The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-03
TIE srANwlx HEIRLOOM.

uZatlon and 10 his old new York home
In his later years Peter Stanwix ex-
perienced religion" He had become a
member OF the Dutch Reformed church.
and no service. week day or Sunday.
was missed by Peter Stanwix. People
said after the church Joining, old Peter
( has something on his mind He was
not a rich man. but he gave OF mis- sub
stance much more than the 1.-THE Of &
tenth usually enjoined on the purse OF the
faithful
Forty years passed away. Peter Stan
wix lay dying. The quaint old clergy
man Of the Reformed church had been
( with him an hour. He left the bedside.
and passing into an outer room. said 70
F, old Peters son and grandson. who We're
there: He has something which he
wishes TO tell you before he dies. He
has not told me yet but wishes me 10
hear it with you
They passed into the dying mans room.
He motioned to his son and grandson 10
bend their heads down. Then the old man
raised a little glittering object in his
hand. He had taken 1t from small case
which had been beneath his pillow. A
change came into his face He strug
gled TO speak. The effect save for one
word was vain. The one puzzling word
which son and grandson caught was
''Shoshone."
+ The dogs head bit of gold became a
family curiosity and time and again.
with simply the word Shoshone as a clew.
the younger member of the Stanwix fam
7 lily declared half in jest and half in earn
est that they would start out TO solve
/ the mystery of the nugget and the old
mans last word. if they had to go to the
I far off land OF the Shoshone 70 do it
The nugget finally passed into the pos
session of James Stanwix. great-grand-
son Of old Peter. James StanwiX was
. surveyor. He chose the outdoor profess
sion because he had something Of his
great-grandfather's instincts in him. He
was lover of nature and of travel.
Ore day James Stanwix lounged in
front of a camp fire in northern Da-
kota. He was employed with a railroad
surveying party and was now resting at
Ter the toll of the day. James Stanwtx
was thinking. He knew that before he
had finished his seasons work he would
be in the heart of the Rockies and in a
part Of the country only little known.
He took something from a wallet inside
his blouse and looked at it by the light
OF the burning logs. 1t was the dogs
head nugget. The Shoshones are up in
the country that I am going to-" unused
Stapwix, and I wonder if it can be pos
sible that there | can clear up this old
family puzzle and find out what it was
that troubled me dying days of old
Observation-Disclosures Peter
Five months later James Stanwix. the
surveyor, stood in the heart of a Shoshone
village. They were a perfectly peaceful
people. and stanwix had sought them out
alone. Some of tnese mountain Indians
spoke English. Stanwix asked to see the
oldest man of the tribe present in the VIII
lage. They took him to the tepee of old
White Eagle, whose locks were like the
feathers of his bird namesake
Stanwix smoked with the old Indian and
then drew out the dogs head nugget, and
without word, showed it TO him.
A sparkling interest came into the dim
eyes of the ancient warrior. II have
seen the salmon come and go ninety
times, but l thought my eyes would not
see this. There are few of us who know
this. only a few whom the weight of many
seasons has broken. and the last one of
the line of Thunder Voice. who thirteen
salmon seasons before l saw the sunlight
on the mountains was the great Shoshone
war chief
: Stanwix drank in every word. When the
old fellow hesitated for an instant he
leaned forward and said: Tell me who
is this last one of the line of old Thun-
der Voice who knows this story.
She is Watoona. Her father was
chief: his father a chief; his father was
a chief. and his mother was the daughter
taken by some Of your people for part
OF the seasons for a long time. They
call her Mary. She is learning their ways.
but she loves her people and visits us.
She is here now in the lodge of the wife
OF Spotted Elk. Come"
Stanwix rose and followed the tottering
old form which led the day. They came
I, the tepee of Spotted Elk's family. A
girl not more than II years of age stood
Just without the entrance TO the lodge.
She was dressed partly in civilized cos
tune and partly. in the picturesque garb
OF the Shoshone. She turned as Stan
wix and his guide approached.
''Watoona." said old White Eagle. the
stranger wishes to speak with you
What is IL you wish sir2" said the In
dian girl in perfect Engush. For answer
Stanwix held out the gold nugget.
The girl looked at it and became visibly
exercised. AT last il has come" she
exclaimed. we Indians. sir, have fam
lily traditions and we pass them down as
faithfully as do the whites on their print
ed pages. We hold family duties as well
and they are given from father or mother
70 son or 10 daughter until the duty be
done. You have brought me a nugget or
gold In the shape OF the head Of dog.
nv father told me and his father told him
and his father told him, and his mother
tcld him that when a white man came
with this nugget he was 10 be given
this and the girl slipped something from
a slender chain which hung about her
neck and was completely concealed By
her bodice % doeskn.
StaRwix held out his hand to receive
the little object which the girl held. he
looked at IL and his senses were fairly
staggered. II was ring with an inset
seal bearing the arms OF the Stanwix
family.
The girl saw his agitation. Should it
&c 10 you?" she asked.
Yes he answered.
Il Will tel you al know" she said
Some OF the knowledge has died with the
years during which II was 70 be trans
mitted Ny fathers fathers mother hal
this ring from a white man who came 20
this country with many armed men. she
was the daughter q Thunder Voice The
white men went away. but the daughter
al Thunder Voice wished him who had
gwen her the ring 20 come back. for
think and the girl lowered her eyes
little that she loved him. She gave him
this nugget that you have. Tor she kneu-
that all white men loved gold. and she
said that where Il was found there hun
dreds and thousands like f.
He did not come back. and tho daugh
ter q Thunder Voice grew weary With
IT, and after all the rolling years you /
have the ring.
James Stacwtx Was 81 Seattle There /
h net che Oldest pros1ecfoT y the North /
west Idly he tolt him IN psrz The story !
O. the nugget The Old rrospecs0z picket /:
- the ziitterlns bit hetweer his fingers K
Then he jumped from his chair NJ /
Stanwix he exclaimed. this Is ~ a. I
most perfsct reproduction e a crest rex 4