Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-01-04

L1-NA Cnauce WIS lrau9nt
wv with pleasant men,
ories to the many.
Louis was good for-nothing, as even
those who loved him had to aelnowl-
edge. He was a wanderer of the
wanderers; here to. o.day, away to.
morrow, ever on the move; tripping,
trading, driving dogs, fishing, hunt
ing, freighting, trapping, handy man
in camp in the woods, iu boat or
canoe, or on the plains, at home
everywhere. A fearless rider, skiful
dog driver, trusty guide, an expert
gambler, an inimitable raconteur, q
rnre good fiddler, aud withalI q jovial
poor soul whose abundant good quail
tiles outnumbered the bad in his
oddly equipped personality. The men
pretended to despise him when re-
moved from the influence of his ire
sistible good humor, the women
scolded and petted him by turns, the
girls admired him in secret, aud the
children worshiped him. The hero of
many IN unenviable exploit--of duties
neglected or promises forgotten, but
never guilty of the meanness of theft
or criminal untruth there came q
day when Louis found himself in sad
disgrace.
he had joined the autumn brigade
of buffalo hunters that started west
ward from the Red River every mid
summer, anl-just as their hope of
securing winters supply of meat and
a rich booty OF robes was on the point
of fruition-had committed an act
which, in its very thoughtlessness,
trnnscended all his past sins and
called for condign punishment
The laws of the half-breed hunters
OF the plains were contained in an
unwritten code, whose "shalt not's'
were few and easy of comprehension,
but their observance was vigorously
enforced, and punishment for their
lnfraction was immediate and severe.
The penalty varied with the degree OF
guilt, and ranged from the loss OF the
offenders saddle, bride or coat, to
tiogging, and, in extreme cases, ban
ishmcnt from the brigade. Louis's
crime fell within the last category.
One evening the scouts reported a
great herd of buffalo three hours
ahead of tho advancing brigade. Camp
was made at once, sentries poste /, and
strict silence enioined upon all. Then,
after long hours of nervous alertness,
the hunters sped swiftly and silently
away before dawn, to the mighty
deed of slaughter, which was to mark
the birth of the new day. The riders
spread out in long line to right and
left as they advanced, and at length
crested the summit of range OF low
lying hills that bounded one side oI
the valley i'll which tho unsuspecting
prey were grazing peacefully. From
She height they overlooked broaC
depression whose further limit OF en-
circliag hills was already made glor
!cus by the opalescent tints of thu
rising sun; beneath them hoated
cloud of quivering, undulating, SNOWY
mist that hid the valleys bottom anC
shut from their view the thousands o
wild cattle, whose presence was, never
theles9, made certain by the muflie,
snorts a21 low believing that reached
their ears through tho evanescent cur
tain.
A sign from Pierre Delorme, th,
captain, brought the limo to halt
the hunters made hasty preparation
for the grand charge 10 osening thei
powder horns, filing their mouth
with bullets, and adjusting cinche
and saddies-ail eyes were fixed OF
! Pierre, whose signal "Ho!" should Sc
them charging madly on the herd A
the supreme moment an eagle cam
soaring over the valley, Louiss gul
rang ont, and the bird tnmbled,
dishevelled bulk, through the startled
mir. In an instant the distant hill
tops were black with fleeing buTaloes
Up from the mist they rose like SCI
monsters from the waves, and were ot
over the divide, the earth vibratin,
beneath the shock of the myriat
hoofs. The hunters charged, but to,
late all that was left for their bullet
and knives were the poor outcasts AM
strnys-the sick, disabled, or weak
lings-distanced or nlured in tn
blind, mad rush for life.
Conscience-str and heavy
hearted, Louis picked up the dea,
eaglo and returned to camp. He mad
full confession of his fault, but ex
pressed no hope of pardon and olfere,
40 excuse. The women and old mel
heaped reproaches upon him. Th
unfortunate bird, the cause of it nil
! was flung on the tire-a burnt olferln;
to their outraged feeling AMI Loui
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