The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-11
A PROPHECY.

miners were In despair. Tho people ut
Phenix on one day long to be remembered
caught tho edge of u storm raging In higher
attitudes, and even in the warm valley
snow fell and lay for some hours among
the vcrdant palms and oleanders. Tho like
had mover been known before In the time
of the white inhabitants, and the Mexicans
and Indians, whose homes had been there
for centuries, had no traditions among
them Of similar event.
But if the snov soon melted In tho val
leys it remained long among the noun
tains, and the Ave Suapais, finding their
canyon homo nninbabitablc, left it and
came down to camp near Pioneer, where
tho mir was miider snd there was chance
of obtaining something to eat from the
bounty of the moo fortunate. They built
themselves temporary houses of brush and
waited patiently until tho unusual snow
in tho CANYONS had melted. Their pres
ence near tho tivn was resented, so strange
is our humaity, and preparations were
made to driy them back like hunted ami
mails. Wee got greasers enough to give
the place lck of rcspectability without
having lc of indians prowling about"
tho white eoplo sud disdainfully.
Mr.. Enrson, yonng man who had
| come to nc mointains for lung trouble
and KEEP srlall store, but not for his
| health as especially Disguised with one
| of tho Indians, named Yavapni, who
would ,crslt in sitting on tho porch by
tho st,c. Tours he would sit there, with
| his cvs OF tho mountains. 1t was said
tbnt u Id once been great hunter, but
his c,nta with civilization had not been
hcncfcia to him. Now he was fat and
| Inzv cocnt to rest his powerful frame
mon airy goods box and subsist upon
ohancciarity. Ono day, in transportation
Mt siglof so much avoirdupois in CON
etont icness, Mr. Emerson ordered the
Indi, from tho store. Yavapai drew his
rnor blanket about him in insulted dig
nitlnd with flashing eyes left the place.
NIyimcrson, considering at his leisure,
GUIDED ho had done an unwise thing.
Tkncw by experience little of Indian
.urc, but he judged from what he had
id that Yavapai would seek revenge
lsainst him by firing his barn, injuring
rs stock or kidnapping the small Frances,
his daughter.
a few days later Mrs. Emerson, whose
homo was in tho outskirts of the town,
saw the Indian standing ut her gate. She
had often fed him, being q generous,
whole soulcd woman who could not bear to
SEQ evon a worthless human being 90 hun
CRY. Yavapai was pointing in the snow to
tracks which Mrs Emerson thought to be
those of dog, but the savage, his intelli-
genco kcener in such matters, told her
- Coyotcs coyotes!" Mrs. Emerson
glanced with solicitude toward the hen
house and barnyard When that night she
told her husband of the occurrence, he
said: Yes, this storm is the worst ever
known here. 1t is driving even the wild
beasts out of their holes in tho hills 1t is
n strange state of affairs We will proba-
bly, have to go cunning in our own streets
before the winter is over" However, Mr..
Emerson did not really believe this and
went back to his store with no further
thought of his gloomy prediction.
The next day his wife, sitting at her
sowing, heard n connection in the adobe
corral, where horse was standing, and
looking out saw Yavapai rushing toward
the house, carrying in his arms little
Frances, who had wandered into the yard
He pushed her through the half opened
door and shut it tight, with the loud cry:
Stay in the housed Stay in the housc!''
Then ho started toward the corral, where
a crowd had gathered to see the awful at
tack upon the poor horse of fierce noun
tain lion that had wandered from its home
in the hills. Terror drove whites and
Mexicans away. Tho Indians alone stood
their ground, and with poisoned arrows
and the guns abandoned by the whites
tried to kill the dangerous wild animal
Yavapai was especially lucky in shooting
tho creature, which, although wounded,
turned from the now dying, fcebly strug-
Cling horse and with tho quickncss of its
kind reached out its great paw and drag
ged down Yavapai from the top of the
corral, where he leaned over. Tho poor
Tn In ha &c l.
der torn open in CHASTITY manner, yet he
lived and saw the lion, at which ali were
now shooting flercely leap over the corral,
scattering the Indians in every direction,
and, struggling and writhing, die In the
snow. The animals carcass was found to
weigh 900 pounds and measured 0 feet in
length. Old hunters said it was tho
strongest and fiercest Of KS kind.
MIR. Emerson had taken refuge in the
barn which adjoined the corral, and
through an opening In the boards saw all
the fearful sight. He had not the courage
to help In tho attack nor even the nerve
to leave tho spot When all was over and
the Indians had carried Yavapai home,
Mr.. Emerson fecbly tottered toward his
house. His wife cried out at sight of him:
WHO are your Oh. what does it mcan?"
She looked SO wild and mystified that the
horrible thought crossed his mind that
she, too, having seen the sickening, thrill
Ing scene at the corral, in consequence
had become deranged. But little Frances,
too, drew back and cried out in fear at
sight Of him.
At that moment he saw reflected in
mirror opposite the face of an old man,
with white hair and aged countenancc
He turned to SEQ what elderly stranger
Y, mLn
also, for the face was his own. His brown
hair was changed to snowy whiteness and
his altered countenance looked aged al
most beyond recognition The memorable