St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-04-15

SCnO0l FUNDS, education ana science.
Mr.. Rolette knew his business, but on
these abstruse subjects. as on all others
Of like character, he maintained a
wise silence, as will be seen by his rec
| ord in the journ al of the convention, as
| follows:
Aug. 81, 1s57-Mr. Rolette moved that
| the convention adjourn until Monday
next. The motion was not agreed to.
Aug. 26.-Mr. Rolette moved that the
convention adjourn. The motion was
| not agreed to.
| Aug. 27-In the appOrtionment in the
schedule, on motion of Mr.. Rolette. the
| words land Tod" were stricken out and
inserted before Pembina. Mr.. Rolette
moved that the convention adjourn.
The motion was not agreed to.
| AS the convention was doubtless as
anxios as Mr.. Rolette to have
TODD annexed to Pembina, they
treated him stability in not accom-
mOdating him with the very
few adjournments that he asked for.
| the legislative council on the capital re-
moval question, for he forced that body
to remain in session for 1913 hours with
out adjournment or recess. The legis-
lative council took their meals in their
room and camped on the floor.
Mr.. ROlette was full of original say
ings. He was once ill at the American
house, and when asked what was the
matter, answered the "kangaroo:" but
no one ever found out what the kanga-
roo was. He was like his father. very
hospitable. If a stranger had come to
his lodge, in the words of Red Cloud to
Montgomery Pike, he would have
"thrown him corn like bird" Charles
Cavileer, of Pembina, writes of him:
II first saw Joe Rolette in ls45 in st. Paul.
He came in charge of Mr. Kittson's
Brigade Of Carts.
1.-THE next time saw him was on the 18th
Of August of the same year. when | went to
Pembina. He received US opposite to that
place al the head of 500 Indians and mixed
bloods with such a fusilade from their guns
that made the welkin ling, and afterwards
W h such friendly war whOop that it would
almost have raised the dead to life. Soon
Joe had some fifteen or twenty canoes, with
half-breeds and Indians to paddle us over
the raging Red river, and when we landed
on the other side there was such shouting
or Ho! Hol Hos such embracing and kissing
as had never seen before. and never expect
to see again. Joe then took US to Mr.. Kit
sons headquarters and set us down to
sumptuously gotten-up supper. to which. as
hungry voyageurs, we did more than justice.
From that time began my long and pleasant
acquaintance with Joe, ana kinder or more
generous fellow never lived"
Joseph Wilson, of st. Cloud, writes:
II first met Joe at Prairie du Chen in 1912.
Joe was good man to his friends, tender
hearted and liberal. He gave away great
zeal of money to persons who were needy at
Pembina and in that vicinity. He was sue
cessful in the legislature He never under
through. The country was new at that time,
and allowance should be made for early set
tiers in a new country"
Mr.. Rolette loved the prairies. In his
day they shook with the tramp of in
Vulnerable buffalOes. He loved the
gypsy camps of his swarthy mixed
bloods OF the Red river:
''When on pemmican they Toasted,
Pemmican and buffalo marrow,
Haunch of deer and hump of bison
Yellow cakes of the Mondamn.
And the wild rice of the river;''
he loved their violins, the tom tom, the
Indian flute and drum; the vOyageur
songs of the Canadas. he loved the
long-stemmed pipes with bowls of red.
and the fragrant smoke of the kinne-
kenic. But much as he preferred the
camp fire and the canoe, Mr.. Rolette
had inherited too much polteneSS from
his Normandy progenit0rs to wound the
feelings of the people of the town. He
always
Took His Quelque-Chose
with the citizens. He danced his
Ojibwa dances at the Fuller and the
Winslow. He frequently made it lively
on the long porch of the old American
house. His ''cri de joie'' enlivened
to the Seven corners. He was as varied
N n i>h az
Keewis, the handsome Yenadizzie-
like John Mohegan and the Leather
Stocking, he bad his own gifts.
Mr.. Rolette was of medium height;
rather stout, but graceful. He walked
with quick, natty step, caught from
the trail. He was fond of Indian tinery.
The portrait, enlarged from an old orig
inal, represents him in his habit as he
Iived-the embroidered moccasins. the
beaded pouch. the knife sheath worked
with the quilts of the porcupine, the
sash of Pembina.
His face was wrinkled with laughter.
and bronZed by the sun and the storm.
AS years advanced his fortunes dark
ened. His hearing became greatly inn
paired. Some say that at times they
thought his eyes had been wet with
tears Life inverted her torch. His
hair was silvering.
About one mile north from Pembina,
land Of the high bush bearing cran-
berry, nearly equi-distant between the
oceans, far from his ancestral Nor
mandy, home of boldest sailors, in the
graveyard around the old Catholic
church of Belencourt, under a cross of
oak, lies the body of the Prairie-C Chick
en's-Son. The cross once bore these
words:
Here reposes Jos: Rolette.
Born Oct. %, 1927, and
Died May I6. 1871.
Time long since etfaced the simple
chronicle. The Ojibwas and the half
breeds called HIM Joe. The Poor Pan
PuK-Keewis!
ENDED were his wild adventures
Ended were his tricks and gambols.
Ended all his craft and cunning,
Ended all his mischief making.
His memory was fading away in the
city that he loved.
"Then the noble Hiawatha
Took his soul. his ghost his shadow;
Spake and said: oh Puk Puk-Keewis
Never more in human figure
Shall you search for new adventures;
wild change you to all eagle,
Chief of all the fowls with feathers,
Chief of Hiawathas Chickens"
Routine Proceedings.
The portrait, which is full length
pastel, admirably executed and elegant
ly framed, will be hung on the society
walls, and become valuable addition