Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-08-09
ROSE OF WASHOE.
BY M. QUAD.
COPYRIGHT, 1900. ny C. n. LEWIS.

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One day in the early spring a pio
neer's wagon approached within mile
of Black Hill digglngs, and rough
looking man got cut and started to
climb the trnil. He was yet half n
mile away when he fell down exhaust
ed, and half dozen miners hurried
down to succor rim. He struggled up
before they reached him, and, waving
them back, he shouted:
Don't come near me. for I've got
smallpox, but for Coos sake bring me
come provisions. Me and my gal hev
not had bite to ea. FAR these two
daysl'
Smallpox was the dread of the
CAMPS. when q mirer was taken
down with the loHthsomr disease, be
was as good as dead. The miners stop
ped dead in their tracks as they hearl
the pioneers words, and after brief
consultation he was warned to remain
&whcre he was while they returned and
gathered up a liberal let os provisions
these were placed on the trail. and
when he had picked them Up they
threatened him with their pistols to
hurry him away. The man neither re-
turred thanks nor bernted them Cor
their seeming harshness. They saw
him reach his wagon, they saw him
1ccbly climb up beside a child on the
seat and when the vehicle slowly roll
ed on they heaved sighs of relief That
night Joe of Wnshoe arrived nt Black
Hill. II was dark. with cold rain fall
~ q
the day. His face went stern and his
eyes grew hard as the story was told,
and when 1t was finished he rose up
and asked:
'Did the man say thar was gal
with hing
ayes"
"And you saw her in the wagon"
"Yes."
"And you driv 'em off to die when
you could hev lowed 'em to camp at
the foot of the hill! If that's the kind
O. men you ar at Black Hill, want to
git out quick"
But 1t is smallpox" persisted one
OF the men.
"ATore's the pity. Think o. that sick
man drivin away with that leetle gal
alongside O. him-drivin away to his
ienth. There may hev bin wife and
mother-other children. Mebbe they
was dead in the wagon. Men, you did
q cruel, wicked thing"
"But think of the 80 men the small
poS took out o the camp at Red Rock
last fallw
''But amt thinkin o. that. I'm
thnkin o. man drlvin Off to die with
lectle gal s!ttin up alongside o. him."
He packed mp some provisions, rolled
up his blankets. and picking up wa
ter jug and his rife, he said:
Pm goin TO overhaul 'em and stand
by em unless ! find both deadw
A score Of protests were hurled at
him, but the man stepped forth into
the black night without n word in re-
ply and almost Instantly disappeared
from sight. At noon next day the wng-
on reappeared. Joe OF Washoe was
driving, and on lhc seat beside him wus
a child, When the wagon halted, he
Embarrassed and turned loose the
horses, made fire, aud then. climbing
half way mp the hill he called to the
mon 90 rods above him.
'Whcn | found the wagon last night
the man was dcnd and the lcetle gal
was prnyin TO God. Thar was moth
er aud TWO more children. but ,hes ar
dead Don't come a-nlgh us. The leetlc
gals touched and I'm sure TO come
down.
Tint night the fever came N the
child, and men who crept dowa the
trail heard her crying out and heard
Joe talking and singing TO her. The
next day he reported her as drcadfully
sick, and so II went on FOR days and
days. u was time for him to develop
the dIsense, and each morning as the
men erept down the trall TO leave pro.
visions on th, fat rock they feared lie
would not sdow up. But strangely
enough, tie danger passed him hy.
One morning, when he stood up on the
wagon with the girl in his arms, II was
taken as sign that the crisla had
passed, and 500 men gathered on the
hill above aud cheered the pair. II
was week after that when he set FIRE
20 the wagon, called for fresh clothes
and came up the trail into camp with
the girl wrapped in n blanket No.
body was permitted even to see the tip
OF her nose until she had been dressed
up as a boy from old garments cut
over. Then she was placed Oh tic
head OF n barrel In the center OF cNuip
and half the men cheered and the other
half wcpt She was a girl OF abou T.
pale and wan from her sickness. hut
there was never u pit or scar 10 show
how she had suffered. BY that we
know that Joe OF Washoe had watched
over her with more than n fathers
care. She was fathcrless and mother
less among strangers. Fright and III
: ness had SO benumbed her brain that
she could remember nothing not even
the family name. She said that they
had Travelled for days and days, but
from whence she could not tell The
one thing that she did remember was
that her name was Rose. and she had
.nsisted from the FIRST that Joe was
her uncle. II was queer 10 see this
prospector and miner. this man who
lad fought Indians and renegades (, ,l
Knocked about through hundred !.