The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-01-17
AS A WARRIOR DIES.

The trail OF serpent bends to the
right and left and makes curious turns.
This trail, as you suddenly pick it up
in the rank grass leads away as straight
as an arrow. The trail of wounded
beast displays weakness and terror.
There are greater clots of blood at long
intervals on this trail to show where
the victim rested, but had he been in
fear he would not have held such de-
termined course.
Not an hour ago young Indian war
rior passed here. Had you been con-
cealed in the grass as he pulled him
self along you would have betrayed
your presence by cry. Ten miles
away and twenty hours since there was
a sudden rush upon a train-whOops,
wells, shrieks, the crash of small arms
and the redskins were whirled aside.
More than one bronzed corpse was left
on the grass, and more than one
wounded man rode away with teeth
shut hard to prevent screams of pain.
Two hours after the train had moved
away one of the corpses suddenly sat
UP. The growl of the wolf and the
cry of the vulture had brought life to
one who had been counted among the
dead. A bullet had passed through
his cheeks, second had broken his
left arm, and the hand of white ene-
my had twisted off his scalp and borne
it away as trophy. He was horri-
BILE object as he sat up and stared
around. The wolves shrank back with
short harks of alarm instead of growls
of anger, and the nearest vultures took
wing and croaked hoarse notes of sur
prise.
WaterP Not drop! Food? Not a
morsel! Safety? Well. the white men
are miles away. while the defeated red
skins have been scattered and driven
before them. The one will not return
to use knife or bullet, and succor need
not be looked for from the other. The
wolf knows this, and he returns to his
feast. The vulture knows this, and he
folds his wings and drops heavily to
ire grass.
Live? Drag himself over the grass,
foot by foot, under the burning July
sun, to the grove miles away? Yes!
You do not know an Indisn warrior
-Blackfoot, Pawnee or SiouE-if you
think he yields up his life while there
is hope to cling to. Let the blaze of
life burn ever so low and dim and he
will seek to WOO it lack by shouting
defiance at death. -5.At 55z
Diep No! The hot sun boils down on
his bleeding and mutilated head-his
face has swollen until his eyes can
scarcely see the corpses around him,
and the first move of his body wrings
a cry of pain from his very soul. But
the journey begins.
1t was early morning when the war
rior began moving. Noon came-night
came-morning broke again, and he
was still alive aud still moving Every
foot of his trailwas stained with blood:
every foot of progress brought horrible
suffering. Here was another boiling
sun to increase his awful thirst, and
here was another long day before him,
but neither groan nor murmur escaped
his lips. s5s-
1t is when the sun rests upon the
distant prairie like ball of fire that
the crippled warrior drags himself into
the shelter of the grove. His face was
terribly swollen yesterday; now it is
gaunt and pinched and ashen. The
eyes are large and CLASSY, and the fire
in them burns strong and steady.
WaterP He has pulled himself all
these miles with such q vision before
him SIS comes to shipwrecked mariners
when they have been days without
drink His lips are parched and crack
ed; his throat seems full of ire-his
very soul is shrivsi:ag for the want of
water. At midnight, as the wind blew
soft and warm and the terrible pain
chained him to one spot for 3 quarter
OF an hour, he lost control of his nerves
for time. He believed himself at the
edge OF cool spring bubbling up at
the foot of the cottonwoods. The glori-
Gus draughts softened his terrible pains;
his parched lips grew moist again; the
flames burning away at his soul were
quenched. Strength and hope return
ed, and in his exultation he shouted his
war-cry. The echo called him back to
his terrible situation. and as it was an
swered by the plaintive howl of CO.
vote the warrior shut his teeth like
wise and resumed his progress.
He is here at last Pam is almost for
gotten as he pulls himself into the
grove. Here is water-hope-life. AZ
t>s enc l0aS dSsnkht hs win havs