Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1893-08-24
NUMBER 2
THE SAND or AN OLD TIMER.
Fatal Bravery That Won a Rare Tribute
From a Band or Apaches.

tram for Los Angeles. Every man In
the party knew the others, and there be-
ing an hour or two to wait story telling
of the early days on the border and in
Arizona and California came natural
Stories of old times, when Indians werq
bad and the white pioneers knew what
bravery meant, were related. John Wib
son Of El Monte told the most absorbing
story Of the hoar:
Talk about sand in q man, gentle
men! / ann telling you that it takes sand
of the genuine article in any man to try
and stand off single handed 40 or sc
Apaches when he knows just how tht
scrap will end. and that the end will be
his own death But that was Just the
kind Of sand that was in Felix Kno1
when he was killed by the Apaches
You see Knox was an all round gambler,
such az the tenderfoot from the east
scorns SO much and knows 30 little
about, but lie had heart in him bigger
than any tenderfoot's head Well, il
was in the spring of 1879 Knox, with hiI
wife and baby and a Mexican driver,
was coming from Silver City to Clifton
down in Arizona. They got to Yprk'i
ranch, which is on the Gila river, about
30 miles from Clifton, all right, bui
were told there that signs of Apaches
had been seen, and that they had better
go in camp there for a few days, bui
Knox-who had fought the Apaches
dozens of times and didn't know whai
fear was-said he wanted to make Cliff
ton that DAY, Indians or no Indians.
well, the Knoxes drove Oh. Wher
they were about two miles from York;
ranch, sure enough a big buck Indiar
came from behind low, round toI
mesa. Knox knew there were plenty
more of the red devils hid there anf
that it meant fight to death for him
He was as cool as q cucumber. Hi
jumped out of the wagon, filed his pock
cts with two boxes of cartridges, and
then kissed his wife and baby for the
last time, but saying that he would have
the redskins quieted in few minutes
He ordered the Mexican driver to lasE
the team for all he was worth and Il
drive back to York's ranch as fast as the
horses could jump. Then Knox waved
his hand to his wife and said he was go
ing to stand off few Apaches, although
he was sure there was big band OF
them. AS the team and wagon flew bacl
to the ranch Knox, rifle in hand, started
toward the hill for his last fight. He
turned once and waved his sombrero tc
his wife and child and then strobe on tx
his certain death.
''The Apaches a second later rushed
out from behind the hill where they
were secreted. Knox faced his foes, and
standing stock still pumped lead NJ
them until he fell down dead. This
next day party of us was made up,
and we went out where the fight took
place. Knox's body lay there amid the
cactus in the sun. The Apaches, con
trary to their usual custom, had not mu-
tilated the fellows body in the least.
They had taken clean pocket handker-
chief out Of Knox's pocket and carefully
spread it over his face and had fastened
it there by putting a small stone OH each
corner Of it to hold it in its place and
keep the hot sun from the dead mans
face. Thai vas their tribute to the
sand in Knox. Seventy empty shells
were found that had been emptied from
Knox's winchester, and one of the raid
ing Indians afterward taid that their
party numbered AZ and that Knox had
killed seven of them. Pomona Prog
ress.
A Very FOrgetful Person.
"It's curious how fergitful some folks
ire, now amt itT' inquired Mr.. Jakes, the
village plumber, carpenter and sheriff
in rnminative tone. There's people
thatll fergit arrants an jobs an bills an
days o the week an SO on, an I've even
heard tell Of folks that would fergit
their own names now an agin.
ayes, I've heard mention made of jest
sech cases." said Abijah Snow, who was
watching Mr.. Jakes solder good sized
hole in the bottom of the Snow teakettle.
"Well, l b'lieve there's a woman in
this town beats 'em all fer fergittin." !"
said Mr.. Jakes.
who's thatr" inquired his customer,
with mild interest
+It's Mis- Willard Franklin \ replied
Mr.. Jakes. ''She's got inter the habit Of
comm over to our house twice u week,
or sometimes oftener, as It happens. An
it's queer thing, but if you'll b'lieve
me, she sets an sets and fergits all about
Willard till we've had good square
dinner, an within 10 minutes after we've
cleared everythin off'n the table she'll
rec'llect him an start fer home"
Mr.. JaEes shot one glance at Mr.. Snow,
and Mr.. Snow returned it as he said
slowly:
nS'pose the fact Of Willard's bein sech
a scanty peryider an your spreadin q
lb'ral table could hey anythin to do
with it?'
''They say you can't ever tell what
docs affect folks memory--or fergittry;"
said Mr.. Jakes in a noncommittal tone.
And then he blew out his light, and he
and Mr.. Snow INDUCED in couple of
dry chuckles as the kettle changed hands.
Youths Companion.