The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-05-15
4 TERRIBLE SCALP RAISER.
What Buffalo Fen Told some Dry Goods
Clerks about Indians and Zoology.

"nht buHnio beu Iotu Nomt bFy hVou1
Clerks about Indians and Zoology.
It was in saloon in Chicago. He
was gaunt young man, whose face
hadn't been washed for two months, and
who wore his hair long behind. He was
attired in slouch hat, buckskiu
breeches, red flannel shirt open at the
neck, and rough coat. He had four
revolvers and big knife in his belt.
When four dry goods clerks came in in
group and ordered some beer, the
first dry goods clerk said to tho bar
keeper:
"Say, John, who's that fellow over
yonder I"
"That," said the saloon keeper, drop.
ing his voice to m. awestruck whisper,
"that is Buff'ler Ben, the Wild Trapper
of the Great Plains. Ask him to drink.
Perhaps he will"
The first dry goods clerk did SO, and
the Wild Trapper replied:
"Wall, stranger, seein' rs it's you, l
will Just take some fire water. As I
heerd Old Red Tail say to Spotted Cloud,
ITS mighty long time between drinks.
Here's to us, and he ingulfed dose OF
whisky.
!" You are" said tho first dry goods
clerk. connected with the trapper
business 7"
In the scalp and grizzly line" said
tho second dry goods clerk.
Your "reminiscences Of personal
character, doubt not, would be eIcit.
ing and interesting" said tho third dry
goods clerk.
"Truth is stranger than fiction. Take
something?" said the fourth dry goods
clerk.
"Wall, no." said tho trapper; az
never drink when I'm oil the war trail.
It kinder makes me ugly, yer see, aud
I'm apt to dror my cutlery. killed
seven men that I was talking to rs
friendly rs mout be to you, butt sorter
got riled; wall, gimme some more
whisky"
"Your hand," said one of the dry
goods clerks, "has often been stained
with human bloodl"
"Strauger, she hev. The fust time
you come up and sec mo at my wickiup
i'll Montana-second lodge on the right
beyond the Yellowstone river, and be
sure you turn to the left ur by tho big
bowlders three hundred miles this side
ask any Injin, and tell him yer want
to sec Butfler Ben, and Of he don't
scalp yer he'll slow yer the road plum
straight. I'll show yer Old Bulls Eye,
my rifle. She's old Kaintuck stock
Qikowise the barreD and is sixteen feet
long, and whenever wipe out n white
man I make n notch on the barrel, and
there's notches all the way up ono side
and nine feet down the other. I went
up to see your graveyards ut Cavalry
and Greecelaud. They're good deal
like my private graveyards, moro posies
and statutes. and go on, though they
amt SO spacious. Now, list about three
three months ago l turned loose i'll q
barroom down to Lafayette, Arkansaw,
aud the coroner was kept busy for three
days after attending to seven inquests.
And this was Just because durn skunk
stood mp ut the bar and improved his
mind with my conversation, and never
asked re il I would take
Here one OF the dry goods clerks
caught Buffler Ben's eye, aud he STUN.
mcred ont m invitation to fill her up
again. Mr.. Buff'ler Ben irrigated him
self, and in reply to a question concern
ing his solution Of the Indian question,
said:
"Iniins Wall, no; I never keep
count of the reds l wipe out. l used to
when I was young and sort Of vain, but
| grew out'n it. 1t looked too much
like vanity. I suppose I've not taken
the trouble to lift the har Of the Inst $50
or 200 Indians I've killed. Before that
l was kinder particular that way, and
took 80 many scalps that l bust the
Frisco chignon market, and seventeen
dealers in false hRir went into bankrupt
cy. Injins is poor trash. Gimme n
whole tribe Of EN-, and I'll wipe 'em out
as fast rs can load my revolver and put
it to my shoulder"
Here he paused again and was prompt
ly refreshed. Then he continued:
81 tell you, boys, if you want to SEQ
the choicest country on the footstool,
jest you go to them ar Black Hills. The
only thing agin the country is the buifa-
loes. They hatch there, and when they
take to flight it's awful to sec them in
clouds SO thick you can't SEQ tho sun,
and when they light they chaw on gar
den sass, aud sour apple trees, and corn,
railroad ties, and potatoes, and tele.
graph poles. But Tiers gold in the
BlAck Hills. I've seen it myself. When
you get down to the bedrock You strike
$50 aud $40 pieces, aud you wash out
eagles and dollars in the streams, md up
in the roots of the grass you fud small
scrip and nickels. No nuggets as l know
on, though l did hear at Shyan OF one
worth Sl65, ,000."
Thus, with anecdote and information,
BuiTler Ben whiled away the time.
When the four dry goods clerks had set
tied for the drinks, their bill amounting
to S6.s5, he batle them m Aifectionate
farewell, and made them promise to call
at his tepeo il ever they were up in
Montana. When they had gone out,
the barkeeper paid him his twenty per
cent. commission on the. drinks sold
through his instrnmentality, and told
him to recollect. next timc that It was