St. Landry democrat., 1886-02-27
THE DOCTORS DEATH VIAL.
How the Indians Were Frightened into
Peaceful Behavior.

Peaceful Behavior.
"Well, doctor, what news?'
"Oh, the redskins are having a talk
down there, and by the way some OF
chem looked at me as [ passed, l should
say they mean mischief"
"Hum! That's awkward'
1t was awkward indeed The two
men who were speaking and the two
American hunters who accompanied
them Were the only white men among
whole tribe of Indians, and if it came
to a fight (Which seemed probable
enough just them, their Indian guides
were quite as likely to fight against
them as for them. What was to be
done?
They know that we've come to
trade with them, growled the younger
man, land that we must have plenty
of things with us that are worth tax
ing, and if they choose to get them
cheap by simply cutting our heads off,
| don't quite see how we're to hinder
them. What fools we were to come
here at all!''
Little did the disconnected speaker
dream that, not many years later,
thousands of white men-ay, and
white women and children, too-would
be carried safely and easily across that
wild region by express trains running
from one side of the American CONT
nent to the other, and that the very
name of the Indians who were now
hra ~ =.
forgotten.
''Wait a bit, said the doctor. "I've
got plan
"Have you? What is itp'
ell, answered the doctor, step
ping into the rude wigwam allotted to
them, and bringing out small brass
bound box, Il heard one of the In
dams say something just now about
the bad spirit that came among them
twelve moons ago, and killed many of
their warriors with Sickness Then |
noticed that several of them were
marked with smallpox, and that was
what gave me my idea
But before the doctor could explain
what his idea was, the young Indian
chief was seen coming up the hill to-
ward them, followed by fifteen or twen-
ty of his best warriors, all we'll armed,
and looking unpleasantly fierce. In
stantly the two traders seated them
selves in the door of the wigwam,
with the two hunters standing behind |
them, rifle in hand, ready to fire at the |
first sign of mischief
The Indians sat down in a circle right |
in front of the white men, but for !
some minutes not a word was uttered. |
At length the young chief himself rose
and spoke.
'Pale-faces! yehave hunting grounds
OF your own far away toward the ris-
lng sun and the great bitter water.
Why come We hither into the lands
which the Great Spirit has given to his
red children, to trouble them and do
tb EN- wrong?n
"Ihere is a cloud before the eyes of
my red brother" answered the doctor,
IN the same language, ''or he would not
speak thus. We come not to trouble or
to wrong our brothers who live toward
the setting sun, but to trade with them
and to be their friends
'Fr7en0s!.' echoed the chief, scorn-
In AhOoC WClC bIlc WOIuS Oh Lne
oale-taces who came among us when
5he leaves were green twelve moons
ago. But when they had eaten of our
7enlson, and smoked the pipe of peace
1t our fire, they stole from us and
cheated us. Their scalps now hang in
our wigwams, and perhaps he added
batting his long knife significantly,
there may be other scalps there SOON"
A stern hum ran through the listen
ng circle of Indians, and for mo-
nent they seemed about to spring up
md rush upon the Americans. But
ust then the doctor rose, and holding
Up his hand for silence, spoke thus:
''Chief of the Shaways! we have come
o you as guests, and now ye threaten
o kill us because We think we are few
md feeble But the white men, though