The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1881-11-11
A RACE FOR LIFE.

A curious old diary has just come to light
kept by Rev Christopher HoZen in colonial
times, and the abstract of few pages which
tell of a strange athletic contest of which he
was a witness, may not be nninteresting in
these days when muscle is so vigorously
| trained sometimes at :he expense of brain.
I Mr. HOZen was pastor of a small settle
ment in Pennsylvania. of church made up
of both whites and Indians, The village
was sufficiently near the Quaker and Mora
wan settlements for the people to have learn
/ Ell that the Indians were human beings, and
that there was a wiser more Christian
course Of dealing with them than that Of
fiintlock and knife, so prevalent in New
I England
| Still, the prejudice against the red-skin
was strong, and good Christopher had greas
difficulty in inducing the parti- colored breth-
ren of his flock to dwell together in unity.
One young Indian, Nin-po, he ailudes to
again and again in his diary.
Nin-po's wife, Sheinah, was a convert, and
the young brave listened gravely to the
good missionary's talk. But he woLId not
consent to be baptized.
"Nin-po not made up his mind, " he weld
always reply when reasoned with.
Mr.. Hozen felt that great step was gain
ed when he persuaded him to build bis wig
wan near the village. so that Sheinah could
learn to sew and to talk English from the
a tors wife, who had school of Indian wO-
men like that Of the Moravisns at Nazareth.
"The young led man. he wrote. sis
brave, so truthful and SO affectiOnate to his
wife and child. that l cannot but feel that
he is like the young man in the Scriptures,
not tar from the kingdom of God"
Quarrels, however, arose between the In
dams and the whites in :Ee spring of 1855
A family named Murdock-consisting of
man, his wife and child-were found muir
dered, and rudely drawn arrow was traced
/ in blood on the wall of the cabin.
/ Now Nin-pO's Indian name was Red Ar
row, and he was missing from his wig wan
at the time of the massacre. On his return
he was arrested by the villagers, and would
have been put to death at once but for A1r
/ Hozen'S entreaties.
The young man, he writes, 81 believe
to be as innocent as my own little child Of
this dreadful deed. He is too shrewd a fel-
low, and the last person to sign his name to
such work of blood. I do not think, eth
er, that mystowns people really believe him
gui'ty. But they THIRST for vengeance, and
must have victim &"
Mr.. HOzen coutrived to put off the day of
vengeance for month Then another and
another. Nin-po was closely guarded in the
for, solid log house. Other matters en-
gagged the attention of the colonists the
prisoner was almost forgotten. But be had
All active enemy.
This day" writes Mr.. HozeR, on July %,
"came to my house Judge Poindsxter. Veri-
ly, the man IS so big and gross in person,
and 50 loud of voice, that scarce can blame
my wife Patience tor her antipathy to him,
which she but lily conceaIs.
"'WeH, parson,' quoth he, when shall we
hang that redskin p
''Now Sheinah was in the next room of
the house with her babe l could hear her
singing a hymn to the child as she rocked it
to sleep.
wife is here
Better hang her and the young cub he
rOared, with laugh. stamp out a nest of
snakes is my way
You would not hang him without a
trial p l said.
Hes not entitled to a trial. as you know
very well, parson. He's a redskin.'
4 had torgotten the culor of Nin-po's
skin and the cruelty with which we deny
him the protection OF the law God grant
that this injustice may soon De- riehted.'
GOOD Mr. Hozen's prayer is not yet an
swered. To this day, an Indian accused of
a crime is not entitled to a trial.)
"'Well,' said the judge, 'he has been kept
there on our expense long enough mean
to have him out and put out OF the way mex,
week.
"'Tou do not believe that he murdered
Mr.. Murdock?' l said.
NO, l don't say that l do. But he's
none too good to do it. He's a worthless
red devil, and hold that the sooner we put
an end to him and all of his color. the better.
Seth Jarrett was in the room | nave ob.
served that Jarrett usually has his own way
with the judge. while he seems to Weld tc
him.
Doubtless you are right, he said But
have an idea. What il we had some fun
out of the Indian? Our young men pro
pose to have burdle-Tdces and Jumping
matches. What if we give Min DO a chance
for his life If he should win all the races
he shall go scot-free; if he lose one lie shall
he hung?'
''Poindexter considered a moment. The
proposals would suit the rough tastes of the
village, he knew
+" 4 agree he said. with a hoarse laugh
Wen have the fun of seeing the miserabI,
devil trying for his life, and then swingin.
afterwards
80 it was arranged. 1 should have n,
fear of Nin-po's success if he were himself
But the three months Of unwonted confine
ment have weakened tbs poor fellow. H,
is hollow-eyed, and not in a condition to III
a vigorous race.
CAS- for my wife, she and Sheinah consul
daily. She says nothing. but see her eyes
rest upon Judge Poin iexter in a way that j:
neither feminine nor godly.'
! We omit the good mans description of tht
preparations for The trial, or sport, as the
colonists called it.
The day arrived. A fed was roughly
laid out for the contest. space was clear
ed of grass and weeds for jumping. Abou
the field stood the white men and women Of
the village no Indians were in sight, no
even Sheinah, ''at which," says the goou
pastor, II rejoice greatly"
POndexter and one or two others carried
their rifles "Nin-po was brought out, re
cords Mr.. Hozen, "and placed between two
armed men. He stood calm as If his only
business was to taste the morning air, anc
not to struggle for his life.
For me, l am not ashamed to say,