The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-09-02
THE ROMANCE OF A ROBE.
An Indian Chief and a General Die in
Its Folds.

An Indian Chief and a General Die in
80 Its Folds. .-
Eyes" said q well-to-do business
gentleman Of Atlanta to Constitution
representative yesterday, t'that ounaio
robe is old, worn, faded, ugly anu
worm eaten, but wouldn't take Sooo
for It."
thonrht YOU were" replied the re-
norter. e. he eyed the buffalo robe
epread upon the floor.
ssSensible or not, I mean it. have
been offered 500 and 5000 for it re-
peatedIy, and once had an offer of $500.
See," continued the speaker, pointing
to the faded hieroglyphics on the in
side of the robe, ssthat was painted by
a Sioux Indian artist seventy years
ago, and for many winters kept warm
the body of one of the greatest chiefs
that tribe ever produced. That robe
was his treasure, and for 1t he fought
and many of his best braves died."
ssThat's a good speech and well de-
livered but 1t sounds like snake
story" remarked the cedar shower, as
the gentleman paused out ofbreath.
Ono, it's no snake story, and 1 Will
show you why I value that robe 80
when Georgia sent her soldiers to the
Mexican war he shouldered his gun
and went along. From the time he
left home until the treaty of peace
was signed he staid with his regiment,
and when at last he came home that
robe was all he brought with him.
He put great store by 1t and always
kept it in his room. To his family he
told how he got it. One day during
the war he was scouting with a detach-
ment of his regiment and came upon a
band of Indians. A fight was the
result, and after few volleys, the
Indians retreated, or rather those who
could do so. Among the wounded was
an old chief, and when the soldiers
came up to where he lay on the battle
field, there was some talk of killing
him, for he was recognized as the most
heartless, cruel and fearless Indian on
the plains, but my father interfered,
and from his own canteen put water
between the wounded chiefs parched
lips. But his wounds were mortal, and
soon all knew that the cruel, heartIess
chief was dying. Just before death he
beckoned my father to his side and by
signs gave him that robe. This is it
how came into the family"
"And that is why you wouldn't take
$500 for it?'
"No, not exactly. When the late
war came on enlisted, and when my
old father sent my tricks to the camp
he sent that robe. 1 did not want to
take it because it was so cumbersome,
but when he insisted, I yielded. Well,
went to Virginia, and while trotting
around after Stonewall Jackson, lost
the robe. I was greatly worried over
my loss, and used every exertion to re-
cover tho old robe. Everybody in my
and its loss, and every one kept an
eye open for 1t. Well, about the time
of the Cross Keys and Port Republic
fights, learned one day that my robe
was in Stonewall Jackson's tent. 1
went to see, and, sure enough, it was
there. When L entered the tent, or
rather looked into the tent, old Stone
wall was lying upon the robe. Finally
I mustered courage to tell him of my
loss. Flo heard my story with pa
thence, and then said that the robe had
been brought to him about a week be-
fore by an Alabama soldier. He
offered to surrender it, but couldn't
take it, and told him to keep it-at the
same time giving him its history-and
1 would get it after the war if he did
not lose it. Well, he kept it. At the
battle of Charlottesville he received
his death wound, and when he died he
died on that robe, and 1 believe some
of that red which looks like paint is
some of the hero's blood. After his
death claimed the robe-then doubly
dear to me-and sent it home. Now,
would you take $1,000 for it? I can
prove every word of my story true"
Lieut. Willard Young, son of Brig
ham Young, is a teacher of engineer
ing OF West Point. A Salt Lake cor
respondent says : He was at West
Point when his fathers estate was be-
ing settled up, and when the litigation
began his agents wrote to him to know
what they should do. He replied that
he didn't care about quarrelinff over
the matter; that he had u profession
that would give him living, and that
he would take what the Others didn't
want. So lot of railroad stock, sup
posed to be nearly worthless, was as
signed to him. He took it, and the
development of the Territory has since
made him one of the richest of the old
mans heirs" He is now in Utah on
his wedding trip.
1t is mighty easy matter ter make