The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1894-05-02
JAke.5 3i.1AooaE.


" hAb tuO Astisth AFtR 80
Eesctin,;.
| had seen some rough and reckless
teamsters On the plains before fell
in with the man ever body LneY as Jake
alone, but it didn't take me half a day to
decide that he was the toughest OF the
rough lot. | heard soldiers who had
known him for years declare that the only
redeeming trait he had was his bulldog
courage. He'd drive his six mule team
right through a war party of C~heyennes II
ordered to, and he'd fight any white man
living with IN sort of weapon. No com
pany of soldiers would use as much pro-
family in a day as Jake would in a quar-
ter of an hour. He was cruel to his mules,
tyrannical to his companions, and there
was no one to even wish him good luck.
When l had charge of the wagon guard,
used to study the man, hoping to find one
thing to prove that he was not as bad as
everybody made him out to be, but my
efforts were In vain. That man appeared
to hate everything with life, and once
when somebody spoke of the hereafter in
his presence he cursed and reyiled until
he had to be ordered under arrest and a
gag placed in his mouth. He had killed
or crippled q dozen men, though always
escaping conviction, and but for his cour-
age, which is looked upon as a rarity
among teamsters under convoy, he would
not have been allowed in any train.
Ibid more than study Jake-I tried to
make friends with him. He met me in
such a contemptuous, belligerent spirit,
however, that | turned away despairingly.
What was it to me whether he was good or
badi Nothing, l reply, and yet l some
how wanted to dig down below the crust
and discover what made him the wicked,
reckless man he was-to touch that chord
which Is to be found in every human
breast, no matter how much evil covers
1t up and conceals it. When he continued
to repulse me, / left him to himself, as all
others had done, but / never got sight OF
him without feeling that the time would
come when his better nature would shine
out, il only for a moment.
One summers day, when our train Of 80
wagons was strung out on, the, hot plains
and the escort was smaller than usual, the
crafty Cheyennes suddenly charged us. A
soldier Is always ready for a brush and is
boiuOm JuTOWn vi LIS O6AdhCOt III L
frankly admit that but for the courageous
conduct of Jake on that occasion the train
would have been lost. His face wore a
look OF fendish delight as he rushed up
and down, now firing a shot and now
kicking and cursing a cowardly teamster.
He got the train closed up, put heart into
the drivers and gave the small escort OPP
portunity to make the best of the situa-
ton. After a hot fight we beat the red
skins off, and as they retired grndgingly
behind a ridge we pursued our way. We
had gone about a mile when Jake rode to
the head Of the column IN a lead horse.
He was pale faced and trembling, and 1t
was only after W or three. efforts that he
succeeded in calling out:,
.Captain, for heavens sake stop the
train for 10 minutesl" ~
"For what r~eason7" l asked.
because l lost my treasure back there
and must recover it. Please order a halt.
The Injuns are licked and will not, attack
again"
/ thought the man had lost his wallet
when he spoke of his treasure, but his
voice and demeanor had SO changed that
everybody looked at him in amazement.
The train was halted, and Iasked him how
much money he had lost and where he
hoped to find it., asaa. ~,
money! he walled out as II his heart
were breaking. ut isn't money, but my
treasure-my %relicsi I've carried 'em fur
over Is years, and if they are gone 1 shan't
want to live another hourP
"But l can't spare you an escort to go
back there. See. The Indians are still
watching usl"
81 don't want al escorti Hold thetrain
10 minutes, and I'll either be dead or with
you again!' Sal
He rode straight back at the Indians as
fast as his horse could GO, and as he rode
he scanned the ground to the right and
left and before him. The redskins were
puzzled and suspicious and retreated a lit
tie, but when it became apparent that he
was searching for some lost article they
moved, to close In on him We couldn't
stand that. To lose the train in trying to
ssye Jake meant court martial and dis
grace, but the teamsters were left to do the
bestithey could, and every trooper put spur
to his horse. We saw Jake dismount and
snatch up a small parcel from the grass
his lost treasure. The act cost him his
life. Before he could remount the Indians
were near enough to fire upon him, and
though they did not get his scalp they
laid him low. We drove them off and car
ried his body back to the train. In his
left hand was clutched his package, and
his fingers were so tightly clinched that II
took strong hands to open them. +
Jake's treasure-his relics! What do
you suppose they werei We knew him for
a wicked. heartless man, fearing no God
and. caring for no mans good opinion, and
You can imagine our establishment when
that packet, carefully wrapped in oilskin
and tied and sealed with great care, was
unfolded and we found a wee little nit
ten, a child's tin whistle, a battered old
rattle box and a lock of hair as fine and