Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-05
BILL NYE AS "A HISTORIAN.
The veracious William Writes UP
/, the Battle of Tippeoanoe.
TucuMseH AND THE PROPHET
An Enterprising Firm which Did q
Brisk Business in the Slaughter
and Rapine Line in
Pioneer Days.
Truth Somewhat Adorned.
tCopu.foht, 1889. bv Edgar W. ME-,

Visiting Ohio recently, and especially
Pequa, the birth place OF Pawnee
chief prophet, have concluded to re-
vive some OF the memories and old war
"reminiscences OF the old battle OF
Tippecanoe, calling to my aid the re-
tentive memory OF the historian and
my own febrilc imagination. Historical
facts are of themselves like the wire
foundation of a beautiful, bonnet
naked, they are destitute of beauty,
but decorate them with the gorgeous
word painting OF heaven born genius
and they become the beautiful
EASTER BoNNETs OF LITERATURE.
Fortunately for me, at the time of my
visit, 1 came across little volume
issued during the present year by Mr..
Reed Beard, a young man twenty-seven
years of age, who is totally blind. 1t is
called the Battle of Tippecanoe," and
as felt that / had certainly seen as
much of the battle as he had, began
critically. to read his work, and IL
found that his view of the engagement
agreed with mine, I thought would
give the book reading notice in our
paper. Aside from the very trifling
error, perhaps, on page Is, where Mr..
Beard refers to the Chippe was as the
tribe OF Indians utilized by Mr.. Long
fellow, whereas it was the Dacotahs or
Sioux used in Hiawatha, I have
found no historical holes in his
narrative, and, with great pleas
ure, l allude to the book as one Of
which man with two good eyes and
pair of pebble glasses might we'll be
proud, and blind man even more so.
1t was in 1911 that the firm of Prophet
e. Brother went into the general
slaughter and rapine business, hoping,
by close attention to one and all, to
merit the public patronage and give
general satisfaction. Prophet and his
brother, Tecumseh, were descendants
from Georgia stock and thoroughly we'll
bred, neither they nor their ancestors
having done a lick of work for CEN
turies. Like all we'll bred people who
cannot bear the odor of honest perspl-
ration. they began early to give their
attention to crime. Satan, who aims to
supply little Jobs of suicide, homicide
and germicide for idle hands to do, and
who has maintained his reputation all
the way down from Eve to Ward Nc
Alister, read the sign of Prophet &
Brother, and made arrangements with
Them to handle Ohio, Indiana and Illi-
hois in his interests.
Prophet was called by his tribe Lahn-
,wasikaw, or Loud Voice. He was the
author of new religion among his peo-
ple. He believed in prohibitions piety
and Incidence. His idea was that sane
Btity. could be so cultivated and fostered
that it would take the place OF industry.
e He allowed that the Lord would pro-
vide. He united what may be called
the High Church and Horse Chestnut
Schools of Theology, viz: He combined
the unimpassioned and geometrical
style of sreligion with the deep, abiding
faith which enables n low browed horse
chestnut TO make a stubborn case of
rheumatism go right away from there.
Prophet had been nicknamed Loud
Voice because Of his ability to test the
acoustic properties of Ohio. He could
address an open air meeting us far as
the eye conld reach.
He was also inclined to be little bit
arbitrary, and when anybody found
fault with him. or doubted his state
ments, he generally noticed right away
That something was the matter with his
longevity. A great many people saved
their lives by being
g EN- RAPPORT WITH THE PROPHET.
The brothers, or Messrs. Prophet and
Tccumseh, were opposed by chief
named Black Hoof. He did not proph-
ecy at all, but called to his AID what has
been referred to by Plutarch as horse
sense. BY this means he saw at once
lthat it was mistake for the Indian to
(go to war with the white man, and es-
Rcially without the endorsement Of
tGe press. Black Hoof lived to be 10
years old, and would have lived much
1onger, no doubt, had no not changed
jhis heavy underwear in, March for a
1 lighter suit which he found on clothes
I 1ine one evening on the banks OF the
4 Auglaize river in Ohio. They We're
not quito dry.
4 7. In 1907 the Prophet and Tecumseh
gathered several hundred Of their fol-
owers together and in obedience to
4 command from the Great Spirit, To-
GATED on some land which they had
ceded to the white people in 1795. The
people Of Ohio and Indiana could not
brook this. 1t was at this time that the
Ohio men and the Indiana men went
TO Washington to protect their inter-
ests, habit which they have Eever
boen able TO entirely overcome.
Tecumseh was more OF an orator than
his brother, but not SO good an organ
tzer. Moreover, his brother could
BEAT HIM no DEATH PROPHEsYING.
Tocumseh was the original Tall Syca-
more Of the Wabash. He spoke with
great ilucncy, and when big tripe or
chitterling banquet was given by his
people, he would always go and pay for
his meal by means OF afew desultory
remarss.
- Tecumseh had kind OF Lawrence
barrett style OF defamation, which en-
feared him to all hearts, and caused
him to hold himself in the very hig hest
esteem. Elevating his voice aud the
price OF admission to their full height,
bc would declaim IN stentorian tones
which made ono forget all his other
woes. He spoke without notes, and
could think OF great many things
which did not actually exist. Putting
his thumb to his girdle and rocking
back on his pastern joints, he would
look AT the proscenium box on the
right, aud looking l.. u. f.. like a man
who gets but dollar day to work on
the boulevard, he would talk like
Marco 'ozzaris when he awoke TO die
lnidst fame and smoke, or woke TO hear
his sentry's Shrek, ITO arms! To armsl
II -