Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-09-25

A Peacernaker.
Q ..::.:...: q: 60. 81. -.
Iorls!n,,ll

and made promises to the Indians, mr.
| gue1 with the whites and made repre-
sensations to the great father ut Wash
F, ington. Since the Indians were not
| the aggrcssors the whites would not
dcslst, and. the great father ut Wash
ington being too busy to pay attention
/ TO the agents communications, the
trouble went on.
Slowly the Indians began to prepare
/ for revenge and resistance. They did
not do so openly, but Burnham could
! see that, to use II nautical expression,
they were 'clcaring the decks for nc
ton" Then one night Il settlers shack
WIS burned and the settler and his
! family murdered. The Indians wero
called upon to produce the culprits,
but avowcl that they did not know
| them y few days later another set
| tier WIS murdered. then another and
another Burnliam reported the mat
ter To Washington, with the result that
n small number Of truops-al that
could be spared from the then meager
United States nrmy-wcre sent to 'pnc-
! ify" the Indians.
All this happened when nm Indian
war was II serious matter. The troops
J sent to conquer the redskins were Il
mere drop In the bucket of what were
required. Burnham knew that If the
war opened In earnest the government
would have TO send II dozen times
their number. and even then, owing To
the nature of the country. II would be
Il long while before the Indians were
reduced TO obedience. He wrote out
/ an agreement on tho part OF the gov
crnmcnt 10 redress the wrongs TINT
/ had been inflicted which he designed
10 submit TO the chiefs, but he had 30
long put them OF with promises he
was not permitted TO fulhl that no
had no hope of persundlnB them to
ncccpt the preferred terms.
The rhilrond was then being laid
f, across the continent and ran some
, nfty miles north of the scene OF these
troubles. Burnham had occasion to
70 TO the terminal FOR supplies. one of
those wild west places where there are
gambling and dancing and all manner
, OF shows. lie stopped before one OF
; these shows and viewed the perform
crs, nmong whom were n vcntrllouulst
md coniurcr. AZ he looked plan
occurred To him of keeping the peace
| with the Indians He made the ven
triloquist nnd the conJurcr liberal
proposition TO 20 back with him, and
they accepted.
An soon rs he had returned he nm
nounced to the chiefs that he had
proposition from the great father Mt
| 80, 4
vited them TO conference At the
appointed hour they appeared ut the
| place designated, an open space in
closed by timber. and In order to be
prepared for trcnchcry brought an
| ample number OF warriors. When they
were NIL seated cross legged Burnham
announced that the great father had
, sent two Of his sons To give them evil
dencc OF his power md introduced the
conJurer.
! Then followed wonders such MS the
simple Indians had never conceived OF.
| Tho coniurcr took Burnhnms watch,
| rnmmcd II Into the mouth OF Il blunder-
buss and fired II mt Il target, where
/ II hung In perfect order suspended by
| n hook. Then he bred rabbits so fast
irving 70 rot ont or tho hos,,ot ,yhorc
they were born. These mnrycls were
continued for Some limo whom tho nor
former tool, hat. set II on box be.
| fore him and proceeded to extract
from it munitions OF war nd llbltum.
Pistols. cartridges. cannon bills fol-
lowed one another In endless profuslon.
BY this time the Indians were duly
impressed with the great fathers mar
velous powers. and Burnhnm concluded
to give them talh-wonder that would
include some good advice. The ven.