Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-09-09
THE APACHE CHIEF.

Lonely! Why, Ransom, it gives
me the creeps to be by myself alone"
"Well. wife, we mustn't lose heart at
a trife like that. The time will come
when well have neighbors enough in
Long Prairie, and then Wen be glad
that we didn't give up at the start"
Ransom Bishop was girding his
sturdy little horse as he spoke. Now
he imprinted a last kiss on his wife's
lips, gave the little girl final toss in
the air. and sprang into the saddle.
'Tll be back by bedtime" he said,
$50 keep some coffee on the fire for
me. and bite to eat in the cup
board"
The pony started with snort, toss
ing his head until the bride chains
clinked merrily, and old Boge, the big,
gauht hound, who acted as sentry at
the Bishop residence, filed the air with
joyous barks as he capered along beside
his master.
His mistress called to him sharply.
and the hound came back with his head
dropping and his tail between his legs,
the picture of detection. Little Dora
began tugging at his long ears and
pulling his tail, and the dog soon
responded playfully to his little mistress
sport.
The mother left the pair rolling and
tumbling in the grass and went back to
the house. Like very new settlement
there was a good deal to do abo the
one the Bishops had set up in Arizona,
and husband and wife were kept busy
from dawn to bedtime doing it.
An hour had passed since Ransom
Bishop had vanished over the prairie,
and the mother, busted at her household
tasks, had quite forgotten her little
daughter at play, when the sound of
voices outside attracted her attention.
Looking out she beheld a sight that
made her blood run cold.
Seated on the grass, with her budgy
arms around Boge's neck, the child
was prattling gaily to stranger that
bent over her.
And such stranger!
A stalwart Indian attired in buckskin,
with the eagle plumes, that denote a
warrior, decorating his glossy hair, and
neck His mustang grazed quietly on
the grass near by, and leaning on his
long lance the animals master was en-
tertaining himself with the white baby
at his feet.
Mrs. Bishops first impulse was to
give voice to scream of terror, but
she thought better of it and bridled her
terrific tongue.
Her second was to rush from the house
and clasp her little daughter in her
arms, and on this she acted.
At the sound of her feet the Indian
looked up. He stepped back a pace,
and smile crossed his savagely hand
some face as the mother caught the
child up.
mo 'fraid," he said quietly. "Big
Bear no fight babies"
I'm sure l don't see why you
should" gasped Mrs. Bishop, for my
Dora is the sweetest little thing"
Little missus much pretty" said
Big Bear. '.Here-take um, wear"
And detaching sort of gold armlet
of bears teeth strung upon a golden
wire from his strong arm, he placed it
around the child's neck.
Maybe some day Big Bear come
gain" said the savage. $50 by.
And throwing himself upon the bare
back of his pony he was off like shot
Ransom Bishop found his wife sitting
up for him when he got home that
night. She could not sleep with the
story she had to tell untold.
Her husband listened to it with a
serious face. 1t was the first visit they
l. InAt nal
though they had, of course, expected
one sooner or later, it was scarcely
pleasant news all the same.
HE certainly couldn't have had any
harm in his heart to make baby a
present Ike that though" he said,
examining the armlet curiously. 'From
all know of Indians they do not part
with their ornaments to every one. "
''He seemed good natured enough"
said Mrs. Bishop, land tell you, Ran
som, he was real good looking for an
Indian"
.Trust to woman to find that out, :"
observed the settler. Anyhow we
can't improve matters by losing our
sleep. So let us go to bed"
Settlers on the border have a prov
erb that the first visit from an Indian
brings many, and the Bishops realized
the truth of the saying very shortly.
A couple of days after Big Bears visit
three Indians rode up to the house.
They were civil enough. asking for wa.
ter and drinking heartily of what Ran
som Bishop gave them. While they
were lounging about one of them motto
ed the bears tooth ornament little Do
ia wore. He spoke in a sharp tone tc
his companions, and all three stared n
the little girl instantly.
When the settler, who. OF course
noticed the popularity of their chang
ed manner, spoke to them, they replied
with every evidence of respect, and
went away with shout of parting.
Ransom Bishop told the story of his
last visitors to his nearest neighbor,
the ranchman at Cottonwood Bottom,
five miles away. The ranchman laugh
ed when he heard it.
You are in luck, Bishop. "he said.
''Why SOP" demanded the settler.
'In having such a protector"
"a protector! Whop"
Don't you know who Big Bear isP''
81 certainly don't"
"Then I'll enlighten you. He is the
greatest warrior Of the Apache tribe