Year: 1879

Before took charge at Plum Gre TX a com
pany Of soldiers had been stationed there to
keep the unfriendly Indians in subjection
and to subdue any outbreak on the part of
with the government. But affairs On the
plains being quiet, the presence of the troops
was considered no longer necessary, and they
were ordered into Omaha.


Every one else out there being so confident
that no danger threatened them, I went to
work without any apprehension myself Of
coming troubles. The company furnished
me with good horse, two navy revolvers and
a carbine, and my quarters We're in an adobe
building, called in the parlance OF the plains
Il "dobey.'' Ihe walls were built of sod. and
the roof was constructed of strong cotton
wood logs III place Of rafters and covered
With the same material that the walls were
composed OF, In summer time grass and
flowers grew upon the sides and TOP Of the
"dohey," and made it a very pleasant place
of abode


My communication with people of the
world was rather limited, til only persons I
ever saw being travellers in the overland stage,
movers in ox-wagons bound for the Pacific
slope, and an occasional visit from ranch
man Of the plains.


For awhile the novelty Of being aim ost
alone and free from the restraints that civil
Hzed life impose upon us was very pleasant,
but when became accustomed to this the
silence OF the desert du,ing the daytime was
almost overpowering, and there were times
a hostile Indian. Sitting in my little Office
some days, everything was SO hushed and
still [ could almost imagine that everybody
else i'll the world was Dead and that I had
oeen left behind as a sentinel guarding their
tombs. At night the scene from my office
window was weird and ghost-like but the ray
enous coyotes broke the stiffness that reigned
throughout theSday by swapping and snarling
at each other until the morning dawned.


For the sake OF passing the time I got to
firing at the creatures with my carbine and
revolvers, and it was astonishing to note how
quick they would devour one when he fell
pierced by a bullet. Some nights [ would
kill four or five, and in the morning when 7
went out to see what remained Of their car
casses, nota bone would be found left behind.
In time discovered that they would tear the
tesh from the bones and then carry them to
their lairs to pick on during the day. I
killed buffalo, antelopes and jack rabbits until
[ wear'ed of even that kind of sport; and so
glad was to see anything human, the ugliest
and most ignorant man on the globe Would
have been an honored and welcome guest.
After remaining month in that vast solitude,
lresolvea to throw up my positlon-although
1t was lucrative one-and go where could
have the company of at least oneh human being;
but an Incident occurred just at that time
"H1Nll SduoSu lllC w diGtI L4Y AeLeTMlnallOu,


Sitting one day in the door Of my ''dobey,n
peeling some potatoes for dinner, l was
startled by the appearance of & shadow but
little distance from me. Glancing I'd sud-
denly, "Lo the poor Indian,' was standing a
few feet from the door with lordly mein and
an air which thought denoted an intention
to possess himself Of my scalp Not desiring.
however, to part with it, I sprang from nv
seat and had him covered with my carbine
before he had time to get the drop5 on me.


"Pale face no shoot. Heap good friend"
said he. ME good Injun, and do heap work
for pale faces. Cooky and wash good. Pawnee
brave-ughp'


there were more than one present; but when
l discovered my mistake, I put down nv
carbine and felt II further fear.


He told me that he had been captured hy
the Sioux from the Pawnee tribe, but had
escaped from his captors, and if 1 would let
him stay he would work for me, and be 'shean
big clever Injnn''


hailed his coming with delight: in the
hrst place because | wanted som3 kind of
companion, and in the seconed place because
| was fond Of studying the Indian character.
and here was splendid opportunity of graft
flying the whim. made him wash himself
thoroughly and put on suit Of nv own
clothes and found when he was decently
rugged out, sans wal. paint, feathers and other
Il.
men OF the ge,aus homo


He had long Indian name I coul5 not
spell or pronounce, SO proposed to him to
change it to "Joc." This suited him greatly.
and all during the day while he was washing
the pots and doing the "house-worl1' general
ly, l could hear him saying to himself, ''Pale-
faced chief call me Joe, Joe, Joe. "pale. face
chief clever and good to Joe!''


I mistrusted him at first, fearing that he
would run off with my horse and firearms,
but IN time I learned to trust him implicitly
and became very fond Of him. The sequel to
my story will prove how worthy he was of my
confidence.


All, what a royal time we had together chas-
ing the antelope and the buffalo Ny interest
revived in this sport after the protracted 81.
lence was broken, and some days we would
wander many miles out on the plains. Joe
was fleet Of foot, and could walk all day long
without the least sign Of fatigue. Occasion.
ally would take him up behind me; but he
generally fnsisted npon walking, aud / let
licitous about rny comfort and convenience
and every day was delighted with the de vel.
opment of new phases in his character. He
had noble mind, and was as sympathetic
and soft-hearted as a child. He nad, too, an
air of chlvalry and courtesy about him which
ing but the opportunity to make himself real
courtier. | tried to induce him to eat with
me, buth could not be prevailed upon to do
so, always standing by me with deferental
air, anticipating all my wants. I was greatly
astonished at his general decorum, and often


wondered where he acquired his gentle and
often dignified manners-neycr having MOTTO
ed such characteristics in any other Indian


All the reward he asked for his faithful ser


vices was kind treatment and assurances from


me that appreciated him.


He came one day to where | was cleaning
my pistols, the perfect personifcation of com


miseration and grief. observed that he was
deeply disturbed, but waited for him to speak.
Finally he said: 'sPawnees soon get on


war-path big. Mixing their paint now. Pale


faced chief have to leave fore long, or


Pawnees take scalp of pale-faced chief. Joe


can't save pale-face if he stay, but will tell


him when to leave"


After that frequently heard him muttering
10 himself. I heard him say one morning:


''Pawnecs heap kill pale faces when get war


paint on. Shan't kill pale-faced chief, for Joe


will save him. Joe will never see pale-faced


chief after he runs away from Pawnee braves.


Poor joe poor Joe"


Then he would weep bitterly, seeming to
suffer the most poignant sorrow.
! A week or ten days after his first warning
| he came to me and said: "Pale-faced CHIEF


must close his wigwam and go where the pale


faces are thick as the leaves on the trees


(meaning Fort kearney, where number O


soldiers were statiOned).


s;The Pawnee braves have got on war pain!


and their plumes, and many ranchmen anc


stage men be sent to happy hunting grounds


Pale-faced chief has been Joe's brother
| When he pOes aWav Joe will % too for Tn,