The Red Cloud chief., 1884-03-07
4 Legend OF Niagara.

4 Legend Of Niagara.
A great want has just been filled. Le.
gepds about the Niagara Falls have
been so scarce that it will be a great re.
lief to many to know that a new one has
been discovered. Not exactly new,
either, for it is written on old psrch.
ment, and must have been lying where
it wa found for many years; but, as il
has just recently been discovered. it il
to the present generation new. While
shOveling snow from the steps of the
EXtOrtiOn Hotel just after the recent
heavy fall the above-referred-to parch-
ment was found. The following is q
free translation of its contents: John
Jackson, a young man of some pugil-
istic attainments, who dearly loved q
handsome young lady in Buffalo. deter
mined to take his darling to the Falls
for q trip. Now, John, like many
other Buffalo young men, didn't know
much about the outside world,
and had new been warned to
avoid the Niagara Falls hackmen.
1t was with a light heart that
he stepped from the train on that bright
May morning. and with Angel. ma
Thompson hanging gracefully on his
arm. started gaily for the great catar-
act, little dreaming of the terrible fate
that awaited him and that was destined
to bring tG so gloomy a close a day
which seemed to have dawned the
brightest of all the DAYS of the year.
The couple had gone but a few steps
when they were accosted by q hack
man. who said:
''Have a hack, sir:?"
s.No."
"Better take a hack. This is one of
the finest and I'll drive you to all the
points of interest"
"NO; we will walkr'
"What! Do you mean to say that
you're going to make that young lady
foot it Owe these rough streets?: If /
had as handsome a lady as YOU have l
wouldn't be SO penuriOus as to make
her tramp around here and have sore
feet for a week"
Now John. as was formerly limited,
had some knowledge of the manly art.
and the remark about penuriOusneSs
grated on his finer feelings. Angelina
said:
"Oh, never miEd him. John"
But Johns blood was up. So he put
up his hands and gave the impudent
hackman one in the neck. In an in
slant they were surrounded. All the
hackmen came to the rescue of their CO
laborer. Angelina screamed, and tha:
made John nervous. and he could not
attend to his counters and guards. The
only faint made was by Angelina. and
the blows from whips, fists and other
missiles that rained on John from all
sides made him retreat in dismay. And
this, the day that opened so brightly,
closed darkly. particularly in the re-
giOn of John JacksOn's eyes. But Is
he washed the blood from his face and
tied Angelina's handkerchief around his
thrObbing temples, he was heard to
mutter: 81 will be revenged!
Several weeks had passed. The cat
aract was still doing bu ,iness at the old
stand. and waving on high its glorious
plume OF white spray. The hackmen
were also at the old stand. The battle
with the young Buffalo man had ceased
to be a topic among them, and in the
wild rush for worldly gain they had al
most forgotten the face of Jackson. A
wild shrek pierces the morning air, and
the train from Buffalo, with changing
bell and kissing steam, brings up at the
depot. John Jackson walks from the
train. At his side is a person in female
attire, but the person has not the hand
some form and smiling face of Angeli-
M. The hackmep, in the aforesaid
rush for worldly gain. do not recognize
the man.
"Have a hack, sir?"
'.No."
Better take a hack. It's fifteen
miles to the Falls"
"No; We will walk"
"Oh, you're q pretty fellow to make
that young girl trudge around"
That was as far as he got. Jacks
arm had Strengthened. His fist had
come in contact with the nose of the
speaker. The noble form of the hack
a was groveling in the dust. 1t was
at this period that the conduct of the
person in female attire became not &C.
able. There was no scream. and no.
body swoOned, while the attitude as
sumed was not a usual one for a lady.
The hat dropped forward until it nearly |
touched the no e, while the fists very
large ones for q lady--were tightly
clenched and the elbows were drawn
back in a Pat Rooney style, which
plainly showed that their owner
would put up with no nonsense.
The other hackmen rushed to the
rescue of their fallen companion.
but the first to arrive received such
a singing blow from Johns COM
panion that he retired in dismay. The
second was similarly dealt with, and
he also took a back seat. In the mean
time John was not Idle. He kicked.
thumped and otherwise maltreated his
antagonist until he felt that the dishOn-
OF heaped upon him during his previous
visit had been wiped out. Then his
companion took h arm. and, looking
up into his face with q sweet, seaside
musing smile, said: ''Did YOU see me
get away with that red-nosed Don what
tried to interfere?" The loving couple
went immed ately to a hotel. and shortly
after they had disappeared through the
doorway two young men came out. One
of them was John, while the other was
a stranger, and carried a small bundle.
The woman has never since been seen
alive. detroit Free Press.
49, L