New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-06-04

When the time for the practice 81
sAich1 arrived, and such other braves
. had passed with sufficient credit
through the preceding contests were
duly paired Of. John Mehoo noticed
that neither Of the three brothers made
any move TO pair of among themselves,
5gosas 70 leave the remaining one for his.
Fn1 gonist;; and be was then co0lly In.
] ! rs sd Ithat he would have 10 unhorse
E6a6h Of the three IN succession before
the prizes could be awarded to him, on
account Of his being stranger in the
tribe. ,s q
In other words, he was to be pitted
sinG1 the triple flower Of the
end g;cckasaw Nation!
1.kGCherokee protested indignantly.
Notwithstanding his confidence in
himself, the arduous trials Of the pre-
cedin9 games had sorely worn his
Strength, while the polite brethren
had carefully husbanded themselves for
these last efforts, which they probably
made no doubt would, In one case OF
the other, speedily exhaust his remain-
ing powers. He made passionate
appeal for justice, not only to the
brethren themselves, but to the whole
tribe. with all the native eloquence for
which he was even in his early youth
remarkable; but the prejudice against
aliens was not to be overcome, and he
was met by disapprobation or indiffer.
enoe.
II wasas mad a. wolf, as you may
believe" said the old Indian, pa,lsing
to light his pipe, and shaking his hoary
head, smiling at me as he recalled the
stirring scenes. 81 looked at the war
horse paving the turf on one side Of
old Yellow Dog, and, tempting as it
looked, felt half . mind to give up the
contest in disgust. But when I glanced
on the other side of the Chief, where
Swan-squaw was sitting in all the glory
Of her wampum, beads and eagle
feathers, I thought I caught look
from her black eyes, as much as to say:
What, Meeho0! will you give me up
when you have almost won me p And
then 1 took heart once more, and
repeated my oath to the Great Spirit to
see it out and win her If it cost me my
life.''
His first antagonist was Ham, who
was reckoned the least formidable of
the trio, but who was, nevertheless,
comparatively strong and fresh. and it
was only after great struggle that
the Cherokee succeeded in dragging
him fairly from the saddle.
In the next struggle with Japhet,
Meehoo demanded fresh horse, which
was only reluctantly accorded him. He
chose an animal that had stood him in
admirable stead in his flight from his
own people, raw-boned, active and
powerful horse-of American stock,
which he had, unbeknown to his COM
panioDs, kept In reserve for the final
struggle; but the enemy took their re-
venge for this compliance with his Just
demand by refusing him the customary
twenty minutes interval for recupera-
ton, and he had barely made his re-
mount before he was holly engaged
with an antagonist who was almost his
equal at his best and freshest, for there
was accounted very little difference he
tween Shem and Japhet in strength
and agility.
This contest, however, Meeh0o Was
fortunately enabled to decide IN bis
favor with unexpected rapidity by rear
son Of an accident that befell his oppo-
nent's horse. who dislocated q fetlock.
joint by stumbling into rabbit-hole,
and considerably facilitated the nm.
horsing of his master.
Here another move was attempted
inimical to the prospects Of the Chero-
kee, by the brethren putting in . claim
for the contest to be declared 3 draw.
which would have given thevanquished
Japhet another chance upon q fresh
horse; but the little Princess Malta
wantee- had heretofore preserved
90 demure and Indifferent silence as
to give the impression of scarcely .hav-
ing mind or soul Of her own-unex-
pectedly asserted both her existence
and interest in what was going on by
protesting against the injustice Of the
claim with such strenuOusness and in
dignation that old Yellow Dog reluct-
.antly refused to entertain it.
Then came the final contest at Aicha
between John Meehoo and Shem, who
had been champion Of. the Chickasaws
from his early manhood, he was at this
time fully thirty quite ten years the
Cherokee senior and in all the full
ness Of his savage strength and cum
ming. .5.$#
Considering the toning down 1 had
got through Ill these scrimmages,' .
said old Meehoo, in recounting the
scene to me with sparkling ewes. ~
still counted myself about the equal Of
Shem In mere horsepower and
activity, and / relied chiefly upon the
superiority Of nv horse to make the
turning point ii nv favor. though I
knew my antagonist to be as treach-
erous IS he was brave. and was on the
lookout for any. dirty act that he might
be Matching to pet the better Of me.
Well. the entire tr;ha assembled &
breathiasa snsncnaa fl w;tnesa the ~ do 8.
cisiye contest between tha vonno
oianta. which had. narhan - nnsta So
much importanca in Ehickasaw eves 81
the tabled contest between Aiax and
ULYSSES for the armor 81 Achilles could
-. /. - -...--- -. q 40 49,. =