The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-13
WHY HAIR TURNED WHITE.


One night this week a party Of oldtiIne
New Afexicans accidentally met here.
and after talking over old times they
proceeded to congratulate each other on
their youthful appearance. Colonel p
c. Casey, superintendent of the AIedler
mines, was one of the group Some enc
remarked that while the spriog OF YOUTH
seemed to abide with the colonel, the
frosts of winter had silvered his ersL-
while raven locks.
sWelI,'' said the colonel, 'In tell you
how it happened. boys, and never toto
the story before 1t was the year mat
Judge McCOmaS ard his wife were lsli4s1
by the Indians in the Burro mountains
'83 or "a, have forgotten which Il
was some time after that event, however,
when things had quoted down DIX
had been in the hills Tor some time anu
was returning to Silver City through
the Burro mountains, and, Of course was
on The lookout for Indians My morse
became sick and stopped to let MIN
rest pulled off the saddle, tied MIN TO
a tree spread out my blankets and lay
down 1 was soon fast asleep, but how
long I slept 1 don't know was aWsth-
ened by some one prodding me IN tiag
back. AS soon my eyes were open !
saw that I was surrounded by tWeiNe
or fifteen Indians. They all carried Long
Toms and had them in their hands. Wen.
sir, l was 50 badly scared that e9uiq
not speak or mOVc-I was paraiyzeu
sat there and looked at the Indians ana
thew looked at me / felt my hair
stra tighten out. and knew that II was
standing straight up. 1 thought OF ever
mean thing I had done in all my hfe-
Pray? No, couldn't lift a hand to bless
myself I knew they would Kill me ana
my only hope was that they would snoot
me. I could almost feel their lances
sticking through my body, 1t seemed 70
me that they stood there an age ana
looked at me and I looked at them
Their ugly mugs are stamped on my
memory forever. / would recognize al
one Of them in a crowd today IT l shOuld
meet him. Soon I noticed two or three
other Indians fooling with my horse, as
he was too sick to try to get away from
them. Presently they commenced 10 %;
one at a time, and soon they We're al
gone but one, who seemed to be the boss
of the outfit After they had all gone
he addressed me in good Engllsn, ana
said. Good day, Dan Casey how tne
devil he knew my name has always been
a mystery to me. He may have seen me
on the reservation. or possibly my name
NAV nave been on some part of my out
fit and he could read, as many OF them
after he had gone still sat there 50
badly scared that [ was unable TO move
for I don't know how long. thought
thy would come back and kill me Shouid
I attempt to get up. Then, like fash
of lightning it came to me that they
were government scouts! leapeG 20
my feet, threw the saddle onto my horse,
and although ne Wis SICK 1 am SuAV Nr.oe
I baat all records in covering the dis
lance to Silver City. j felt so good wheh
I got into town that I set EN- up 70
everybody. I told them it was my birth
day and that I never was so happy N
my life, and that was the truth I have
beer. blown up in mine, have had my
hodv crushed and filled with dynamite
cans. which kept the doctors busy for
week picking them out, but never was
scared before or since. There is no scare
On earth like that of an Indian scare
Well inside Of a week from that time
nv hair was well sprinkled with gray,
and inside of a year it was as white as
ii is today"