River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-08-02

INJUN JOE.
Barney's Adventure with the Last
of the IroqUois.

The brown river flows slowly past as If
sorry To leave il; the inhabitants are
wont TO remar.S that nothing but
death or a bear hunt way back on
the nation. can -er draw them away:
and last. Tut LJt least, when ''Injui.
Joe" ike up his wigwam on the
Point. although he didn't know il. peo-
pie concluded that they might reckon
on him as a pesmanency. The Point
was about half a mile above the vii
Iage. and its silver sands ran a long
way out just at the extreme edge.
within few feet Of the tapping water,
and sheltered by one majestic sugar
maple, Iniun JOe's quaint little tent
drew the attention of wandering art
lists as they went down in the boat.
All sorts of stories were invented
about Joe. but none really knew
where he had been dragged up. Some
said that he was an Indian sachem of
the Iroquois come to life again be-
cause he had miscOnducted himself IN
the happy hunting grounds. This,
however, was generally regarded in
Niller's store as an elaborate fiction
invented by that blonde young humor-
ist Barney Mcguire You see. boys, "
that worthy would observe To the
crowd. Its this way: That there In
jun's been let loose by one of them
Niontreallers who 20 about digging in
the mountains for Indian graves An
now they've let him out. of course he
amt goin' back To place where there
Amt NO whisky. You bet your boots
that's about the size Of it. aud Bar
ney, absently taking a plug of his
neighbor's tobacco, went out into the
night.
IL was lovely summer night. The
air was filled with dancing firefes.
weaving and winding i'm and out the
long grass. and waylaying one another
in the whispering leaves OF bushes In
and out. their little lamps went flick
ering through the night in such heed
les, happy mcrriment that Barney
stopped to look at them. All the lrld
was full of fircfiies. lie seemed be
treading ON them, and with trunAen
gravity began Ia lift his feet high not
t. crush their little lives out. At this
moment a bigger light CLEANED mp be
fore him in the distance. II seemed to
be an enormous FREELY beclSoning him
ON through the village and into the
cool languorous depths Of the summer
night close by THE river wandered
al its own sweet will" Only the voices
of the raftSmen. a they made for the
falls. broke the stiffness Barney
pulled up and listened to them.
'.Thet's 30" he said. with drunken
gravity. i reckon you've about fixed
il Row. brothers row, the stream runs
fast The fireflies are-no. that's
wrong That's wrong. Barney. I say
its wrong IL YOU don't believe me,
catch one aud ask him"
He set off in a Sidelong kind of run.
sat down on nOthingness. aud sudden
is collapsed in the middle of the road.
1--WE got YOU" he said in triumph TO
an imaginary FREELY Excuse me sit
tin on You. but you are such slippery
little critturs- You've only got To pog-
glci~,.. an I'll git.
The FREELY didn't apologize, for the
simple reason that il was hundred
yards away. This suddenly dawned
upon Barney, and he followed it
through the long grass.
The ripple OF the flowing tide sounded
more loudly in his ears. and inseusibly
drew him - the river shore Right out
on the point. the big FREELY glowed
steadily but not like the others. 1t
was fixed light. When the others
closed their tiny wings the lights dis
appeared, but this monstrous freely
was visible all the time.
Barney followed ON. keeping in the
shadows of the willows which fringed
the shore lie didn't want to 60 on.
but some Irresistible power ;upelled
him II do 50. Suddenly he found him
self within twenty yards of the point,
and-sObcr.
lie skunk down behind the tushes in
amazement. for the FREELY which he
had followed was the light Of Injun
Joe's camp fire, and lujun Joe was
there; but not the Injun Joe the laugh
and scOrn and mock OF the village, but
anot her being altogether full
bIooded brave in his war paint. with
tOmahawl and rifle by his side, ami
his unprecedented cheeks glowing in
the freight with vermilliOn. \ long
scalpl1cls hung from his shaver crown.
'Gosh. what's this?~ said the per
FfleNeu tsIFUt-N- A% boys VIII tNlIt *
I'm dreaming
The Indian did not stir or give one
sign of life lie looked across the
river at the long range Of the Lauren
tian hills. as if marking the dan k
sweep of the pines which crested their
SUBMITS. lie seemed u be waiting.
barney crcpt little nearer
Suddenly "A birch bark canoe shot out
from a little island in the middle of the
river and glided noiSeleSsly through
the night. !; was paddled 10y a squaw.
She was clad in deerslSin. and toque
of eagle feathe.s rose from her long.
flowing tresses
Come. my white brother. come. 3"
said Injuu Joe. without looking
around -'Lclota waits"
Barney came forward with an I'M
easy laugh Il reckon. old Fenni-
more Cooper. you'll have the judge
down on you il you're up TO sny of
your lar6s-
Come" said Injun Joe. gravely,
and Barney stepped into the canoe.
which sank nearly t. the waters edge.
The squaw padded noiseleSsly, with
swift rapid strokes. across the river
until they reached the opposite shore.
They got out and bcached the canoe.
Come = said Injun Joe. leading the
way, and Barney. humoring the joke,
fell into single tle.
They went on through the dark
night. treading upon the nOiseleSs
needles Of the pines The boughS bent
down and hid the moon. Barney be-
gan % shiver. Was IL q phantom in
front 81 him. or only drunken IrO-
quOis bent upon some mad folly inspired
by whisky?
Presently they began 20 climb the
mountain side. Iniun Joe went in front
with catlilze activity Barney began
10 feel blown, but followed his guide
until they emerged into a little glade
or clearing entircly free from pines.
and covered with a short. smooth turf.
The moon sailed overhead. an owl cast
a slanting shadow on the grass as il
swept up into the light In the center
of the glade was another camp fire. and
around this were sitting four Indian
braves Paint. scalp locks. weapons
all were there. A little 10 -ue side %.
the fire was post sunk in the ground.
II was Clipped and Scared and stained
with dark streal5s- Could they be blood
Eeruey turned 70 lice. but lie felt
that he vas covered. i didn't count