The record-union., 1897-09-10
The BATTLE-GROUND. +"
CWritten for the Record Union b
Beselena.)

CWritten for the Record Union by
Beselena.)
Many moons ago, when the white
man was beginning to encroach upon
the Indians domain in the treecad for
est, there lived on the outskirts of the
sparsely settled village Of Vancouver
a tribe of Indians presided over by old
chief OmtuX. This Chief and his
braves were the white mans friend,
they showed the pale faces which
streams contained the largest salmon
and in the depth of the forest where
the biggest game was to be found
Omtux was a man of broad and SYM
! pathetic nature, and a lover of peace.
Not far from the encampment of Om-
tux there dwelt another band of In
dams who looked upon the white set
| tiers with vengeful eyes, but as they
| had never openly moiested them the
settlers did not fear them One day
they were rudely awakened from their
/ dream Of peace. Early in the morn
! ing, just as the first faint strealzs OF
dawn We're mantelng in the roseate
| east, a breathless rider dashed into
camp with the news that both tribes OF
/ Indians had left during the night. The
quiet settlement was at once thrown in
/ to state of widest excitement
/ Groups of pale, determined men gath
! cred together and spoke earnestly,
While women clasped their children
! closer to their breasts and spoke to
each other in frightened whispers. Only
one construction could be placed up
on the action of the Indians. and that
/ Io+
either by threats or coercion. had been
induced to join in with the unfriendIy
Indians and that their sudden Depart
ure was for the purpose of a concen-
trated attack a any moment.
| In their minds eye the villagers saw
| the homes they had worked so hard to
! build burned by the savage redskins
/ before their very eyes, their cattle ami
| horses turned loose upon the plains,
| their children murdered and a fate
worse than death overtaking their
women.
| After a hurried consultation some
| thirty picked men, under the leader
| ship of the Colonel of the fort, started
| out to find Omtux and bring him
! back at all hazards. The little band
/
busy with his own thoughts. They
/ could easily distinguish the Indians
trail in the soft earth and in little
While came across them in the shadow
OF deep raVine. The Indians greet
ed them with every token of good fell
! lowship, and in answer TO questions as
to why they had left the settlement
Omtux explained that they had cause
to fear the other band of Indians and
rather than get into trouble he had
folded his tent like the Arab and quf-
city stolen away
After hearing that his enemies had
also departed he readily consented to
return, and after a short rest the white
men prepared to set out on their way
homeWard, well satisfied with the re-
suit Of their expedition. AS the men
were riding along the dusty road,
laughing, singing and joking in very
different mood from that in which
they had started out, the leader sud-
denly stopped his horse, and raised his
hand with warning gesture
Instantly silence fell upon the par
ty; through years of bitter experience
they had learned that in this wild
Western country even a look may be
freighted with world of significance.
They gathered about their leader who
silently pointed to the ground, and
there under a clump of bushes the men
were horrified to see before them the
murdered body of Omtux.
call for a volunteer to bear the bad
news to the Indians was at once made
and a man named LaBelle, a French
man, Instantly responded. The body
Of the murdered Chief was set on his
horse and leading the animal by the
bridal the intrepid Frenchman once
more turned his face toward the In
dian encampment while the rest of
the party continued their way to the
village, there to await his return.
When the Indians saw the white man
approaching with the body of their
Chief on his horse they rushed out to
meet him and when they saw that the
old man was dead great was their
grief. AT first they We're strongly in
clined to suspect the whites of hav-
ing hand in the old mans death. and
| it required all of LaBelle's powers Of
reasoning to convince them to the con-
trary. He still insisted that they
should return to the settlement, but to
this proposition there We're many who
now demurred, so the son of the late
Chief, who was now in command or
dered that great council fire should
be built. Accordingly the squaws
cleared off space of ground and from
| the forest brought brush and sticks
and the bark of trees and soon the red
t0nOIaG of fQn1a We Lon, ~
Then came the warriors in all the hid
eous glory of their war paint and
feathers and solemnly squatted them
selves around it. The scene was rem
dered still more impressive by the
voices of the squaws in the tent of the
late Chief chanting the death wall.
Finally, after great deal of discuss
ion. it was decided that the Indians
would return if their white brothers
would give them one day in which to
lament over their departed Chief and
conduct him to the happy hunting
grounds with all Of the pomp and GER
emony behtting man of his rank and
station in life. This proposition was
accepted. Thereupon the new Chief
seized glowing ember from the fire
with which the pipe of peace was lit
and smoked.
When LaBelle returned and the wom-
en- found that the Indians were not with
him they were very indignant. Short
~ after this they could be seen going
from house to house carrying in their
arms sundry mysterious parcels which
were finally gathered together and TAX
en- by them to the block house, where
the men mad gathered and unnn the