The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-04-14

4
and all the rest of the tribe had called Yellow
Face, on account of his neutral physiological
| type.
This child, in spite of her adherence of Old
| Thunder had been her one solace-the one
thing that made her otherwise terrible life
| endurable.
Old Thunder abused her and maltreated her
every day. but she bore his ndignities without
complaint. At first he tried all kinds of cum
| ming well as brutal means to get her to speak,
| but only sbrieks of pain had he been able to
evoke.
So finally he came to think that she really
| was dumb, and this appealed somewhat to the
! little tenderness that his benighted nature
| possessed.
For Yellow Face he never manifested any
paternai esteem whatever. 1t excited his
! jealous ire to watch the fondness existing be-
tween the white squaw and her child though
| wary as he was his espionage on them never
| resulted in his hearing TeSsie speak to the
| boy.
| Yet when she knew Old Thunder was not
| within hearing, she spoke TO Jim and taught
him English. When he was old enough to
| comprehend she Instructed him to say nothing
! in the presence of his father OF any one else
but herself In consequence when Jim was
| seven or eight years of age he had learned ms
lesson we'll that he answered all questions
| addressed him 10y Old Thunder aud others by
signs.
Iuheriting the mothers repugnance to the
tribe and their habits, the lad never joined in
the shooting matches and other pastimes of
the young Indian boys, who made grmaceS at
him and tainted him with being a coward.
lie paid little visible attention to their gbes
and insults; but often. when he was alone with
his mother, his eyes would fill with tears rs he
told her how unhappy he was. Gently would
she calm his feelings and tell him it would all
come right in the end.
Year by year age told on Old Thunder. but
his sturdy physique and wonderful constiiu-
ton enabled him TO keep on his feet aud rule
his people with the same Characteristic energy.
His disposition, however, had failed to resist so
well the corroding inroads of time. He WAS
Grabbed and irritable and given TO frequent
outbursts Of anger that terminated sometimes
with brutal blow the object of his dis
pleasure. No Speak and Yellow Face came IN
for their share of chastisement from his hands.
Predatory by instinct, the Osages were always
IN bot water, and carried an intermittent
warfare against several other tribes, as well as
against white settlers. Old Thunder was too
used-up to do battle himself, but he planned
most of the campaigns. and exacted more than
his portion of the spoils when there were any
to divide.
In brush which the Osages had with the
Creeks Wolf Eater was killed and his scalp
borne off in triumph by the enemy. The death
of his favoritc warrior fairly sent Old Thunder
into Mysteries, and he vowed that his tribe
should not go out on the rampage again until
he could select worthy successor to his Lieu
tenant, Wolf Eater.
Meanwhile he founded new village in the
southwestern part of the territory, near the
Red River. below the stamping grounds OF the
Chickasaws. Here he and his people dwelt in
comparative peace, and here Old Thunder con-
unued TO grow more feeble and infiriD, until
he wae Dhlired IN faly IN tiS haa
In moments of delirium he ranted against
Yellow Face. declaring that the poor dog
should never succeed him as Chief of the
Osages. He might have spared himself any
anxiety on that account for Yellow Face would
have preferred death TO that honor. One day, |
Jim said to his mother:
Pm sick of this life. l would kill my.
selfo-
"Jimin
"Only for you. mother Besides, there's one |
thing | want to do before / die. ] want to |
revenge myself on that brute (meaning his |
father by stealing an Indian maiden and
making her life as miserable as he has yours"
90, JIM" said the other, with mingled grief |
and reproof in her voice. 'that is the Indian
in Won that is speaking; not your mothers
nature. No; give up all such thoughts, for
my sake
Jim said no more on the subject, but he
INDUCED in stubborn shake of the head as
though the determination lie had mentioned
was still nearest his heart. just then Old
Thunder was taken with violent fit of cough.
ing. Tessie stepped TO his side and raised his
head. His spasIns contin ued.
Send for To-lone. Ny time has come. The
Great Spirit has called me-"
Tessie motioned Jim to run for the medicine
man. Jim left the lodge and never entered it
again. After calling the medicine man he
vlfG lad intn rlara fi,.I
ponies were feeding mounted Old Thuuder's
mustang, and sped out Of the village like the
wind. No one saw him disappear
just before midnight Old Thunder breathed
his last. He died with smile on his lips, for,
in answer TO his broken question, if No Speak
would forgive him for all his cruelty to her,
she had nodded Yes"
With many mournful rites was Old Thunder's
body placed in the earth on the following day.
Now that Old Thunder was gone the man
recognized as the brayest and most deserving
of the tribe was Stage, who bad proved his |
proves in many hunt and many hattie.
He constituted himself Chief of the Osages
without dissenting voice, and to him No |
Speak went as a suppliant.
Let me go back to my people" she pleaded.
i" can be of no benefit to you. Ny husband
is dead. and my son has gone-I know not
where"
go back to your own people," said Stage.
= gu are TOO old 10 be a sguaw again"
They gave her pony, two days of rations.
and she started across the tracklcss prairie,
northward.
Yellow Face, after getting out of the village
OF the Osages, took southwestern direction.
For the first time in his life of % years, Jim
experienced the joy of liberty.
But he could not dispel the resolution that |
he had made, and of which he had informed |
his mother. His plans, however, were delayed |
for some time, owing TO the fact that week |
later he fell into the hands of a band of Chiri- |
cahua Indians under the leadership of the |
famous Geronimo who insisted upon his be-
coming one of them.
Much against his own desire he remained |
with them until the whole band was captured |
near the Mexican border, in 1885 by Gen.
Miles. They were taken to Kansas City, some
1000 miles from the place where they were
made prisoners, and from there all were sent
TO Florida; that is TO say, all except Yellow
Face. who succeeded in making his escape from
the train aud guard in Kansas City.
The details OF Yellow Faces long and peril
Gus journey to the mountains of Arizona; of |
his wanderngs through various tribes friendly
and unfriendly, whose languages he could not
speak; of his final arrival near Fort Apache
aud OF his making his home in a cave there,
must be omitted for lack of space.
But it should be recorded that in Arizona
chance strangely assisted him in his longing for