The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-08-17
A PROPHECY.

That was q strange winter in Arizona
In tho mountains, of course, there is al
ways snow, but during january, 1881, it
lay so long and SO deep that ranchmen and
miners wero in despair. Tho people mt
Phenix on one day long to be remembered
caught tho edge of storm raging in higher
attitudes, and even in the warm valley
snow fell and lay for some hours among
tho verdant palms and olcandcrs The like
had never been known before in the time
of tho white inhabitants, and the Mcxicans
and Indians, whose homes had been there
for centuries, had no traditions among
them of q similar event
But If the snow soon melted in tho val
leys 1t remained long among the noun
tains, and the Ave Sunpais, finding their
canyon homo uninhabitablc, left it and
came down to camp near Pioneer where
tho mir was mildcr and there was /; chance
of obtaining something to eat from the
bounty of the moro fortunate They built
themselves temporary houses of brush and
waited patiently until tho unusual snow
in the canyons had melted Their pres
ence near the town was resented, so strange
is our humanity, and preparations were
made to drive them back like hunted ami
mails. "We'vc got grcascrs enough to give
the place lack of rcspectability without
having q lot of Indians providing about"
the white people said dsdainfully.
Mr. Emerson, young man who had
como to the mountains for lung trouble
and kept small store, but not for his
health, was especially disgustcd with ono
of tho Indians, named Yavapai, who
would persist in sitting on the porch by
the store. Hours he would sit there, with
his eyes on tho mountains. 1t was said
that no had onco been q great hunter but
his contact with civilization had not been
beneficial to him. Now he was fat and
lazy, content to rest his powerful frame
upon u dry goods box and subsist upon
chance charity. One day, in transportation
ut sight of so much avoirdupois in con-
slant idlcness, Mr. Emerson ordered the
Indian from tho store. Yavapai drcw his
ragged blanket about him in insultcd dig
nifty, and with flashing eyes left the place.
Mr. Emerson, considering mt his leisure,
concluded he had done an unwisc thing
lilo know by experience little of Indian
nature, but he judged from what he had
read that Yavapai would seek revenge
against him by firing his barn, injuring
his 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 at her gate. She
had often fed him, being generous
whole sonlcd woman who could not bear to
see even worthless human being go hun
CRY. Yavapai was pointing in the snow to
tracks which Mrs Emerson thought to be
those of dog, but the savage, his intclli-
gcncc kcener in such matters, told hon
Coyotes! coyotes!' Mrs. Emerson
glanced with solicitudc toward the hen
house and barnyard When that night she
told her husband of tho occurrence he
said Yes, this storm is tho worst ever
b YNAt t,.k., T.. 4. -.
beasts out of their holes in the hills. Tt is
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
sewing, heard a 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 tho yard
He pushed her through the half opcncd
door and shut it tight, with tho loud cry:
Stay in tho housed Stay in tho housed"
Then ho started toward tho corral, where
crowd had gathered to SEQ the awful at
tack upon tho poor horse of q fierce noun.
tain lion that had wandered from its home
in the hills. Terror drove whites and
McXicans away. The 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
the creature, which. although wounded,
turned from the now dying, fecbly strug-
Cling horse and with the quickncss of its
Kind reached out its great paw and drag
ged down Yavapai from the top of the
corral, where he leaned over The poor
Indian lay under the lions paw, his shout
der torn open in ghastlymanncr, yet he
lived ana saw the lion, ut which all were
now shooting ficrcely, 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 300 pounds and measured feet in
length. Old hunters said 1t was the
strongest and flcrccst of it's kind
Mr. Emerson had taken refuge in tho
barn which adjoincd tho 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 the spot When all was over and
the Indians Lad carried Yavapai home,
Mr.. Emerson tucil,' tottcrcd toward his
house His wife cliod out al sight of him:
WHO 40 you: Oh what does ii mean?"
S!ic looked 50 wild and mystincd that tho
horrible thought crossed his mind that
She, too, havi:ig seen the sickcning thrill
ing scene at the corral. in consequence
iiau icco,nC ccr;.!lscd. But little frances,
too, drew back ana cried out in fear at
sight OF him.
at that moment he saw reflected In a.
mirror opposite the face OF an old ,nan.
with w!.!tr hair and aged countcnancc
He turucd to SEQ what elderly stranger
was in his home. Tho reflection turned