The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1880-10-29
=" Don't mind it, Joseph, we'll go

1bC ldlH uiVNCu VI hitaNul
them SOme Of the old hunters
tauuting and joking, aud others
fearful hat the two would be butch
cred BY the. Indians before the day
was over. When the whitr-tOpped
Wagons cot so far away that they
seemed no larger than his hand,
Joseph moved along the trail, his
face stern aud 50 busy with the
thoughts that he did rot hear the
c, nsoling words:
"Never miud, Joseph, We are
trying to do right"
That night when the train OF the
gold hunters went into camp, they
could not see the lone wagon,
though many of the men, ashamed
OF their conduct, looked long aud
earnest for il. They bad seen In
dians afar of and knew that the
red devils would pounce down on a
single team as they sighted IL.
Darkness came, midnight came,
and the seutinel> heard nothing bur
the stamping OF the horses aud the
bowls of coyotes. AT 2 o'clock the
reports OF rides aud the fierce ye,ls
OF Iudiaus hoatrd up through the
little valley, aud the camp was
aroused IN a moment.
"Tne devils have Jumped in on
Joseph aud his brother.' whispered
one of the men, as he stood on a
kuoll aud bent his head TO listen.
"Good nun! Cowards have no
business out here,' gr0sled the
Texan.
The first speaker wheeled, struck
the rutiian II sledge.hammer blow
in the face, aud thea running for
the horses, cried out:
"Come on, come on! A dozen
OF Us eaa he spared for he rescue
Sixteen men swept down the val
ley like the wind. The firing and
Yelling continued, proving that man
v ho had been called a cOwarn was
making u heroic fight. In ten min
ntes they came down upon the lone
camp made light as day by the
burning wagon. Filiy ierl from
the bonfire and hemmed IN by
circle OF dancing, leaplng, how linz
sayuges, was Joseph'S dead body
The gold hunters heard The popl
pop! pop! AT the boys revolver AZ
they burst into view, and the mex
moment they were charging down
upon the demons. using rifle ano
revolver with tefpiOle etfrct. II
two minutes not a living lndial
was in sight. JoSeph's broihe
stood over he dead body, turning
him over with bis hand. The mel
cheered wildly M they locke,
around, but The boy looked up II
their faces without eAultatlon,' sur
prise CT gladness.
There we're three dead Indian
beside the wagon, killed where th
fight began, aud the coipses II
front of Josrpb's brother numbered
more than the victims OF the slS
teen men.
"Is Joseph badly hurtf" aske'
one of the men, as he halted hi
horse beside the boy.
"He is deadw whispered th
hite.iaced defender.
"Is he I God forgive NE for tn
part | took Iast night"
"Yon called him a coward" erie,
Jospph's brother, "and you are t
blame for this! Was he a coward
Look here and there, aud there
+, We drove them back from the va,
on-drove them out here +! JeseR
is dead! You are his mnrderers
. Every man WAS near enough
:. hear his Voice and note his acllo
: as he Kicked up he rifle of an l.
" dian, and sent bullet through h
!, oan, head. With exclalpations
= srit1 aud alarm trembling on the
!. lips the men sprang from their 81
: dies. The hoy Was dead-dead /
= Joseph and both cOrpses We
" bleeding from "A dozen wounds.
"We'll carry them to the ira
:, and have "A burial IN the morning
:, said one of the men; aud the 10
!, les were taken up behind TWO
=" the horsemen. They did have
funeral, and the men looked ~
2" the grave with tears IN their eye
for they had discovered that }
:. seph's brother was IA womalI-Ne
y a woman with the whtest Ihr0
:, and soitest hands. 1t mlgnt la
;" been Josepli's wife or sis,eI, OF
sweetheart. Noone could tell ths
:, but they could tell how they b
- wrougpd her; aud they said,
., they STOOD around the grave, "V
," hope the Lord won't lay 1t
, against u.s."