Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
Legend of Tan-Ke-Wha, the Chris
tian Convert of the Ute Tribe.
how HE ACCEPTED CHRISTIANITY.
He Lived q Hermits Life, Reverenced by
His Faithful People.
AN EEEHY's POTION KILLS TIE SAINT

colony OF Utes, with Chief Ouray, encamped
on Cherry Greek, near Denver When the good
fathers arrived they were treated with scorn,
and were promptly repudiated by the Chief
After remaining in Denver few days they
set out for the Ute agency in the northwest
ern part of the State.
When they arrived there they were treated
with great respect and their teachings
listened TO with reverence. Hundreds of
converts were the fruits of their work.
THE NEW CONVERT.
Among the most attentive of the Indians
was q chief of a minor grade, by name
Monets (Curling Hsir). He became an en-
thusiast on the subject of religion, and he
worked so faithfully to help the priests that
when, several months later, they left for the
southern country they gave him large
wooden crucifix and chair. The tribe began
to look upon him with feelings of reverence
and awe, and, as he seemed to neglect his
bodily comfort for his spiritual welfare, he
was supplied with food and drink every
morning and every night.
As spring approached the tribe moved out
of tie valley of the White river to point
four or five miles distant. They tried to per-
suade Moneta, whom they had rechristened
Tan-ke-whs, the holy man, to come with
them, but he only shook his head, and,
pointing at the suspended crucifx, again
prostrated himself before it, muttering the
few Latin phrases which the priests had
taught him. Then they left him.
FED BY DEvoTEEs.
The new village was six miles away, but
every morning and every night the braves
would bring to Tan-ke-wha meat and drink
Had they not he would have starved, so
great WAS his devotion. And the sQuaws
would bring their pappooses TO be blessed by
him, and the warriors, before going on a
hunt, would come and kneel before him,
that they might have fortune in the chase.
Did warrior die, his finest pelts were
taken to Tsn-ke-wha, and his weapons were
sprinkled with holy water by the Indian
devotee. Thus for months the Indian her.
NIT lived quietly and peacefully. At last
one day a warli6e tribe came up from the
South, and the warriors of the Utes moved
the souaws, children and old men up in a
safe mountain retreat and went forth to do
battle. There was no time for preparations,
not even a chance for a blessing-yisit to the
holy man in the valley, and they went away.
For six days the religious hermit lived
upon the meat and drink within his reach,
and when, for the seventh time since the
war, the sun came VI over the eastern mount
ain Tan-ke-wha was
WITHOUT NoURIsHMENT.
All that day he prayed, and in his deep
devotion hardly missed the meat which was
not there. Night brought thirst and cold.
The sacred watch fires had long ago ceased
smoking, although down in the depths of
each pile of gray ashes nestled dulled red
eye. The thirst grew great, and although |
Tan-ke-wha could hear the musical ripple OF |
the waters, be would not leave his crucifx |
for the few minutes it would take to quench |
his thirst
At the eighth sun he WAS so weak he
could hardly raise his head to the wooden
figure, but he murmured the words of the
ritual just as he had when he was stronger.
A clatter of hoofs was heard and Mexican |
rode up to the lodge. He drove his bronco |
close up to the entrance. He saw six heaps |
OF gray ashes, great pile of fine furs, upon |
which lay the form of Tan-ke-wha, and his |
sharp eye also took in the dangling crucifx. |
The furs attracted him and he dismounted, |
and entering, touched the PROSTATE figure |
with his foot.
THE MExICAN's BARGAIN.
"Ha, you want to sell pelt?P' he asked.
Slowly Tan-ke-wha turned his head.
mo sell, )" he whispered. "For Jesus
sake, drink"
''Drink, ha? Well, pelt for drink" an
swered the other, as he held two-quart
canteen up and shook it tauntingly in the
Indians face.
'Drink, for Holy Mary's sake, drinkr'
"For pelt, good drink" persisted the
Mexican, as he shook the canteen again,
Slowly thin, gaunt hand came forth and
grasped the edge of one of the skins, and
with evident effort the lean, brown BODY
~rithed away that the fur might be re-
leased, and when he had succeeded, be said:
DRINK
The stopper was screwed off the vessel and
the opening was tilted toward his lips, and
then he drank few drops The fluid coursed
like fire through his veins, it strengthened
his limbs.
Drink" he cried.
more pelt," demanded the Mexican, and
as another skin was pushed off the heap Tan
ke-wha drank again.
WATER FROM HEAVEN.
"Ah, Maria be praised. You have sent
Moneta water from heaven. Give me all"
he said, turning to the Mexican, land take
pelts, touching the pile with his foot.
Isl, said the man, smiling, as he handed
the canteen over and began to gather up the
furs. While he strapped them on his
bronco, Tan-ke-wha drank again and again.
He cried, he sang, and shouted commands
to an invisible army of warriors God had
rewarded him with drink from heaven and
he was happy. There was no more trouble
for him.
"Adlos?' cried the Mexican, as he stuck
his grinning face in the tent.
Farewell, Gods man." hiccouched the
drunken Indian, as he tried to bow. Then
he fell in a heap on the ashes, still holding
the beloved canteen to his breast, while the
liquor flowed over his garments As he fell
asleep his woolen shirt pressed upon the
smouloering spark of one of the heaps. 1t
smoked for an hour or two, and then a little
finger Of fame shot up.
THE PROPHETS FATE.
It grew into an arm, which held Tan-ke-
Eha In firm embrace until his identity
was lost by other arms which came from
every side.
He struggled to his feet, cried to the cruc;-
tx and iell as if the flames, like hungry
monsters, had dragged him down to their
feast.
Days later the warriors came back. They
went IN BODY to the valley to see Tan-ke-
whs. The wind had blown the ashes to and
fro, and the place was desolate. There was
not even relic left of Tan-ke-wha. but the
cloud swayed to and fro above the lodge.
"He is there" said one. pointing at tho
cloud, although he did not realize how close
he came to the truth. But the memorv Of
SO great a man must always remain green
SO the warriors set about to build monn,
ment. For week they lived and worked
in the valley, collecting and placing one on
the other the stones which made the monu-
Il. 1