The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-20

~ Vi rms story Was Awarded SecOn,
frize IN The UNIONS Contest. Open to Pupil
of tie Rapid City high School, for the hes
Black Hills Story.
In the spring of 1879, John Callistor
came TO the Black Hills, bringing Will
him his family which consisted of HI.
wife and one son.
The coming OF this family to tn,
much talked of country Was not fu,
wealth, as one might suppose, but t.
hunt a long lost daughter.
Thirteen years before, when Irene
Calliston was a little girl of four, a
band OF Indians hal come through the
central part of Nebraska. where the
Collisions then lived. Many of the
Indians had been to the home of Mr..
Calliston, and he and his wife had al
ways treated them kindly, but all their
Kindness was rewarded by treachery.
The chief aud d few Of his braves had
taken a great fancy to the little Irene.
Perhaps it was because she resembled
the Indians a little, witt, her long,
black hair and large, black eyes, Or
perhaps 1t vas the fearless way in
ehlch she received their offers of
friendliness, for she was not timld as
some children of her age would have
been, but seemed to look upon the red
men as friends. When the Indians de-
parted after a weeks stay il the vicin.
ity, they stole Irene and carried her
away with them. Her father and
many friends followed, but no trace OF
the child could they find, and at last all
thought that she was dead.
But Mr.. Calliston, with the idea thai,
she was alive and that some day he
would find her, had worked through
the long years with this journey in
view and had, at last, started for Da-
kota in ST arch of her.
The family settled neal the Bad
L"nds, between the Bad and White
rivers, and being right in the Indian
country, they could carry on t%be,search
without hindrapce. Many of the In
dams were hostile, yet Mr.. Calliston
and his son Robert, a brave young man
OF twenty-one, made frequent excur-
sions to the villages of the more peace
able tribes, for trading purposes, but
never met with any great danger.
About fifty miles south of Mr.. Cal.
liston's was the village which they
visited most. The chief, Wamboleche,
was too old to do much of the ruling of
his tribe, therefore he gave most Of his
royal power to his young naphew.
A.Bear.
Wamboleche regarded Mr.. Calliston
and Robert with much favor, but A.
Bear ha' I'd them both with an intens-
ity never rivaled. He hated Mr.
CaIliston because he was Roberts
father, and Robert because OF Tiasaga.
the young daughter of the chief. A.
Bear loved Tiasaga and thought tina,
Robert did also. for he did not know
that far away on the prairies of Ne
braska. Il blue eyed girl. was arxiously
awaiting the return of the young ad
venturer.
Winter was coming on, and the
search had not progressed rapidly, for
among all the girls of different nation
alities that they had seen in this wild
country, there was not n whom they
thought resembled Irene.
About Christmas, Robert went to
this village alone. On arriving there
he was received by A.Bear who said
that Wamboleche was very i'll and
could nc speak with the white man.
But ut that moment Tiasaga came GU
of the chiefs wigwam and, approach
ing the young men, informed Robert,
in Very broken English, that Wambo-
leohe wished to see him.
AS Robert entered the tepee he saw
that the great chief vas very near his
happy hunting ground, for he lay with
his eyes closed n breathed with
difficulty, but as soon as he heard the
young mans step he opened bis eyes
and raised his head. Robert approach
ed the skins which served for a bed.
and the dying man began t speak,
sa! ing: "Child Of the pale face. I am
6ying and I have something which 1
wish to tell you. Many years ago my
braves and l went ON a hunting expe
ditioh. W. were gone long, and be-
fore we returned We had been over all
the great prairie which lies many
miles TO the south. The white men
were kind to us, but one Of them had a
little child which we wanted. We
knew he would not give her to us, so
we stole her But we are sorry, for
since we took the white child to be d
daughter of the red men it SEEMS as if
the Great Spirit has deserted us.
II kept the child as my daughter and
call d her Tiasaga. A-Bear will be
chief o: my tribe when | am gone. but
! do not want him to have Tiasaga
SIZE hates him as deeply as 1 do. for he
is bad and treacherous, therefore, white
brother, as you have always been so
kind to us, take her to her parents.
Tleat her kindly for, although she has
always been with the red men, her
heart is tender, and cruelty might Kill
her. Do you understand me?"
Robert nodded assent, for ne could