Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1882-02-08
Life Among the Sieux.

Sebastian Beck is name which ne
novelist would select f,r the hero. bot
a mau bearing IL Is nov ID Chicago, 10
heroic enough to be the skeleton OF y
most eni, rtsIping frontier romance
hr Beck is ftt,-seven years Of age,
sunbrowned and considerably shattered
10 health, but he Is intelligent, aud HE
story Is youched for 10 several letter.,
he carries from we'll known armf
GERS, who have the means Of deter.
nlung It's truth. fi ,' oi aF''-
From 1867 10 1870 the subject OF this
article Was soldier in the regular army,
and when mustered vut WAS . private ns
Companey Z. OF the Ninth Intanlry--
The regiment now stationed ~ Fort
Omaha. Retiring from the service, ha
setLled in Chicago, where he worked at
bis trade, being shoemaker. Business
was good, and, himself and three others
woIsmen had all they could attend 70;
but his Jesrs OF army life, during which,
his Ieginieht had been frequently .rsnss
feued from one Tort to apvther on The
frontier, had rendered hiuI uoft for rhs
uuexciling life OF a cobler, Ind IN 1879
ne soldhis business delerm ming 10 seek
fortune in Tie West. The gold disc
covenes 10 lie Black Hills about lile
me ttgan 20 excite pnblic htefests
aud hir. Beck was among the humber
who caught the mining lever. -
He Packed up his hoasehold goods.
aud wAh bis vile, Two daughters and .
SOU oi IL ears, LIE lett Chicago, Msrch,
10, 1875, and landed In due lime at
Cheyenne. Here be joined lhs com'
pauy Of General Carpenter OF SedallA,
Mo-, who. led twenty live families into
lhe .hjlIs. They had wagons, camping
outfit aud provision Tor six months.
just about Tins the the President
issued his order 10 the army. courand-
ing the arrest of all persous who should
attempt 10 Gloss the liue INTO the S:oux
reservation, which included shat is now
Tue prosperous Black Hills gold mining
region. However, Ibis party was not
detected BY the troops, aud they reach'
ed DeadSood Gulch in safety, and para
OF them went TO work developing the
St. John Niue. Beck was oi this num'
Der, aud he erected log cabin about
lhree.quarter OF a mile from the digs
sIngs, which himself aud family called
their home.
ALI went we'll With tue daring miners
until July Is, when they were surroun-
ded By Sitting Bulbs baud OF Sioux and
we're made prisoners. Beck vas sePar'
ated from his family, snd has never
seen or beard OF them since. de was
Lakeu with several men OF tue company
% tue Indlau village OF RoseUai, tnso
consisting ofiour huadred iodEs', aud
expected 10 be The victim OF al exrs
scalp dance. The IudIans, however
offered lhe white men their choice De-
tween death aud becoming members d
the tribe. Death is not often tue choice
of the Caucasian, aud Beck formed no
exception. He Jotfed HE inning gsro
aud assumed the plauxet, paint and
feathers Of Sioux brave. He was given
Young Cheyenne squaw, about eish-
leen year. OF aye for uls wife, and sooa
became to all appearances through
going Indian.
Moueka was the name Of bic dusky
sy.etneart and bride. 'MonekA, u
The Sioux tongue Is translated my
.love.' She had been made captive "
this baud when but eleven years of age
and Beck became strongly attached 70
her. lie soou learned tue language
of the Sioux, and adJpIed himself 10
mis- surroundings. Five weeks alter his
captors he was au unwilling prtlciPint
10 the una ,sacre CO he Little BIZ HJro.
He followed the fales Of hs caplors
through all the weary months whicn
followed while the war continued, and
AZ last With then crossed the boundary
10 10 the British possessions.
His story Of The sufsriiss oil the req
braves aud their wretched Ia niles 10
that wintry cline are enough 10 excite
the hearers compassion. Their cloth
lug " orr out, their game supply scant'
and the deep snow aud severe c I'D were
brayely borne, and they struggled aioas
keeping soul and body together as long
40 their pride could endure, but finally
were forced to surrender. Beck and The
other CAP. ives returned to civilization
With their red comrades at SIaadiog
Rock agency, but so bronzed BY expo
sure that they could with dItii;ully ss'
tsbllsh their iI.uLi!y as white men.
Mr. Bscs says he could have escaped
almost any tiwe since they erossed 1ns
border, but his attachment for tine gea-
lie Moneka had grosa upon him ana
been ceneuled by tie birth OF tso pa
pooses, and could not consent 10 leave
them in exile. Alter The sirisaiee no
ioineL wagon train en- roa'e so f'r'
Laramie, and, with lndlaa vile aud oa-
bies, weut " ia. p", wa;rs ne 'e''
them and started east to Chicago. lie
ia now slriyias 10 iii hi. Slfs aud cnii-
dren, or learH Their iale.
-,
Not TOO flu ": 'DSo va' sch''"
enough, buit dree vas too oleaty' re.
TT . d, "A, his hat ylrl aakeu