MURDER. 



2 I 



and often for no cause, and cheating 

 them whenever possible. 



We then learned that when we were 

 first seized, a small, half-breed boy, who 

 was with our wagon-train, had ridden 

 ahead and informed this chief of our 

 trouble. The chief and his party of ten 

 chosen braves had come to a stream, 

 which was the boundary of the Black- 

 foot country, and were there waiting to 

 meet us, as they could not trespass on 

 the Crow lands without inviting war. 

 As soon as they heard of our capture, 

 they stripped for fight, and came to us 

 on a run of ten miles. You can imagine 

 what a picture these excited braves and 



horses made when they hauled up in 

 front of us. Eleven heroic Indians rush- 

 ing to sure death, as they thought, actu- 

 ated only by pure friendship and loyalty 

 to a white man ! I have been through 

 many thrilling experiences in my life, 

 but have never seen one equal to this. 

 It made me believe that Cooper's Indian 

 hero stories were founded on truth, not 

 fiction, and when I returned home 1 re- 

 read the " Leather Stocking " tales with 

 renewed pleasure and interest, with the 

 knowledge that the scenes described 

 there represented the true Indian before 

 he was spoiled by the so-called civilized 

 whites. 



MURDER ! 



Charlotte W. Thurston. 



I am a murderer, a murderer ! 



That awful name to me doth cling ; 

 That dreadful word will haunt me ever 



Because I did that fearful thing. 



Yes, a murderer I am forever ; — 

 Oh, the horror in that word ; — 



The sound of his hated voice so near, 

 My wrathful, fiery temper stirred. 



He came when on my silent couch 

 In blissful dreams I sleeping lay ; 



I woke, and heard his hated voice ; 

 I raised my guilty hand to slay. 



And now I see his mangled form, 

 For in an instant all was o'er ; 



His presence raised in me a storm, 

 I'll see his death gaze ever more. 



I sprang up from my happy sleep, 



So weak with rage I scarce could stand 



I gave one cruel, vengeful blow — 

 A mosquito lay beneath my hand. 



