The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-01-17
The Merchants Story.

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| Yes, it was rather curious start that
had in business. The first thing did,
after having saved little pile of money,
was to set up shanty in Sioux City. l
had all sorts of traps to allure Indians,
and wanted to buy any kind of pei
tries, scalps excepted. But was new
arrival, and the noble red man couldn't
believe in me without help, and found
trade rather dull. Late one night, how
ever, as was sleeping among my stock,
there came tremendous Banging at my
door, and when l unbarred it, there was
tall fellow, who seemed to me little
drunk; and said he, ~ want butcher
knife" "All right. Come in," said I.
IL want reliable one," said he. ~
want it to kill man with. Give me a
good strong handle. want knife that
can put in, and turn round" Says I,
II think l can suit you. Walk in and
take look" knew him by that time.
He was Virginian-a splendid looking
fellow-and belonged to good family,
as understood, and he had gone wild on
the frontier, aud done u great many lille
gal things and been forced to herd with
the Indians. The consequence was that
he spoke their language and was a per-
son of influence among them. Well, l
felt little doubtful about his intentions,
not knowing but what was the man ne
was after; but all the same got OUT my
stock of tools and showed them. There
was one, nearly two feet long, which
had bought for cheese knife. Says /,
81 think this would answer your pur-
pose" "Yes, I should think it might"
says he. "How much is itl' told him
the price-about four shiilings, l think.
"Tll take it, says he. But l haven't
any money" Under the circumstances,
seeing he had the knife in his fist and
was ready to turn it round, thought
had better offer to trust him. YOU'D
better not" says he. "You don't know
me from any other gentleman But
I've got to trust you," says l. you've
got the butcher knife by the handle, and
I'm at the sharp end of it. Besides, be-
lieve can trust you" OFF he went and
heard no more of him for time, not
even whether he had killed man. But
some weeks later, he put in an appear
ance and paid for the knife. "And now,
youngster," says he, ~ like the way you
treated me when reused you out for that
trade. You didn't show the white festh-
er. Some men, hustled up at that time
of night, would have been scared. But
you behaved every way like u gentleman,
and now | want to behave to you us one.
There are some Indians coming in to-day
and III bring them to your shanty to
trade. Have you got any rumi" l
hadn't any rum; didn't keep it. well"
says he, 1--WE must have some rum. No
rum, no Irjun. Give me couple of dol
lars gave him the money and he went
off. When he came back he had demi
john full of drink, and some tumblers.
An hour or so later the Indians appeared,
some two hundred of them. First came
the warriors with their rifles, bows and
tomahawks; then followed the squaws,
loads. My man halted them, but they
did not want to trade with me; they
didn't know me. There was q long pal
aver, and at last he threatened to kill
some of them if they didn't follow his
friendly advice and the end of it was
that they gave in to save quarrel. They
crowded in my little shop, and drank my
demjohn empty, and bought my stock
cleaa out and filled me full of peltries.
made $4,000 that season, went off in
high spirits to lose it somewhere else, and
to pick it up again. AS for the Virgniap,
lost sight of him, and never learned
how he ended. | didn't even inquire
whether he put his butcher in and
delicate sutject.-Atlantic Nosthiy.