Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-04-19
THE STORY OF A LANCE HEAD.
Romance Of Spaniard Who DXet Among the Backisst.

elations.
1.-The chiefs warriors seized them
all, threw them into strong stone
lodge and told them to pray, for when
he sun rose the next morning they
would be shot. But there were those
who knew the bad brother had lied
and pitied them; in the middle of the
night these good friends let the pris-
oners out, gave them fast horses,
weapons, food and robes and sent
them away.
DAY after day, moon after moon.
they rode over to the north. One
night they camped by deep, swift
stream. Some of the prairie people
must have seen and followed them, for
as they sat about the fire toasting
some meat the air was suddenly filed
with arrows, and all of the strangers 8
companions fell over with scarcely a
cry or a struggle. He, too, was hit,
deep in the thigh, but pulled the AZ
row out, and with one jump went over
the high bank into therushing stream.
He floated and swan long way with
the current and then, crawling ont on
the shore, started to cross the valley
out to the rolling plain. When he
left this stream the next morning he
travelled two days without finding
water or anything to eat, and then he
must have gone crazy, for the next
thing he knew he was in our lodge.
''Well, whea he had told his story,
my father asked him what he intcnded
to do; if he would return to his coun-
try, or remain with us. He said that
he could never 60 back, much rs he
wished to, for the great chief would
kill him; SO ho would stay with us as
long az he lived. That pleased my
father; he gave him my sister for a
wife, lodge, rich clothing, good
weapons and many horses. We named
him Spai. yu, which is the word for
his tribe of white men.
$50 the years went on, and 1 grew
up to be tall, strong young man.
One day we were riding together
ahead OF the great camp, which was
moving from the Belt mountains to
the big falls on the Missouri, when he
said to me:
Brother, something is continually
pulling at my heart to return to my
country. Not to stay, but just to
punish that bad brother of mine. 1
have tried hard to resist this, for the
sake of my wife, but can do so no
longer. I must go. Will you take
the trail with me?'
"Of course would, and 400 war
riors came with MS. We travelled very
slowly, as we had long way to go,
and wished to keep our horses always
strong and fat. Sometimes we camped
two or three days at a time, where
game was plentiful and the grass good,
hunting while our animals rested.
After following up the Mountain Sheep
river, we kept on south along the foot
OF the great range, and after some
days crossed ovet on q trail used by
the tribes of that country, and again
travelled to the south. There the coun-
try was not so open, aud many little
ranges of mountains barred cur path.
After many days we came again TO
great open plains where the buffalo
were plentiful, but the country was
dry, and we often suffered for water.
One day we saw in the distance what
looked like great flat rock, upon
which people were moving about, and
Spai-yu told us it was made of mud
by the people who lived in it, AS We
rode nearer, those Of the strange build
ers who were not around on the plain
climbed up sticks to the top OF the
walls, and then pulled up the sticks.
Often, too, we passed. great herds of
beautiful, large, strong horses, and we
hated to leave them; but Spai-yu had
promised all we could drive away of
those belonging to him and his
brother, and we did in all things as
he wished us to. At last, one evening,
we came to low ridge covered with
trees, and he told us to camp, for on
the other side of it, in broad, open
valley, was his home. BY many a
camp fire on the way we had planned
just what should be done, and now,
as we lay in the brush, without fire or
shelter, we talked it all over for the
last time.
.With the first light of morning
we saddled up and rode to the top of
the ridge, where, looking out through
tlo trees, we Sa" Tue SreuU StOne lOQS0,
surrounded by beautiful grove On
! all sides OF it were wide fields, where
many things were planted. A little
further up the valley were many low,
| wooden lodges, where lived the people
! who worked these fields; they were
Indians, and no great fighters, we had
been told Still further away we
could see the hillsides covered with
horses, and our hearts were glad.
Presently the people came out of their
lodges and went to work.
Now, my friends, said Spai-yu,
I'VE will charge; remember what ha We
so often told yon: No women are to
be killed; you will know my brother
by his light red hair, and must not
touch him; leave him to me-
1.-The next tinstant we were off; quiet
ly at first, but as the nearer workers
SAW us and ran for their lodges, we
gave the war cry and rode like the
wind. Many of the people gained the