The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-15
He GOOD FOR-NOTHING.

Tho seutoncc-twcnty five lashc
and punishment from tho brigade
was carried out forthwith, amid the
tears and wailings Of the women and
children, whose appeals for mercy
were in vain. Louis never ilincheC
beneath the lash, but when the little
ones ilocked about him with farewell
one of themselves.
"Adieu. my dear little friends,
adicn Pray to the good God for me.
forget my fault. Your blessing, my
father" Ho knclta minute before the
priest, then vaultcd into his saddle and
rodo rapidly away.
The Outcast shaped his course north
westward, us the crow lies, intending
to make the settlement at Edmonton,
on the North Saskatchewan. His road
lay all before him, for the great plains
were as familiar to him as the streets
OF city arc to its inhabitants. His
! back throbbcL and smartcd from the
lashcs he had received, but tho greater
smart was within. Every fiber OF his
moral being tinglod with the disgrace
THAI had been put upon him, and he
resolved TO bury himself forever in
some iav-olT corner of the north coun-
try, where, ucrchancC, the story Of his
shame might not penetrate.
On the third Hay OF his solitary ride
! he sighted the W&"caGa creek, and
dotted three indian i0d;rrS standing on
lis bank. y cornl. of starved dogs
! ho".vD u.sthH!.y n bC drc" near, but
no smoke o. otEcr sign OF lie was ap-
parent Ar hailed ~ Cree silence,
save fNr III" mNurH'nl whining OF the
00HS. tha. now stun whimpering
un,,,. ni- inr.n's ,.,,r Ic D1vanrnd
cautiously. nV@i.rd =. ;uc uncanny up-
prNranrc .! tni0&'. AAU became con-
srioJ, " Al oHrN$''H oGor that grow
more Nu.NHNtr - eve. ~.cp. Alarmed,
anN intensely yN'.,, * capped to the
ground ana stvu,. >".:| TO the door
~ The nrHr"S; {. ..n-e, iiorror With
in lay tiy2 swGa,E ,r:r>ts--a man, a
woman ;.nu three -. "rrn-small-pox
lie tUrn,j e. A. rom the plague
stricken pl"rc. ia. trcblc moan, so
tatnt a. 10 W a,l"N-t inaudible, ar
rested him. tie !i-.cncd intcntly.
" Wafer.
Oh. The p:t.tu. p.rAdlng conveyed in
shat one simple "". .d.-who could resist
!: In an instant .ouis had forgotten
his terror. his danger, his disgust,
crcrythi",! except INA; u low crca-
tIrc "uM IN u,"A ut>tccsS. In less time
,is0n IL takes 20 record the good deed,
he "A- tcnUcrIE supporting the poor
fever stricken form, while holding Il
lreci"A:. !H9'Giving draught to tho
swo.'cu lips.
Tnr surT.vrr OF the camp was a
young Cree woman. She had nursed
the others while her strength lasted,
and then, overcome by the pcstilcncc,
had lain down 70 die. When Louis
found her, tuc disease had run It's
cry ,ly., tn hn
of cold water anu his after good Offices,
her life was saved. Ho made shelter
Of willow branches near the waters
edge, to which he removed his patient,
making her a comfortable bed Of grass
and leaves, over which he spread his
own blankets. Then he set about dis
posing Of the dead. He burned tho
tcppees and their contents, and man
aged, with infinite toil-an axe being
the only tool available to scoop out taC
trench in which he deposited the poor
aemblances OF humanlty-elcven IN
number. His self-imposed task was
loathsome in the extreme, and when /,
was completed he felt sick and OK
hausted. ,..-....-..-.-...
| He learned from the young woman
who WAS rapidly regaining strength
that she and her companions hat
| formed one OF a numoer OF small partle'
into which tho main camp OF the Crec'
had broken up when the disease mrs.
attacked them, hoping In that way tt
avoid contaglon. 1T vas bclleVed t'
have come to them through the 5looa
and SarccCs, from tho WOOD Mountalt
country, where IT was SAID TO DC raging
Ho heard hcr story WIN greaI con
Germ. tic knew that the hunters were
following the DulIalo 10 tne so2tn"est
which would lead them dlrcctiy 10 th'
very source OF the disease. Ii, haPplly
the; mad tnus lar escaped laillng II
with any OF the lugltlVes, VINO "er
heeing IN al dlrcctlonS from inc drea'
pestliencc, there mlgnt even you D
time TO save inc brigade py Gurhlh'
them back TO the settlement ne wa
sick his bones were rackcu VIII
pain, ms hcad splttlng' MS eyes ourl
ing, his throat parcheu' ms s'op heav
and uncertain, out, no natter, nc "onl
make the attempt Hhe woman dls
suaded him. =,
Stay, my brother. IL Ii not IN thc
to do what thou wouldst. Inc pa
sickness is upon thee, even now an
1 hnf fhrn thn,1 hQSt ridden fnr. Tho nlllC