The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-07-29
RATHER A COOL YARN.
IIcro's a Story That to BE Enjoyed should
DC Road with tho Thermometer Some.
where Up Among the Niuctics.

WueTe p AuOuS tno NiuSticS.
Chicago Times-Herald.
"The chilliest cold weather story !
ever heard" said Alfred s. Trude, was
told me by one John Coffee, a half-breSd
guide, who ranges around the upper
part of Wisconsin and the northern
peninsula of Michigan. Understand
me-" continued Mr.. Trude, placing an
earnest hand upon his listeners shoul-
der. understand me. do not vouch for
the truth of the story--I do not guar
antee its correctness In any particular
i simply give it to you as 1t was told
to me. You may take it into your own
consciousness and do with 1t as you
will. Doubt 1t or credit 1t, as you see
fit. For my own part. l wish to say
that l believe 1t. l have had consider
able experience in lawsuits, and have in
terviewed many witnesses In my time.
The more statements l hear in court
the more ! am inclined to look for truth
and propriety of speech in the men OF
the woods. They have not yet learned
that language was given man for the
purpose of concealing his real views.
Thus, when John Coffee, my guide,
told me the story of the big freeze of
1869 I drank it in like the water of a
spring. saw no reason to doubt his
veraclty. My account of the event will
not be SO picturesque as Coffee's, but
so long as the general facts are pre-
sented, presume it will be satisfac-
tory.
Late in January, 1860, so Coffee said,
James Buchanan Redblanket, an Indian
of good repute, left his home over back
Of Munising to take some skunk skins
and other peltry to Marquette, where
he aimed to market them. Mar
quette is about forty mile from Munsng
and as the snow was hard and Red
blankets six-dOg team had but about
two hundred pounds of skins to haul
on their sledge. the journey was ac-
counted as an easy eight or nine hour
trip. Redblanket was a husky man,
and good at heal and toe. He left home
at 6 o'clock in the morning. by the light
of the stars. Four hours later cold
weather settled down on the south
shore of Lake Superior like hired man
on his job Such a freeze had never
been known before. From reasonably
mild winters weather the temperature
Of that celebrated day in 1869 dropped
out of sight. If the family OF James
Buchanan Redblanket had possessed a
thermometer the mercury would have
curled up in the bulb and frozen into
bullet. But they had no thermometer,
and any discussion on the subject Is
futile.
His Absence Excitcs Curiosity.
"Three days elapsed and Redblanket
did not return to his humble home back
of the Bay Furnace company's loca-
tion. His tender papposes, who looked
for beads and things upon his return, be-
came fretful and clamorous. Even Mrs.
Redblanket's placidity was rufTled. and
she began wondering what had become
Of Jim. She told the nelghbors that he
had not returned, and as the weather
had moderated to about zero a party OF
six or eight started out for Marquette
to ascertain whether the offense for
which the townsman and tribesman
was detained was bailable under the
singular laws of the white intruders.
Twenty miles toward Marquette the out
fit came upon a silent panty. 1t con-
sisted of Redblanket, his six dog team
and q load Of skunk skins. They were
on slight incline. the dogs straining at
their collars for the pull and James
Buchanan Redblanket in the attitude of
one showing at the rear of the load.
He was doing his best to push a good
thing along, when the cold came and
froze him and his dogs stiff in their
tracks.
''He and his team were piled up on the
peltry and hauled back to the Munisng
settlement 1t was decided to give Red
blanket proper burial and to eat the
dogs, which is the economical practice
of the red man of the forest. One of the
party went ahead to break the news
and to prepare the town hall or coun-
Gil house for the funeral Redblanket
was what one might call an alderman
among the Indians and an ordinary
burial wouldn't do In his case. 1t would
have to be tribal affair. SO Gre was
built in the middle OF the earthen floor,
and when the funeral train arrived the
interior was hot and smoky. Red
blankets remains were deposited near
the fire and the dogs were stacked UP
outside for future reference. The bosses
of the camp were sitting around inside
smoking and the bereaved Mrs. Red
blanket and her feminine kindred were
practicing on the long yell to be raised
next day. when strange thing hap
pened. James Buchanan Redblanket
kicked off the Mackinaw blanket that
had been stretched over him and de-
manded first food and then fire water,
holding that. although an Indian and
as such not entitled to whiskey under
the United States law. yet having been