The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-09-07
INJUN JOE.
Barney's Adventure with the Last
of the IrOQuoiS.

Barney's Adventure with the Last
of the Iroquois.
Hidden away from the riotous world
is rustic little Moose village. Every
body in the Ottawa valley knows it
The brown river flows slowly past as If
sorry to leave it; the inha bitants are
wont To remark that nothing but
death or a bear hunt way back on
the nation" can ever draw them away;
and last, but not least, when ''Injun
Joe" fixed up his wigwam on the
Point, although he didn't know it, peo-
pie concluded that they might reckon
on him as a permanency. The Point
was about half mile above the viii
lage. and its silver sands ran a long
way out. Just at the extreme edge,
within "A few feet of the tapping water,
and sheltered by one majestic sugar
maple. Injun 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
however, was generally regarded in
Millers 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
MOntreallerS who 90 about digging in
the mountains for Indian graves An
now they We let him out, of course he
ain t goin' back To a place where there
ain no whisky. You bet your boots
that's about the size of it." and Bar
ney, absently taking a plug of his
nCi%hbor's tobacco, went out into the
night.
1t was a lovely summer night. The
air was filled with dancing fircfiies,
weaving and W inding in and out the
long grass. and waylaying one another
in the Whispering leaves of bushes In
and ont, their little lamps went flick
cring through the night in such heed
less, happy merriment that Barney
stopped tn look at them. All the world
vas full of firetiies. He seemed To be
treading ON them. and with drunken
gravity began To lift his feet high not
to crush their little lives out At this
moment bigger light CLEANED up be
fore him in the distance. 1t seemed to
bc an enormous firedv beczoning him
ON through the village and into the
cool languorous depths of the summer
night. Close by the river wandered
at its own sweet will" Only the voices
of the raftsTnen, as they made for the
falls. broke the stiffness. Barney
pulled up and listened to them.
''Thet's So" he said, with drunken
it Row. brothers row, the stream run,
fast. The iiretlies are-no, that's
wrong. That's wrong, Barney. / say
its wrong If YOU don't believe me,
catch one and ask him"
lie set of in IA sidclong kind of run
sat down on nothin"1ess. and sudden
" collapsed in the middle of the road
I've 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-
gleise. an I'll git"
The FREELY didn't apologize, for the
simple reason that it was hundred
yards away. This suddenly dawned
upon Barney, and he followed it
through the long grass.
The ripple of the flowing tide sounded
-
drew him To- the river shore. Right out
on the point, the big FREELY glowed
steadily but not like the others. 1t
was a 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
ha li,aH In
but some irresistible power impelled
him To do so. Suddenly he found him
self within twenty yards of the point,
and-sober,
He skunk down behind the bushes in
amazement. for the firctiy which he
had followed was the light of Injun
Joe's camp fire, and lnjun Joe was
there; but not the In Jun Joe the laugh
and scorn and mock of the village. but
another being altogether full
blooded brave in his war paint, with
tnmahawll and rifle by his side, and
his copper-colorcd checks glowing in
the freight with vermillion. long
scalplocll hung from his shaven crown.
Gosh. what's this?" said the per
picked Barney. The boys will think
I'm drcamingi''
The Indian did not stir or give one
sign of life. He looked across the
river at the long range of the Lauren
tian hills. as if marking the dark
sweep of the pines which crested their
SUBMITS. He seemed To be waiting.
Barney crept a little nearer.
Suddenly birch bark canoe shot out
from little island in the middle of the
river and gliled noisele:,sly through
the night. 1t was padded by squlw.
She was clad in deerslin, and toque
of earle feathers rose from her long,
llowin~ tresses.
Come, my white brother, come"
said Injun Joe, without looking
around. 'Lelota waits"
Barney came forward with an un-
easy laugh. Il reckon, old Fenni-
more Cooper, you'll have the judge
down on you if you're up to any of
your larlls."
Come" said Injun Joe. gravely,
and barney stepped into the canoe,
which sank nearly to the waters edge.
The squaw padded noiselessly, with
swift. rapid strokes, across the river
until they reached the opposite shore.
They got out and beached the canoe.
Come said In Jun Joe, leading the
way, and Barney, humoring the joke,
fell into single file.
They went on through the dark
night. treading upon the noiseless
needles of the pines. The bouShs bent
down ard hid the moon. Barney be-
gan to shIycr. Was il a phantom IN
front of him. or only drunken lro-