The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-12-23
WILLIAM MATTHEWSON.
4 GENUINE HERO OF THE WILD
WESTERN PLAINS.
How He Became a Favorite with the
Indians and How He Saved Much
Bioodshed--sOme of Ills Thrilling Adj
ventures-His Title Buffalo nil"
Ispeclal cOsrespondence.l

senator when men were senators: chin square
cut; square shouldered; you would saw n
man on the square as you looked at him.
Modest as tho brave ever are, not disposed to
talk until no is sure of his man. But when
he does talk the days of Daniel Boone do not
seem SO far away. See him as he sits in
front of his ranch, grave as a Roman SEN
ator' Wonder galloping across the plains
comes an Indian. As he comes nearer we
see he has the physique of giant. Matthew
sons face kindles.
ut is Big Bow" he SAYS.
Inc Indian rides within forty PAGES of lis.
but veers off toward the Quaker agency.
AS ne does he shouts and points that way,
"Sinpah Zilbahl Come, AGENT
There has been trouble; he wants Slnpah
lilbah-'the dangerous one with long hair on
us chm"-as the Kiowas have named
Aatthewson, to help him get at this Quaker
agent, who seems to him a half squaw man.
How has this man made himself power
with the fiercest chief among the Kiowass
Years ago in the state of New York was a
lad with hot, restless heart; that heart had
not been made restless by the cheap novel, for
The cheap novel was not yet. His heart was
restless because it was a big heart, full of
courage and high daring. That heart had
been fired by book, but it was very noble
book, the life of one of our very bravest
Americans John c. Fremont. Well, the boy
did what my boy readers had better not
do, unless they are absolutely sure they have
as lofty heart as William Matthewson had
he ran away, and he struck for the path the
great pathfinder had found-the overland
route to California. Out and out he went
into the heart Of what was called once the
great American DESERT but which never was
desert, only great plain, stretching,
stretching, as the great Lake Michigan
Stretches and which, perhaps, was the bottom
Of great lake once. The ranch where the
youth stopped was also in the heart Of the
Indian country The Kiowas were there, and
fierce, fearless fellows they were, who could
look you square in the face without fiinching.
The Comanches, too, occasionally swept up
there, short and squatty, inferior looking
save on horseback, and they did not look well
square in the eye-they cast furtive side
wise glances. The Kiowas took lovingly Z!
him when they came in. And while he L
learning frontier lore from the ranchmen be
was learning as fast as he could the Kic wa
language.
At % he pushed out further alone ia the
Kiowa country and established ranch It is
enough Of trading ranch to give him TN ex-
cuse to stay among them. His ranch, being
the falthest out this side the Rocky noun
tains, is haven to weary overlanders to Cal
ifornia.
Matthewson, besides the Kiowa lang uage,
had learned the sign language, which is the
common language between all of the tribes.
If you ask an Indian how far any place is,
and if he does not speak your language, he
will tell you how many sleeps off it Is. A
sleep is about twenty miles. If it is about
20J miles Off he will lay his head in hi hand
close his eyes and then hold up both hands
it Is ten sleeps off. If he wished to tell you
YOU lied lie would thrust out two index fin
Iers from his mouth making an obuue angle,
you talk forked" Matthewson unde rstOod
.his sign language perfectly, but the indians
tribe had come in. They were talking this
sign language to group of Kiowas:
"What is it!'
"A prisoner got away. Prisoner white
md a young girl. Stole one of their ponies.
Got away in a storm Win give one, two,
three, four, five cattle Kiowa catch her."
"All at once it flashed over me-" be said
IA young girl alone on the plains, two tribes
banding to catch her! Ny brave one Pm Oh
your side! sold them or half gave then
the goods to get them away. slipped away
myself cautiously, quietly. saddled tive
horses, my mare Bess and splendid horse
had. | took my carbine and two Colt re
golvers; told some struggling Kiowas that
were still there, My cattle gone; [ must &c
hunt Them l pushed off on the course
knew she would likely take In few
hours [ struck trail. l examine it close
Yes it is hersl Before this l. strike
small band of Kowa Indians who were scour-
ipr the plains for her trail. Where you go
ingY Hunt my cattle; four got way; two
red, two spotted push on. follow the
trail as long as can see; camp; partner was
Young then, | didn't sleep much! AS soor
rs I can see the bent and crushed grass Of the
trail again | push on, east, ever eastward
That girl has got sense as well as pluck. Sn'
knows the settlement lies there. Bess tossei
her head and leads out in long stride. sup
pose those red devils strike across and ge
ahead of me! Well, if it comes to the worst
| couldn't 20 down in a better cause Houl
after hour nothing but the sweep and hatetn
saneness of the stretch Of the prairie. IL L
/, the middle of the second evening BY
Godl there's a speckl Come Bess, wei
make that speck grow bigger. It's a horse
and there's some one on it.
partner, I'm not the praying kind, but
did thank the Almighty. When she lookeC
arouud and saw me she was nigh frightened
10 death. Her eyes boxed just like fright
aned fawn's, but the next time she turnet
thav looked like fawns when it finds out it
mother has scared it. Her Indian pony wa
.halv. | had her on my led horse in jiHy
We pushed for the first station or ranch OF
tine route We changed horses there and SILL
nusbed ON. We were not safe yet. carTiet
ner TO the settlement in Kansas.
aHcr folks had all been murdered in Texas
3he made her home there afterwards. Part
uer. it would make prettier ending for nj
to saw | married that girl; but didn't; m.
time hadn't come yet. Later on latiated
! plendid glrl up OIL hhliio''' =,
In 1870 William Matthewson earned u
title of Buffalo Bill. The Kansas drought
sad cut short two successive crops. Settler
NO, ,rore absolutely starving. Kiowas, Siou'
and Cheyennes were on the warpath. Agail
at,a cbivalrous knight arose in Matthewson
OF in the range OF ;'-c 1910 tribes Ter
,,,ertv Of buffalo. De got a wagon tran
p'. .i.,. avn said. aFollow nep In q fes