The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-01-10
THE PRESS.
The White Mare.
From the New York Sun. ]


in the earth, incloses about two acres OF
ground. Heavy gates, opening outward,
sway harshly on great iron hinges. Ihey
keep the Indians out O. nights. A well OF
water is in the center of the inclosure. Low
log buildings, covered with earth, are scat
tered along the stockade. A couple OF sand
hill cranes stood eXpectantly at the well,
waiting patiently for a thirsty man to draw
water. A white-tailed deer, with broad
blue ribbon on her neck, walked daintily
around Her cool, black muzzle, studded
with drops of dew, brilliant in the slanting
rays of the morning sun, was slyly thrust
into my hand, giving me slight shock OF
surprise. BY the stables stood a cow moose,
standing so awkwardly with crooked legs and
bumped back and the pendulous lip which
Mark Twain calls "the Hapsburg," that her
very ugliness excited my pity. A moose calf
her miniature in ugliness-Stood stupidity
at her side. Standing at the well, facing the
grand Rocky Mountain range, Idrew buck
ct of water Drinking deeply, repulsing the
while the advances of the female crane with
my moccasned foot, | got the reward Of all
men who reject the advances of the tender
sex, and was soon engaged in repelling fu-
rious attack Oh me by the long-legged twain.
The attack was fierce. Their long, hard
bills clashed viciously as they scornfully
scolded me, and / was on the point OF beat
ing disgraceful retreat when | heard, "Ho,
Frank! come have a mouthful of whisky"
Recognizing the voice, gladly left the cranes
in undisputed possession of the water buck
ct, and walked across the parade to the store
of the fur company
Bidding Burr sGood morning." declined
the whisky on grounds unnecessary to state;
yet the barrel had yellow head, and-and
well, / knew the tap. | sat and talkei to
Burr, who was in charge of this extensive
store, and before breakfast he went over it
with me. A curious stock. Every thing you
could not find in an eastern country store
was here. AS we walked he explained the
business to me. Alluring? Not at all. He,
looking at his watch. said: ave have yet
time before breakfast to look atmy mare"
The sudden change in the expression OF
the voice, the softening of the eyes, as this
hard Indian trader spoke of his horse, ex-
cited my curiosity, and L went with him.
He took me to low log stable, the chinks
carefully muddied, the open shutter and
door well made and carefully fitted, SO as to
exclude the buffalo gnats in season. A few
short, heavy chains, extending from post to
post, kept the horse in and the other animals
out. With breast pushing against the top
most chain, with her handsome broad head
thrust out and alert ears cooked forward,
stood a snow-white mare. She was looking
W
her face, as much as to sap: "Well, you have
not grown handsomer during the night"
Burr whistled, and with a joyful neigh the
mare turned her head toward him and babe
him welcome. The greeting between man
and animal was almost tender The mare
rubbed her nose gently against his breast,
and the man stood softly stroking her deli
cate neck. Unlocking thd chains, they
dropped. Burr walked toward the well.
The mare, with dainty steps, arched neck,
and feckng tail, followed behind him, or
caressingly advanced to his side, rubbed her
body against his, as though the mere con-
tact with the man were grateful to her. His
arm, it seemed to me, instinctively lifted
and dropped across her neck.
The two walked on together, unconscious
of any incongruity. A bucket of water
stood at the we'll The high bred creature
smelt of it, and detecting my previous pres
ence, disdainfully refused to drink ritter
me. Emptying the bucket, Burr drew an
other, and of this the mare drank slowly,
her white face gradually sinking into the
shallow vessel. All across the parade on
the return to the stable the love scene was
re-enacted. As they passed me, the mare
showed her aversion to stranger by laying
back her ears and thrusting out her white
toothed muZzle toward me in a vicious man
ner, causing me to step hastily back. They
pass into the darkness of the stable. Burr
comes out with bucket, puts up the fore
most chain and goes after barley. The
mare with outstretched head looks after
him with kind eyes. Again she saw me,
and with wide-opened mouth reachen
around the post to pay me the attention of
her dislike Returning to the stable with
full bucket of barley, Burr passed in. l
heard him pour the grain into the feed-box;
/ heard him speak to the mare as his ''dear
grip, and then / heard him-kiss her?
A singular gentleness had come over this
hard man, steeled to human suffering and
woe, whose business it was to impoverish
Indians, to destroy their morals, to rutify
them with the devil, alcohol. He sat at the
breakfast table, silently thinking, with his
antelope steaks and trout untasted before
him, Watching the softened face, l Won
dered what was the story. So asked:
''Burr, why do you love that white mare?"
He looked at me, and with sad smile re-
piled, Tonight after the men are in bed |
will tell you the story" Then, briskly,
Crank, this is not business E--+,z,--y ivy,
then clear out and fish or hunt. You VIII
find some fool hens in the big willow thick
ct, about five miles below here. saw say
them the other day. Shoot some e., To-
night we VIII have feast, and Will open
my two last bottles of sherry, and we will
talk His face hardened. The cold,
deadly look returned to the gray eye, and
our breakfast was soon finished.
Shouldering my rife stepped out of the
stockade and slowly walked down the valley.
On the distant hillsides antelopes grazed;
down the valley before me | could see few
deer running for cover to the willows by the
stream. Now and then grouse rose before
me and flew rapidly away. Resisting all
temptation to shoot at anything. walked
steadily on Climbing hill, sat ON a red
rock and musingly gazed at the vast plains
to the northeast, at the foothills of the range,
and at the rugged rocky range beyond. l
love the Rocky Mountains, and never tire of
their face wasted hours in looking and
in thinking of the many tales had heard Of
the range. When the sun was high above
me l started for the willows. There nearly
jointing a light trout pole, whipped the
clear pools of the south fork of the Teton,
and was soon rewarded by string of fine
half-pound trout. Then came the pleasant
walk back through the cool, dry air and over
the crispy grass of the North. What
luxury life was in the valley OF the Teton!
I turned my spoils over to the smiling Indian
woman who acted as cook for Burr. The
rest of the day spent on horseback, run
ming antelope with lot of half-blood Indi-
ans. At o'clock supper was served and
cdUGu. Liz SllClly Wdo Out, anu l.
scattered on the table handful, my last, of
Rosa Conchas that had never paid duty, and
as we sat smoking Burr told me this story:
Gin the fall of 1868 l thought it might be
profitable to start a trading post in the Vel
lowstone Valley. Learning from the Black
feet that the Sioux were camped on the
south side of the river, l determined to ride
over and see what arrangements l could
make with them. 1 crossed the Belt Noun
tains and, riding down the valley, was soon
at their camp, l on the north side of the
river, they on the south. l sat on my horse
and hailed the camp. No answer. could
see plenty Of Indians walking about, and
again hailed. No answer. Ishouted my
self hoarse, and the only notice taken of me
was by an old buck, who walked to the river
bank, looked at me, made an insulting ges-
tue and slowly walked off. / went there to
trade, and having got angry at the treatment,
though 1 well knew that l ought to leave the
valley at once, I, like afool, resolved to cross
the stream and brave the danger. So |
forded and rode into the camp. spoke to
no one; no one spoke to me. The sullen
braves turned their backs on me as l rode up
the street. The young girls looked curiously
at me. Riding slowly along, l cooled rap
idly. | saw that was not wanted, and | at
last realized that Twas in danger. l did not