The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-06
pxamtsd by Special Arvasge,aens Nth The Asthor
DANDY STEW /
BY HELEN JACKSON III. H.
A s TO r Y.


BY HELEN JACKSON III. H.
Copyrighted 1885, by the Aufhor-An Rights
Reseryed.l
Everything in this world is relative, and moth
ing more so than the significance of the same
word in different localities If Dandy Steve
had walked Broadway in the same clothes which
he habitually wore in the Adirondack wilder
ness, not only would nobody nave called him
dandy. but every one would have smiled sarcas-
tiealy at the suggestion of that epithet being
applied on him Nevertheless, "Dandy Steve
was the name by which he was Familiarity known
all through the Saranac region, and judging by
the wilderness standard the adjective was not
undeserpel. No such flannel Shirts no such
jaunty felt hats. no such neckties had ever been
worn by Adirondack guides as Dandy Steve
babitually wore. And as for his buckskin trous-
ers, they would not have disgraced Sioux chief;
always of the softest and yellowest skins, always
daintily made. the seams set full of leather
fripges and sometimes marked by lines
of delicate embroidery in white quilts.
There were those who said that
Dandy Steve had an Indian wife somewhere
on the upper Saranae. but nobody knew; and it
would have been bold man who asked an in
trusive question of Dandy Steve, or yentured on
any impertinent jesting abouthis private affairs.
Certain it was that none but Indian hands en-
broidered the fine backskins he wore, but then,
there were such buekskips for sale; perhaps he
bought them. A man who would spend the
money heidid for neckties and fine flannel shirts
wonld not stop at any extravaganza in the price
of trousers. The buckskins, however, were not
the only evidence in this case. There was we'll
authenticated tale of brilliant red shawl, a
woman's shawl and pair of silver bangles,
once seen in Dandy Steve's cabin. A man had
gone in upon him suddenly one evening, without
the formality ofknocking. Such foolish conven-
tionalities were not in vogue on the Saranac;
this was before Steve took to guiding; it was in
the first year after he appeared in that region;
while he was living like hermit alone-or sup
posed to be alone-in a tiny log cabin on an
island not much bigger than his cabin.
This man, old Ben, the oldest guide there,
having been hindered at some of the portages,
and finding himself too late to reach his destina-
ton that night, seeing the glimmer of light
from Steve's cabin. had rowed to the island,
landed, md with the thoughtess freedom of the
country walked in at the half open door.
He was fond of telling the story of his recep-
ton, and, as he told it, it had suspicious sound,
and no mistake. Steve was sitting in a big arm
chair before his table, over the arm of the chair
vac flung the red shawl. On the table lay an
open book and the silver bangles in it, as if some
one had just thrown them of. At sound of
entering footsteps Steve sprang upwith an angry
cath, and hastily closing the book threw it and
the bangles into the chair from which he had
risen then crowded the shawl down upon them
into as small q compass as possible.
His eyes biazed like lightnin, or sharper"
said old Ben, "an' declare t.ye I was skeered
Fur mint thought he was loonatic sures
death. But in a mint more he was all right, an
there couldn't nobody treat Teller handsomer
than he did me that night an the next mornin';
but took notice that the fust thing he done
was to heave big blanket kind O careless like
into the chair an cover the things clean up, an
then in a little while he says, a-sweepin' the
whole bundle UP in his arms, III just clear up
this little mess an give We comfortable chair
to sit in an he carried it all blanket
book, bracelets, shawl an all, into the
next room, and throwed EN- on the
floor in pile in one corner. There
want but them two rooms to the cabin, so that
want any place for her to be hid, if so bes
there was any woman round; an he said he was
Twin alone, an had been ever since he come;
an it was nigh year then since he come; 50
never knowd what to make ont; an don't sup
pose there's anybody does know any more'n
do; but if them want women's gear he had out
there that night bant never seen any womens
gear, that's all. Whose'omeyer they was haint
no idea, nor how they got there; but they was
womens gear; dandy's Steve is, he couldn't ha'
had any use for sech shawl's that let alone
sayin' what he'd wanted o. bracelets on his
arms"
''Thats SO" was the universal ejaculation Of
Benis audience when he reached this Climax
point in his narrative, and there seemed to be
little more to be said on either side. This was
all there was of the story. 1t must stand in
each mans mind for what it was worth. accord
ing to his individual bias of interpretation
But it had become an old story long before the
time at which our later narrative of Dandy
Stevc's history began; so old, in fact, that it
had not been mentioned for years until the
events now about to be chronicled revived it
in the minds of Steye's associates and fellow
guides.
Before the end of Stoves first year in his
wilderness retreat, he had become as conversant
with every nook and corner of its labyrinth
ian recesses as tha oldest guides in the re-
gior. Not portage, not a short cut unfami-
lar to him: not narrow winding brook
/. wide enough for canoe to float in. that he did
not know. He had spent all his days and many
of his nights in these solitary wanderings
Visitors to the region grew wonted to the sight
of the comely figure in the slight birch canoe
shooting suddenly athwart their track, or found
lying idly in some dark and shaded stream bed
On the approach of strangers ne would instantly
away; lifting his hat courteously if there were
ladies in the boats he passed, otherwise taking