Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1888-09-27
OF twenty-five. His remaining cye
was restless. dark and piercing.

OF tWenty-uVc. his remaining oye
was restless. dark and piercing.
Ishowed him the mail bag which
was strapped TO the saddle and made
him understand that was going to
Reno He then told me that his name
was Prairie Fire and that he was cheap
big chief"
BY this time the rest of the band
had joined u.s. all shook hands and
called me brave and l really began 20
feel quite like hero, but very badly
frightened one.
Old Prairie Fire motioned for me TO
get on my horse aud follow him which
did without argument and the entire
party moved off across the river and
when we had ridden about a mile and
half we came to the camp OF Prairie
FIRES band, consisting of TWENTY-FIVE
or thirty topees romant cally grouped
at the base of rocky bluff. from VIII ch
there bubbled large spring of clear.
cold water. while the scattering oak
trees. with their dark green foliage,
and the gently sloping ground. carpet
cd with velvety mesqu TO grass made
the spot most delightful one. We
were greeted by the barking of a swarm
of dogs and the entire population of
woman and children. who all had to
have look at me.
The old chief told mo to get down
and come with him into his tepee.
followed him. not knowing whether TO
be afraid or not but as | had SO far
met with kind treatment | was Begin
ming to feel quite treasured.
The tepee was large one. being
oh - A F.
ground. and twenty feet in height. In
q shallow hole. followed out of the
ground in the centre of the tepee. II
small but brisk fire of dry twigs was
cracking, over which the chiefs squaw
was preparing something for us to eat,
The rest of the ground was covered
with buffalo skins and blankets When
his squaw had placed before us a sup
per of venision and kind of bread
made by simply mixing flour with
water and baking it in the hot ashes,
Prairie Fire babe me eat | cast my
fears to the winds, aud fell to with
vim. although L must confess that L
could not help wondering at times
what was TO DO done with me next
After the meal was ended we smoked
our pipes. neither one Offering to
say word, as | could not speak q
Cheyenne and he had either exhausted
his stock of English words or else the
characteristic Indian aversion to
speaking English prevented HIM. At
any rate there were not II half dozen
words exchanged during my stay in
the tepee of the Cheyenne chieftaiu.
When we had finished our pipes he led
me out to where my horse was graz
ing, and taking me by the hand
once more said: Little man
brave. Prairie Fire good friend;
good-bye;' My astonishment at
this happy termination of my cap
tivity was SO great l was unable TO
make any further demonstration of
thankfulness than to grasp the old
warriors hand with both of mine.
Mounting my horse | rode away, and
as passed out of sight around bend
OF the valley the chief was still stand
ing there watching me. l waved him
another adieu. l have never seen my
old friend since. us he was'killed dur
ing an engagement with the soldiers
in the last outbreak of this now nearly
exterminated but once powerful tribe.
Upon arriving ut the fort l told my
story to Il group OF officers as they
were examining the letters and was
heartily congratulated by the old CAM
paIgners at my narrow escape. Slut
tering Jack. an old Indian scout,
appropriately nicknamed from an i'm
pediment of speech, told me that my
bravery in detying the Indians when
they were pursuing me was all that
saved Inc from being scalped, as it was
well known among those who had had
experience with the Cheyennes that
they were great admirers of personal
bravery. However that may be.
never again rode through that valley
of the Canadian without casting fur
tive Chances behind. and half expecting
to hear that frightful ear-spitting
war-cry of the northern Cheyennes. -
ErchInge.