Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-02-07
Az UNKNOWN FRIEND.

Ak UNKNOWN FRIEND.
Half-Mosn WAS = new mining camp
In deep canyon at the head waters Of
the Sunnisok. Or Of that adventurous
class known IS .,prOspecfors" had. in
the fan Of 1851. wandered through that
country. following burrO which bore
upo1 is L Ack all his worldly wealth.
and hal brought into winter quarters
IN the valley Of the Arkansas such
promising specimens Of brittle and ruby
silver that many. seeing them- were IN
duced 10 90 in the spring TO spy out
the land- And 50 IL happened. On n
March night in 1852. that = dozen
camp-fi fires were brightly burning. .
dozen tents were dimly olltiiued n ne
shadows and oDsaiEes ef the stunted
pines. and foEty Or sly men. in groups
Of from threu 10 six were gathered
areuui the fires sm0king their evening
pipes aud relating their experiences and
w07derfdl finds OF the year before.
Among city men hr0agnt together
from every part Of tte word. in wild
country. b. \ purpose bonn. to some ex-
tent II least. Of sclishness and greed,
some are likely to be found in whom
brutishncss predomiaafes. There were
several such in tie camp 81 Half-MOOn.
The ,ossx sa~ fhaf communioa with
r,1.,rr resines and sIevaifS The sval. and
I..-5s reen onwxri ma uuVrarIl reward
unfure's Cod The poets are somewhat
-~-,-~ r.. f;,di,r -r;r;R hor-, ard
,,---.7 .-,;S the h,s.t snTi,,rnce~ Of a
,-;t,- nome vhe-- nIl fsr sur-oundinos
- 80 . r,,s;,i-- ,.,,.--.-.,u,- ,.-sEI f,.,.nr,e
f;,dI;r- n,5 f,ffer AZ the resrs s-o on.
all, A. dr,p ,.,.,, viii become duiler
nd fse r,e.,, rn.n rDe.oer. n the very
.,,r.rn,.e M hrsE of nature At leas.
: = ,,,,,.r;-,,.s 81 .,d = vr.s =, v-;fh
mn r.,-;,
4e h-5 soc, ,,.,,r. i, all her ma;estx
-,oods and ,sDe,.f- for u,ore shan thTrtv
re.r--- had t-svrrs.d the ,rountr-v- from
fbr Missouri; ~ the Pacific shore.
Iuncbed on the highest SUBMITS and
,.,nnrd IN the ,seenest onrres And
~et ~ 5er-,.,;,v VS. ;sne1ser he
A.s h..rr ..r,,v;,.s..d of !. dozen ,-r;r,,eS
~ ,.o-,-r,;tf..I a., hundred ofl.,~ ,-;tl-
-,,s ,.n1-;ct;,r F.r5 s,,.-.e.5;r,- f.is
- f,,,,,S h;,,, ,,,.,-.-- n, .v.--,r ~ tb.n
he rrered;Drr snr;ur-- and those VINO
Enew him bcsr f,,eoue1s " rr,nark.iI uno5
the new ,nd exer-inrrrssinv canal,;Iit;es
for s;n wb;cl, he was eonSfsnf;r unfol,i-
i,r
I,... n. v-.s not ,vhoIlx b,d Psrb.,s
.r,o--r the miners credited hx- /. few
thaf o1-e or t,vicr durinu- his career his
rourh roire had become OrnfIer and
me frs.s IN his fierre eve softer- when
Ae hs1 hrer sr,r,r-;Sai into s,,e,tinor NJ
his mother Wben. he Rad ,o,oe fron,
s-vh.f made hin, Isax,.. '',rherp b;s moth
~ lived ar whether she lived AZ sIi. no
,,e kne.w ar ha5 he ha-Ii;iyond 10 al.
Their was aDofber man-or rath,.r
Il, sh.t ,..,,,r,- l,,.f -. ,.o.,ld ,,,,f te
So, a.. sv,rr;,,r- ,ro,u15 .1-- ~ tSe
fins Re haS come into the e.,lch !, a
.-rovr7 ~ .a~rr v-ho b.6 49,, .,,, the
f--sI .o,,a tv-e,sv d.rs tr,,-rf,,n,- -
R;1T T.e~;s v-,s .nosbsr ~ fhe ss,-..,,
4;~ n.,.e vs. zs1o Pr,wn HI co,,-
- - f-;I.5 4, -..t,l ~. ..,,,,,,-,,
bend he f;r~r name md he had come 10
~ czlIe5 sI,isfle Jobn
Re would h.re ksen re,n.rked .nx-
~hsre - !. n;1;n, reo-;on .S one 1-boIix
os,t ~ Tlace ~ wss Eg,,s ,leI;c,.s
,nd fr,r;le- -shor,,rh sTe,,,;7gI. In ,ro,,5
he,lrb i7rfo-r ro,,,7rr- 4, -. -,,lrh E.1d
rs 5Ur f;sfed ~ ,,,est the T;--sS;,.,d..s
of |. r,ourf.in life pe u:,-bt have
hecn bo-n for an arfist ar noef or botb.
~ -.-s,.irlw v-,s re,-e- ;r,andad fov /,
r,;ne- Fxe-vhrdr exc.,,s R;iI 7 owls
I;t-.d .-,d ,;r;ed ~. Rili -o,.---fI,,
d;d NJ, h-t,. h;-,,- h,,, he de~rise5 b;r,
fo~ h;s 90 sen.Isr n.,,,-.. vs. IN The
habit Of cs,,inr him ..Sus e. and Mel
iie.- and other feminine diminutives.
and never let pass an oporfunisT TO hu-
initiate and wound hin.
In coming into the guIch the partv
had an unusuaIIy serious trip. The
trail was lily defined: the snow was
deep and soft. they had been compelled
70 uuuack their animals a score of
times. and TO sleep in wet clothes and
wet snow. For all this. however, most
of them cared be- little. They were
not invalid tourists. and they had
crossed the range 800 many times in
had weather 20 be much troubled by one
trip more.
But with Little John the case WAS
different He had never before been
thus exposed. and was evidently not
sustained 10 auv considerable extent b.
a hopefzI suirit and he had succumbed.
He lsv in his tent in his rough blanket
he'd. sick. prostrated. exhaussed. There
was no physician there. although most
of those men knew something Of sick
uess. and in DISCUSSING his case. while
-. ..-,,,i-I - sk.s ks h.d fhis -, sh-f
disease. al agreed that he was .'clcan
rcne an likely 10 croak-"
Tbev had b,ep ,.lkin,r AZ him around