The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-07-18
IDAHO WORLD.
ON THE vERpIGREE.

gree uG T6uSkIuS udtl 0CHt I'D Illci
ultimatum. There sat their envoy ex
traordinary, halfnaked, on his mang,
steed, armed and equipped for war, ant
erect and imperturbable as Bismarck
The monday breeze just moved hil
trailing scalp-lock, else he might have
passed for painted statue. HerndoI
sat on hewn slab of oak, beating the
"long roll" with the fragments of 6
broken ramrod, and loungingly com
manded us to fall into line. But we had
no trifing matter before us.
Early that morning we had spurred
our ponies through the crystal tide Of
the Verdigree, clambered up the west
ern bank, and, after exploring one Of
the loveliest valleys that ever charmed
the eye of man, had selected prolific
tract of land, and determined to settle
there for life. The forenoon had been
passed in cutting timber for our cabins.
But the jealous Osages had resented
our summary proceedings, and had des-
patched us peremptory summons to
retire across the river, or pay the pen
atty of noncompliance with our lives.
won't you just be kind enough to
ride out to that there mound there!"
said Ben, the black-moustached Mis-
sourian, to the vermilion-daubed saw
age, who partially understood English,
1--WE want to talk this here thing over
a little And he pointed to spot
about thirty yards distant, as though he
expected his request to be Immediately
obeyed. Wheeling his charger grace
fully, the Indian acceded without 4
word
Our whole civil and military force
had been mustered for the OCCASION
There were six of u.s. We were all
young and vigorous; every man had
seen service, and that of the toughest
kind. We held an impromptu council
of war.
"What do you think we'd better do,
boys?" inquired Ben, non chalantly.
A silence ensued; each waited for
the other to speak first. At last, Text
can ventured to express an opinion.
What his true name was | never
learned.-From Texan" the frontier
lingo had metamorphosed his title into
"Texican," and by that anomalous So
briquet we knew, respected and called
him.
"Pm in for fight, boys" said he
"This here land can't be beat nowhere;
it's a Number One. And they amt got
any better right to it than we have;
and, besides that, they amt give us a
decent invitation to leave. 1t wouldn't
look well for us to travel off on terms
like these" And with a grating oath, |
he swore he'd die in his boots before
he'd get out of the way of set of greasy
Osages He shot 'em, anyhow, every
chance he got Three seasons proceed |
ing, the Comanches had scalped his
father on the "old Texas line and |
Drained his sister with a war-club We
expected him to talk in just this style.
"You just settle the matter for your
selves, boys, whatever it's to be-" inter
posed the Missourian, yawning as if
nothing more than an everyday dilemma
"a mere deal in "poker"-was to be
decided.
/ thought it prudent to dodge the re-
sponsibility, and follow his example.
It's all very we'll to talk about fight
ing it out" remarked Cotton; and it's
likely that we've got as much sand in
our craws as any of 'em, but whan can
six of US do against three or four hun
dred? | don't like the way they talk,
myself; but the game is all in their
own hands and they know it. had
all the fighting / wanted in the war,
shooting you Texas fellows, and don't
want any more of it if | can help it.
We might throw our logs together, and
hold our own till morning; but it would
turn out an ugly scrape before we got
through with it. We haven't got drop
of water, and we'd soon run out of pro-
visions, and they'd dance over our bones
in forty-eight hours. If the rest of you
want to fight, why, fight it is; but /
think we'd better 60 little slow"
He was a young, blue-eyed, faxen- s
haired Minncsotean, and the border {
ruffians gave him credit for being "as t
cool as wedge, and sharper than steel" i
"Pll tell you what Pm in for" said e