The National tribune., 1888-11-29

his broad brmmed Mexican sombrero back
from his face and remarked, " l reckon not"
Too near town." ] asked.
"You bet" was the laconic reply.
For half an hour our company was as silent
as a Quaker meeting, except when the driver
spoke sharply to some horse of his team that
was disposed 10 Soldier" The road wound
back and forth up the side of the mountain,
much of the way so steep that all six horses
set closely in their harnesses and their legs
slanted sharply up the hill as they tugged on
the numbering coach. Now and then we would
como to a short, level piece of highway, and
then the team after standing few minutes to
recover its breath, would trOt off at a brisk
pace with that rattle and jingle of the harness
that must be music in the hard-worked horses
ears. At length, having squirted a stream of
tobacco juice as big as his thumb at an i'm
mense pine tree by the roadside, Jake turned to
Tom Lyon and said:
I" ST Jones skipped the camp after that Injun
racket, didn't he2"
Packed his blankets to Snake River" was
the reply.
Have the Indians been troublesome here
abouts of later" ] asked.
mot since last Fall" said Jake, "and he was
a stray un. See that mounting?" he added,
pointing TO a thickly-wooded hill that rose
above the others near by; that's where 81
Jones drew the bead on the fnest-looking
Cheyenne buck ye ever sot yer eyes on
A few questions and a good cigar loosened the
drivers tongue, and this is the story he told,
translated into United States:
A DYING INDIANS REVENGE.
There had been no Indians seen about Dead
wood for many months; in fact they had
rarely ventured very near the town. They
never lived in the Black Hills proper-that is,
in the mountains. The dense forests deep
gulches and wild canyons, and the terrific
thunder storms that were frequent there, in
spired them with superstitious awe. They be-
leved the Hills to be the special abode of the
Great Spirit and to have been placed in the
middle of the Plains as preserve for the
smaller game when the buffalo were scarce,
and to supply tepee poles. So, once or twice
year, they would make an excursion into the
mountains, cut their poles and return to the
Plains; or, if game was scarce in their usual
hunting-grounds. they would organize brief
expeditions to hunt the mountain sheep. The
Indian raids in the earlier days Of Black Hills
excitement were made upon the Plains or in
the lower foothills.
1t was customary, therefore, for the young
men of Deadwood to hunt in the mountains
about the town without fear of being melested
by the Indians.
ST Jones had gone out alone in the morning
of a sharp Autumn day, taking his dog and
gun, and a little after noon his game-bag was
well filed. Sitting down upon rock to eat
his luncheon, he happened to raise his eyes and
saw through the underbrush the head of an
Indian slowly rising over knoll not so feet
away. The Redman did not see 81, and the
latter's dog did not even discover the strangers
intrusion. With the instinct of a frontiers
man, as quick almost as thought, ST raised his
gun and fired. The Indian uttered loud cry,
threw up his arms, dropping his rife, and fell
out of sight among the brush.
81 shOudered his game-bag, called his dog
hnp tn rood xrrho ha
reported an Indian raid There was great ex-
element, and by the middle Of the afternoon
20 or 30 young fellows armed with rifles and
led by ST started for the mountain.
On reaching the spot search was begun,
when suddenly from the bushes there was
flash, the report of rife, and one of the white
men dropped, shot through the breast This
was surprise, and greatly demoralized the
party. They could see no enc, and imagining
that they had been ambushed by band of the
sayages probably far outnumberng them, they
picked up their wounded companion and beat
hasty retreat to a safe place.
After consultation, there being no signs of
renewed attack, the party left one of their
number TO care for the man who had been hurt
and sailed forth again. As they approached
the place which ST had pointed cut there was
another flash, the crack of q rifle, and a second
of the party fell. This was repeated until no
less than five Of the white men had been
wounded, three of them mortally.
By this time it was sunset, and discretion
dictated return to the town, whittier the
company wendell its way, sorrowful and crest
fallen. Their appearance in Deadwood bearing
the men who had fallen upon rudely impro-
vised litters, like funeral procession, caused
the widest excitement. An attack upon the
town by the Indians in force was confidently
expected, and there was little sleeping there
that night. Guards were posted and every
If. 4
one or two false alarms, nothing Of moment
occurred.
The next morning half the male population
of Deadwood turned out thoroughly armed
to capture or exterminate the Redskins who
il was supposed, had taken up strong position
upon the mountain. But when they arrived
at the spot there were no signs of Indians and
after a little search the dead body of the Chey-
enne buck whom 81 Jones had shot the day be-
fore was found not 10 feet from the spot where
he had fallen. His breech-loading rife lay be-
side him, and the five empty shells upon the
ground showed that he had fred the shots by
which his death had been avenged. No evil
dence of any other Indians having been there
or anywhere in the neighboThood was ever
found.
The dead Indian was man of magnificent
physique, and evidently chief in his tribe
His head was taken to Deadwood, but the poo-
pie were not proud of their share in the affair
and never said much about it.
AN INTERESTING CHARACTER.
Before morning l had become pretty well
acquainted with Jake Werden, the driver, and.
like many Of his profession, / found him to be
Q quaint and interesting character He had
been selected to drive the treasure coach on
account of his tried and proved courage. He
had driven an overland coach upon tho Plains
before the days of the Pacific Railroad, when
his home station was st. Joseph, Mo; had moro
than once been held mp" by road agents and
bore the scars of wounds received in a fight
with Indians, in which he saved his coach and
brought his passengers off safely. He was
rather tall and slim, with legs little crooked
but every muscle was like piece of tempered
steel.
1t was worth journey to the Black Hills to
get acquainted with a man like Jake Worden
to listen to his stories and observe his ways
No one can appreciate how forcible is the slang
expression, he is only passenger" until he
has taken his seat on the box by the side of a
Western stage-driver. The conductor of rail
way train may have greater responsibility, but
1t IS not apparent on the surface. He comes
along through the car at intervals, punches
curiously- shaped hole in your ticket, or tears
of coupon. lie stands on the platform at the
station and shouts "All aboard !" and waves his
hand or swings his lantern for the train to
start, but l never quite feel as though we
couldn't go along just about as well without
him.
VIC 4r,N,.