Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-23

not speak a word of Cherokee Never
theless, for the reason that he was
red man, the railway sent him into the
new country to lay out the town site
of Minokie.
From the moment he appeared among
his people he became something more
than the civil engineer-he became,
perforce of his own office and charac-
ter, the advocate of the new order.
To all those he met, individually or in
groups. he advosed the taking Of lands
in severalty, pointing out what was
taking place among other tribes and
calling attention to the increasing
power of the white race.
TIL head men promptly notified him
that he could not proceed with his
mysterious marchings and counter
marchings on their sod. You must
GO" they said in effect. I'VE fear
you
To this he replied that he was doing
his duty and that they were no longer
his chiefs
One day as he was busily at work
running his lines with corps of men,
some of them halfbreeds, friendly
young fullblood rode up and in quiet
tone remarked:
"You better go away Old chiefs in
council They goin' kill you
Primean knew the race and the tone
of his friend carried conviction.
Where are they?" he asked quietly.
"Over on Clay creek, by Rattlesnake
mountain. They very mad. You go
away-quick." And he rode off to the
east, leisurely.
Primean stood and meditated. The
place of council was only five miles
away The nearest garrison was
hundred; it was mid-afternoon. To
reach safety before dark was out of
the question and to flee would leave his
men unprotected to the wrath of the
red conservatives. There was but one
thing to do-face them!
Mounting his horse he rode straight
toward the council fire. He knew his
people He knew that if he could enter
the circle where they sat in meditation
they would listen to him. mo one is
slain in the camp circle or council;
they will hear me-"
AS he drew near the place his mind
engaged with the curious mingling of
the old and the new which the scene
presented. On the prairie sod in
pleasant valley stood a circular space,
or bower. constructed of saplings cut
and placed in the sod with cut
branches laid overhead to shield the
council from the midday sun, while
thin column of smoke told of the smol-
dering embers of the fire which the
crisp air of the night made pleasant.
All about stood decrepit wagons, with
small horses cropping the russet grass.
"The warriors now ride to council in
spring seated carriages" mused Pri-
meann. Surely they will not make
war on me-"
The women, bent above their kettles,
paid very little attention to him, and
he rode swiftly up to the lodge, sprang
from his horse and strode into the very
center of the council circle and stood
silent, with folded arms, his eyes fixed
on the face of the presiding chief.
Clearly he, as we'll as all the others,
was taken by surprise. and every one
scowled darkly. For full minute nc
word was spoken. Then In a loud
voice Primean called out:
''If there is an interpreter here let
him stand up and speak for me.
want to talk to these chiefs. / hear
they are about to condemn me tc
death. want to soy a word In my
defense"
No one answered and no one stirred
all smoked in dark silence, forbiddine
of face. Nevertheless they respected
his courage, and at last a young mar
arose and sullenly said What dc
you want to say?"
IT want TO ask why you have de,
cided to kill me-"
The interpreter muttered a few
words to the chief who stretched ou
his hand hand and said in a terribl,
voince: because you are a traitor t.
your people. You aid the white man Il
steal our lands"
Then Primean began his plea for hi
life. He told Of his stay among thu
whites, of hte cities he had seen, of tn,
wonderful powers of the white man
He assured them of his sympathy. 'Ii
my heart I am red" he said, striking
his breast. but the white mans book
have instructed my head. My hea,
rules over my heart. 1 love thes
prairies too. would like to live her
and raise cattle and ponies as you dc
but 1 know it Is not to be- The whit
race comes like the storms of winter
they cannot be stopped, They are i
possession of the land of the Pawnee
and the omahas on the north, and O
the Comanehes and Apaches on tn
south. They have fixed their eyes o
the land of the Creeks and the Choc
taws and these pastures must be di
ylded and sold It is the will of tn
Great Spirit. You have seen that tn
buffalo could not live after the whit