The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-05-11
The Life of Mic las.

and 1. rolled into one Of the deepest
| After houndering a while the horse get
| ting rather the better of Il. we separat-
| ed, he to eat grass, far down the val
| ley, and l TO see what progress could be
made on one leg. Finding the topog-
| raphy bad for hoppin, and having sore
! ~ bruised hand, sat down TO rest
| among the rocks. After while some
| one began TO sing in the tuna patch on
| the hill side below. II was a bad coun-
| try, but one can generally trust man
/ who sings alone and I had TO trust
| somebody soon, for 1 was getting fever
| ish. Nicolas came 10 my call. l can see
| him yet, about five feet ten, wide back.
| deep chest, and heavy limbs. He was
| pure Indian about twenty years old.
| His ugly. fiat, copper face could wear
| the sweetest smile that ever made mani
| fest Divinity in clay.
He knew but little Spanish and moth
| Ing Of mis- Otorni dialect, but with Span
| ish and signs. aided by my damaged APP
| pearance, we understood one another. He
| took me on his back. and carrying me
| down long, rugged slope, reached at
| last a hut in the valley. next a small
| patch of corn and some tuna trees. In
side the hut 1 was placed on a rude bed,
| arranged with my own blankets, and
! then he fetched in his grandmother 1t
may have been the fever, but il seemed
that of all the ugly old ladies 1 had
ever seen this one was the ugliest. 1
had five hundred dollars in gold in my
belt, and there was the pistol, horse and
saddle; .but the fever was getting strong
sr, and I did not care much for things.
There was a long period of pains, and
odd dreams, with nasty drinks between
them, and three days later I woke up.
Nicolas and the old lady were there
and much TO my surprise so was my
money and other property. They had
spent two silver dollars for a herb doc
tor, who was responsible for the nasty
drinks. / had no more fever and after
eight days was ready to leave, and
thanking my host 1 asked for my bill.
They turned over everything in good or
der, save the two dollars of the herb doc
tor, and four more spent for my az Nlnt
for chickens, eggs and extras. Neither
knew how to write, but Nicolas had kept
account on a dirty piece of paper by
making rude drawing Of eggs, chickens
ard other items. I settled up and kept
the coucher as a curiosity. l gave the
old lady gold piece, and offered one to
Nicolas, but ne refused and asked for
work on the railroad, and l gave him a
place as laborer.
Laborers of a sort were plentiful. but
trustworthy men, who would take an in
terest in the work, were very scarce.
Nicolas soon showed himself to- be a
frst-class man. In two years he learned
to read write and speak Spanish huently
and a good deal of English, and was the
best gang foreman 1 ever saw. He was
a favorte with everybody on the road,
always helping at any work, often with
the Celestial smile on his ugly face and
the cultural chuckle that served him for
a laugh. He was very economical and
had the Indian habit Of burying his earn
ings. For two or three months he would
deposit with me, but when the sum
reached forty or fifty dollars, he would
go home on leave and bury the surplus
In 1886 he told me with many chuckles
and smiles Of his approaching marriage,
and the Sunday afterward L saw the
bride at a feast. The marriage was ar
ranged for the following spring. In Jan
uary / sent him from the summit of the
Sierra down to Dos Rios, on a push-car,
down a grade of from two to four per
cent. He started with ten men. While |
dropping down under brakes a light rain |
began to freeze to the rails and par
alyze the brakes, and the car began to |
go too fast. Nicolas ordered his men ID
jump, but they were stupid with fright |
and he began to throw them off After |
he had tossed three, the car left the !
rail, entering a curve and cut, and all of !
ed The first three escaped with small I
damage, rolling down the fills a pass /
ing train picked up the wounded and that |
night l found Nicolas in the hospitaEin |
Mexico City. He knew me, but the doc |
tor said he would die His principal /
worry was whether he was to blame. I |
eased his mind on that point, but told |
him the doctors verdict. He smiled and |
said: Everybody dies once. Senior, |
please tell my grandmother to give half |
the money to my sweetheart, and keep |
the rest. 1 have been faithful. Please
don't forget me. Adios Senior" A white
later he di5d Now here was an Indian
who lived in the daily practice of hon
esty and charity, for the FIVE years that
l knew him. He worshiped God in III |
open and shared his food with every one
hiatt passed, and if it be our lot to wake
on the war side Of Death 1 shall look
for Nicolas.-Tobasc Carter, in Mexican
Herald.