The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1908-11-12
A" Lone Boy f"


When be was yer a small lad be
had earned the name q Lone Boy.
because o. solitary tramps which took
him q hong say from bis own Sioux
village lie vas ~ fact best conteni
when wandering among the breaks and
canyons Of the smoky Iilll River.
AZ n years be- met with an adgen-
tnre which gave him another name
among his neof,e.
lie had iearned 10 ~ snarrs for Wild
animals. and one dag discovered the
fresh path q a do and two faunN
which were IN the habit Of going u
drink ~ oerfaln paint on the river.
Aflrr several attempts Lone Boy sue
ceeied IN sharing one - the fawua
but Eihen he came % with his game
pair a. bold eagles had already A..
sara.ea and killed The fawn.
The young Sioux was very angry.
Ee had intentet. n b. should take
younx der slisc. 20 carry the animal
hons for = l,ef. FOR sotne time hc had
known Whrre this pair u eagies-at
least. a. be beiirrei- had their nest.
h. had inderd planned 70 watch the
Erowth q their young ones. and 70 ~
In wsig % shoot them upon their FIRST
unwnry desoent fran their srie. II
was son,cfimes quite raey 70 secure ihe
mnch.prirei tail feathers Of the bald
ssElc IN this way
However. there WIS always the risk
that another hunter might b on the
watch. and 70 secure the prize AZ fhe
orportunc rsoment Upon reelection
Lone 10y determined AZ onc~ 10 At.
tempt The capfnfe ~ The young eagles
and 40 70 revenge him~slf upon the
rafcnt birds foe the killing u bis young
sg~sr
Aiorc than once. from IN opposing
heiehf. b. had marked the position q
fhc eagles ncsf.
The hnxe pile u sticks WIS built up.
on cleft rock near to the top ~
cilfI' which ovcrhung the sandy bed OF
Canyon
This elir was nearly haifday's
Journey ~ the river. bot Lone Boy
set ont ~ the coyofc's Eali. ana before
noon had reached thecrcsi ~ the height
slrct'y above the ncsi.
Here be scented himself beneath a
pine and watched. Presently be saw
both the old eagles saIi away into the
blue ether
Tlhn Tone hoy rose and began the
deprent--a pcriious business. Hitherto
be had rcfralncd from attempting q
only because of the apparent lmpossI.
billty Of bringing the birds back. even
should be succccd IN reaching their
perch Now he had determined 70 do
sccnd upon them II BE- could. and to
pitch them on into the canyon. where
be could pluck the coveted feathers at
his leisure.
To ~ directly down the face Of the
ledge was impossible; 10 he made his
way along the seams and crcvasscs Of
the erowning rocks. keeping IN view
~ much NJ possible the top Of a lean.
Ing pine which stood beside the eagles
nest.
For some lengths OF his body the
descent was easier than the lad had 1
Thought. and he was already calcula-
ing with much satisfaction that he
could really bring those young eagles
up. one at time. when he came to
A horizontal crevasse which he knew
10 be the main obstacle to SUCCESS.
Eagerly he stretched hls length upon
4 sharp crown OF rock and pecred
fown upon a shelf some yards below.
where the leaning pine had its root.
Near the tree was heap or sticks.
bones. feathers aud refuse. and two
rreat SOUNDS Of birds, fcathercd yet
lowry. sprawled upon the pile.
IL was such little way 10 drop. and
ret. crane his neck as he might Lone
Boy could zee no shrub nor projection
which he might lay hold upon
lie crnwlcd along the rim Of the Gre
insse looking down from every posi-.
,Io point Of view: but everywhere the
ncllno dipped Inward the edges OF the
'ocl,s projecting like the rim OF basin
Ibave thu eagles wrie.
Finaliy. almost dcspnrIng the lad
ei himself down, climbing with both