St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-02-02
AN INDIANS GRATITUDE.
A True Story.

There was a boy living in Arizona in
the '70's, when the Apaches were as
often on the warpath as not. and this
boy had one of the oldest experiences
that came to any one i'll that era of
peril and death.
We will call the boy jim; it was not
his name. but as he is living yet | do
not feel privileged to give his real name.
No place was free from the raids of
the savages, and the little settlement
where this boy lived was often spoken
of as one of those that would surely he
raided some day.
1t was one of those numerous out
posts that sprung up, even i'll the most
dangerous localities, wherever pay rock
or pay dirt are to be found in mining
countries. 1t was near the head of
narrow gulch, not far from the
"placerS' that made the residents will
ing to risk their lives.
A few Indians lived IN and around
the village. earning an occasional dollar
or two when they brought in deer and
other game for sale. Their coming and
going attracted no attention. Their
hunting was in itself an alibi. Later
the part they played became known and
the hunters were found to have spies,
acting under the orders of one Of the
most celebrated Apache chiefs.
One of these Indians had made friendf
with jim, who was at this time helping
in the kitchen of one of the boarding
houses. This Indian, known as "Carley,"
had long Illness, and was in cOnSe-
quence prevented from following his
usual avocation of hunting. He came
near starving, and was kept from actual
,I,,l Il, III
it upon himself to provide for him; and
the young cook was rather chargined
when, on his recovery, "Charley" dis
appeared and was not seen or heard of
for long time.
One evening strange, horrible COM
motion seized the settlement; dim figures
rushed to and fro. violent noises blended
with occasional shots, then Shrill screams
and dull groanS died away, and by tine
light Of some of the burning houses the
Indian raiders played tina others.
The first that jim realized of the up
roar was the sudden appearance of
Charley" III the kitchen. The next
moment he became conscious Of a dnll
pain in his head, and that Charley"
was urging him to get up on his feet
and go with him. In moment more
he was made to understand that the
settlement on fire, that every warrior
was loaded with what he had selected
from the devastated homes, and that of
all the whites only he remained alive.
"Charley" loaded HIM with his own
plumber and drove him along the trail;
in a few WORDS he cautioned him not to
speak or to stop unless he had permits
sion.
''If you do we kill YOU" was the
matter-Cf-fact way ia which "CharleY''
concluded his Instructions. Il save
you this time. no more" Afterward
Jim learned that "Charey" had stipu-
lated with the Indians that his life
should be spared OIL account of the care
that lie had given him when he was
sick.
AS he was being driven along the
trail by lis captOrs jim almost wished
that they had killed him outright, for
they marched swiftly and steadily until
nearly morning. just as he had de-
termned that he would stop and be
killed rather than trytO force his over
taxed strength any further halt was
made and the party concealed them
selves in narrow gulch. They were
out of the range of country penetrated
by even the most adventurous ''pros-
pectors." but from the care with which
they hid themselves and their trail one
would have supposed they were in the
heart of the settled portion of Arizona.
jim threw himself down as soon lis he
got "Charley'S" permission and fell into
dead sleep. When he woke it was
near sunset. and he was very hungry,
but there was no food for him that
night. Instead. as soon as it was no
ticed that he was awake. the Indians
crowded around him. and if Charley"
had not come up opportunity jim would
not have lasted long under the ''bait-
ing" he was receiving.
The abusive treatment ended by their
tying the scalp of the woman who had
kept the boarding house in which he
had cooked to his own head; they ar
ranged the long black hair in the Indian
fashion, threatening at the same time
to instantly kill him if he attempted to
take it Off
That night the journey was resumed,
and before morning the band had ar
rived at their destination.
The life that jim led the next few
days was scarcely worth living. Now
that the warriors had reioined their
families, the women and children eXer
ciSed their ingenuity in worrying and
tormenting the white captive. All the
work that is relegated to the women in
Indian tribes was put upon him until
his strength gave out, and then s'Char-
lew" in moment of compassion, set
him to watching the stolen cattle and
horses that graZed near the camp.
Now he was free from the constant
maltreatnent of the squaWS and chill
dren. But the hope of escape did not
come to him. He knew he did not have
the faintest chance of evadlng the watch
that the Indians maintained.
He passed the time heIding the stock
and dwelling on the scenes of the night
when the settlement was raided; when
evening came the cattle were driven
into a ravine near camp, and the boy
was free to steal something to eat if he
could tinu it, and avoid maltreatment at
the hands of any idle savage as best he
might.
Day followed day, and only brought
him the settled conviction that no aid
could reach him. His own red hair.
now grown long and unkempt, mingled
grotesQuely with the longer black locks
of the scalp that still crowned him, and
the square-cut bang across his forehead,
Apache fashion, showed more red than
black. His clothing was in rags, and
hat he had more. His outlook was worse
than ever. for Charley" had gone away
to show himself at the agency in order
to draw his ratiOns and fig ure as one of
the good Indians whose whereabouts
vas known and character above re-
proach.
One afternoon Jim sat on the hot hill
side, gazing out over miles Of drSOlate
country, when suddenly a feeling of
despair prompted him to try to escape.
7 o0klnp arouDd ha saw nOhOdV looking