Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-16
"Srulped." "

hno" tht WuOle gang Vi tnclu lrOm Ist
Cloud and Spotted fail down to the toddlin
pappose. ought to know 'em-I've
EN- nigh onto thirty years.
lie was grim-looking old man, wit
grizzl locks in view under his coon ski
cap. He had on bear skin coat, India
moccasins, ,buckskin breeches and leggns an
he held long rife between his knees as W
talked.
These Western railro Is are rapidly civil
izing the courtry-fast killing off Indians
wolves and butfaleos ~
lie looked around the ear, which wa.
handsomely furnished and finished, AM
sighed as he replied
. Yes. times are gettin' wuss an wus
down this way. I've been thinkin' of goin
up TO the Yellowstone, whar a man can q
out any time o day and get up square
tight with grizzly, and raise rumpu.
with the reds
lou must be quite an old man ?'
" Only bout sixty. amt quite so linn
Der on a long run, an can't sleep quite sc
well with the ram pouring down into my
face, but if | thought | wasn't good for any
three lnjuns on the plains or any grizzly
that ever stood on legs, I'd ak YOU to shoot
me ~
"lou must have seen wild times out
there"
" Purity wild-purty Wild" unused the
old man d" ard there used to be heaps of
reds out here to say nothing Of wolves bears
and rattlesnakes, and thar was times when
death rose up to shake hands with me. -
- Ever taken prisoner -
g mought have been-I guess | was. -
he said, as he uncovered his head.
Why, you have been scaped." "
They cali it Sculping stranger"
6" Aud who did that"
The same blasted Red Cloud. He diin't t
use the knife, but he stood by and hollercd
and encouraged the chap who did do it
Your sensations must have been terri
be"
= There wasn't any time to feel any SEN
sations, stranger. They sneaked on me and
Tom as we dozed, an when woke up Tom
was riddled and my sculp was hanging to an
lnjun's belt. -
And what then -
" Nothing much. | got up and killed
two, wounded another, and legged it up a
canyon and got away. If it wa, to DO over
again I'd Git my top not back or fight the
whole Sioux nation till somebody went IN
der
He seemed lost in reflection a moment,
and then continued.
- don't know what sculps are worth in
the market, but guess I've got the full
value o mine. I've Knocked over risin' of
thirty Sioux since that night, an guess I'd
be wlllin' to pass receipts
" suppose you have had turn at half ii
dozen tribes"
Less seq" he mu.el. . Thar, the
Sioux, Blackieet. Pawnecs, Arrapahoes.
Shoshones, Cheyennes, an three or four
other tribes. They've all hunted Inc and
I've hunted them, an can't say As they
owe Inc anything"
- | notice bad scar on vour face"
" Party good scar for common man. but
! kin show you the sculp lock Of the Paw
nee who made it. lie jumped On me lust
after had swum river, and thought he d
got hold Of a jack rabbit. Twas a bad cut.
and it kind . mazed me at fu-t. but when
did come to, he was gone afore he could
yell twice. | said it was a purity good scar,
| but not quite eA4l t. this. 80
And he pushed up the Logging of hi-
right leg and exhibited a scar which made
me draw back. The foot. ankle and leg. As
high as could sec had been burned with
/ fire.
e The Biackleet had me fast to stake
| once, yc ob>arye This was the time when
they poked each other in the ribs an said
they had dead sure thing on old Carter,
| but they wuz mistaken They had me three
days, and Id bin kicked and kufied around
until there wasn't any more fun in it, an
then they tied me to stake an lighted a
fire around me Twas pretty clus stranger,
pretty cus '
" And how did You escape go
- Halt dozen OF my old parls came
along just in time to knock over half the
| band and save me. 80
There was silence again while lie unhut-
toned his shirt and showed me a bosom lit
orally gird-ironed with scars.
." Well, thar may be two or three knife
| cuts thar. he said. q hut the heft o. them
scars wuz made by grizzly. lie WASH T
| one O. the bar calves that sum folks knock
over and then blow about, hut reg lar
three story. old fashioned grizzly, such a,
| ye don't ind outside o. the darkest canon,
/ of the Rockies. | was bending over the fire
when the yarmlnt Sid down canon an WIZ
| right on hand atOre had any warnin'."
" And was it hard fight p
" 1t wuz a purity fight, stranger. because
it wuz fair fight. had big knife. an
he had teeth an claws, an We went in tcr
kill. lie wuz good grit. but a leetle slow
Thar wuz about thirty days after that little
episode that my pard had to NUS me ike a
! little child
And do you mean to die out here"
~ That : Tor the Lord to say, but 'spect-
yer more'n right. The Injun- i, purity
quiet down here, and these cars are bring
ing heaps o people West, but I'm goin' VI
where Il white man won't disturb the Lord
work for a hundred years to cum feel
kinder mean an small down here-as if
wuz huntin rabbits, but up the Yellowstone
fellow can brace up after he's knocked
over red or two, an feel as if he was not
ioolin away his young days -
And that was old Carter.