New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-02
SQUAW CHARLEY.
THE TRAGI-COMEDY OF AN ABORIGINAL
OUTCAsT OF THE COMSTOCK

From The Argonaut.
1t Is many years since poor Squaw Charley
| enacted his tragi-comedy to the end and passed
on to the happy hunting grounds but many
who were once denizens or that strange CITY
whose ways he trod will still recall him to mind
when In a reminiscent mood. 1t was unique
city, set on hill. and its fame was not hid
under a bushel. but went abroad in the earth,
! for the shares Of its great silver lode were
eagerly bought and sold in all the stock marts
of the world. 1t had two level streets whereon
its business was transacted and the rest OF II
hung by its eyeids where and how II could,
TO the porphyry outcrops OF the mountain mat
| rose behind it, glowing all the long summer
with myriads of bright yellow sunlowers;
At some time in his past Charley had COM
miited the red mans objectionable shine had
proved himself craven in some crucial mo-
ment. and all his life henceforth must wear the
uniform of his shame, which, according to i'm
| memorial usage is female apparel No Pluto
woman ever wore 4 crinone, but within the
recent memory of man 1t had been the distinc-
tive badge OF white femnnity; so, to make his
punishment doubly atrocious the victim was
ENGAGED in a discarded hoop. garnered from
some ash heap. When Charley was fortunate
enough to possess a skirt and shawl to hide his
skeleton ne might pass comparatively unnouced
up and down the streets. But his resources did
not always permit such luxury. and then his
! long limbs, clad in somebody's cast-off neither
| garments-it might be pair OF ragged blue
oYcralls, or with more startling effect pair
OF red flannel drawers-loomed grotesquely
through the rusty and distorted bars or his per-
ambuiating prison.
! We palefaces always wondered what occult
power compelled the stalwart, handsome fellow
! to yield obedience to the tribal decree or. il
/ such power existed, what prevented him from
betaking himself beyond its reach. But the I'M
| written law Of the nomad Is obeved as will never
| he the printed and concentrated and enshelved
| code OF any civilized race. Charley remained
and endured to the end with socal patience.
| His ostracism complete Dwelling in the
midst OF his kind he was cut off from among
! them. lie might stand wstfuy watching
| the outskirts OF laughing, gambling group. but
/ he vas never invited to take a hand; he might
gaze lOnGingly at a merry picnic party on a tim
/ Der pile feastns on watermelon, but no juicy
morse was rendered him His own sex
repudiated him utterly; did he approach a knot
| Of the sex whom his garb travesticu they hout-
/ ed him and moved away. laughing. the children
/ Of both sexes and two races jeered at him with
| the Needless barbarity ~ youth.
One fortunate day he acquired stray dog,
vicious. mongre cur and thenceforth the two
outcasts inseparable. Together they were
an-hungered. together they endured the gbes.
! and sometimes the missiles, Of their deriders;
| and together they cudded at night for mutual
warmth Together they not inlsequenty came
TO our hack door. ard the animal retired depre-
! catingly to n corner while his anonymously
CARRIED master sawed wood Or split kindiings.
But when the task was done he came forth
promptly 10 share the compensatne ration, and
unfangly got nis share, whether the dole were
meaere or abundant often then tn man threw
himself down upon he sand. with his back
propped AGAINST u srn-heated boWldsr II the
| corner ~ our fence. and lay ther" for hours.
/ his gaz, fixed upon thr FAR horizon. while facinS
/ him sat the dog alert at his slightest move
ment its amber orb--l.kc many cars, i had
! beautiful cycs-iXed steadiasuy upon MN IL
/ was Il strange landscape that Ch2rley'S stole
/ gaz, ranged oyer Far below him the can
yon wound for miles. like a "rithns serpent
before it debouched into the desert. whence me
/ camel trains came u? nom F9,t Cn4Hrcnn.,
/ laden with salt and boraX for thn reduction
works. and where. Of nj orno0ns, the sand
storms Waited gayly in the sun, in couples and
/ tros trdl Cling about IN :"aying hourgiass
columns that reached from Garth 10 sky In all
tn, immense prospect there were but TWO things
the brilliant concaye vault and the bare brown
Garth scared. upholV.d ana cont9ried by the
thr0e, II world Birth iiut in richness OF color
ing over varying and ever beautiful effects OF
passing cloud shadows and vast solemn grand
] CIR that scene has no equal IN any and.
Whether or not any ~ It's profound. deAthlike
peace entered the Piu,cs soul il j. cer'dln mat
/ no white creature ever lived long IN the face OF
! IL without growing 10 feel & fatalistIc resisna-
| ton Sealing over his spirit
As time wore on Charley and his dog became
such familiar figures to the Comstockers that
| th.y ceased TO glance a second time at their
pathetic Consequences. and he children gave
| over tormcniing them.
| His punishment was 20 him Nhai eNconfnunl
cation must have been 20 its victims N the Mid
81. Ages Nothing il abhOrrrnt To the savage
/ as solitude; and Charley gre" abJect dropping
prelnaiurely old while his dog grew dairy more
ill-tcnutred and disreputable. But rates most
crushing blow was Yet - fail one day an rate
gate keeper shot his dog, caught in the very
act of marauling among the white mans chck-
cns. over the body of his slain companion
charley went the only tears n was oyer known
to sh.! and bore IL of iu his arms. a bowed,
d.solate figure slowly fading from Ken hsali'9'
ashcn plain and ul,ramarinc sky.
tn, pariah was seen no more ~ me hau
If mon and il was long after when prospecting
/ found his skeleton. ~tI cascl 90 ih' pii"ucu
/ st..i. nf tho oll hnlu-Nirt Non" could know
how h. mt his cnd nor through BOW many
/ hotrs ~ DAYS Of thirst and anguish The on cast
had wrestl.d alone with The grim c9nquefor oi
an rs 3D., beast dirth so dis t1o lnd,an, ana
Charley had prrchance not Jared mu'h "o'S'
nj her pf n I