming, and shot dead the man who had
inflicted the degrading punishment.
AS soon as the first shock was over
half dozen started in pursuit; but none
equaled him in heetness of foot, and
he speedily disappeared in the woods.
Shortly after this unfortunate occur
ence another discovery was made. The
horse thieves we're not Osages. The
old hunter had naturally fallen into
the error from the fact that the men
who robbed him were disguised as In
dams, while the only one who spoke q
word at all was half.breed named
Wentz, who belonged to party of out.
laws that had their headq uarters some.
where in the recesses of vast swamp
score of miles to the west.
But it was too late to remedy the
wrong inflicted by the whites. An In
dian never forgets nor forgives an in
jury, and war lit up the whole frontier.
Many abandoned all to take refuge in
thickly settled parts; but in spite Of the
warnings of his friends, Marian's father
refused to change his abode, affirming
that as he had not injured the redskins,
they would not injure him. Terribly
was he mistaken.
One day the settler returned from o
long hunt, and found his house open
and his daughter absent. His expert
enced eye speedily detected suspicious
signs, and brief examination satisfied
him that party of Indians had carried
his Marian away.
Marian Hamilton was engaged with
her household duties that same winter
afternoon, when a dozen Indians ap-
peared suddenly. They offered no vio-
lence, but Immediately began their
march through the wintry woods with
her.
After they had travelled some time.
and she comprehended where she was,
she raised her head and looked about
her. Nearly the first face that met
her gaze was that of the Usage who
had suffered the indignity of Whipping
sSs'ACoOAes LILO xuulaQ looked
fxedly at her for moment and made
sign which she understood as token
of friendship.
At nightfall they halted beneath q
large spreading oak, where the snow
was scraped away and fire kindled.
They had no food, nor did they make
any attempt to procure any. They
simply sat on the ground, smoked their
pipes in sullen silence, occasionally
exchanging a word or two with each
other IN their own tongue.
At latt they stretched themselves
upon the ground, wrapped in their
blankets, and soon slept soundly.
Marian, too excited and nervous to
sleep. lay and wondered what her father
would do when he came home and
learned what had befallen her. She
looked toward her savage friend, and
when a couple of weary hours had
dragged by, she saw him rise silently
to bis feet, and. passing around to the
opposite side Of the oak, vanish like
ashadow.
Another hour passed YEARLY away.
and she began to despair again. when
she caught sight of him returning. car.
ryinQ in hia arma q ,ao,l;.~