The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-10-20

startled. Never had 1.-THE kid" been
so desirable to her as at the present
moment. Would he ever come? AS
If in answer to her thought. that irate
officer appeared. heated, dusty and re-
vengeful. ut serves you right" was
the predominating expression on his
face as he saw Marv's companion.
At his approach the Indian dis
mounted and. coming close to Mary,
said, or rather Observation-Disclosures do
not talk-"Howp"
''How," replied Mary, gravely.
Then, turning to 1.-THE kid" and
pointing to Mary: "Your squswp"
"Yes," replied that individual, wrath
fully.
Trader"
"Yes!'-still more irately.
"How much?"
"Very little, with intense sarcasm.
"Four poniesP"
20 yes"
Good! Me trade" Then turning to
Mary he again said "How," and re-
mounting rode of in the direction of
the Post.
With great dignity the proffered as
sistance of ''the kid" was declined, and
from an adjacent stump Mary lightly
sprang into her saddle and turned
Brown Bess homeward. Repentance
swift and bitter was the portion of that
young man.
miss Mary" he pleaded, sit was
all a joke. never meant what said;
and he is only Grow. anyway" But
Mary was deaf, and the ride back to
the garrison was majestic and silent to
the last degree.
As they approached the Generals
quarters they noticed an unusual COM
motion. The General was pacing up
and down the piazza, while his
STRIKER" on the steps, was trying to
drive back an Indian, a squaw and two
papooses. At the post in front of the
house we're hitched four ponies.
''Carltonr' shouted the commanding
officer, ''what is the meaning of this
outfita"-pointing with disgust to the
squaw and papooses.
'sThe kids" face fell, while the In
dams frightened visibly as he said,
pointing, all too plainly, first to Mary,
then to the squaw, papooses and ponies.
'Now me trade squaws."
The General fairly bounded from the
piazza, and in language more military
than refined, blessed the entire Crow
nation.
To him next the Indian appealed.
His squaw?"-pointing q dirty
finger to the ''lid," and giving COM
prehensive glance at Mary.
(Which squawp"
His" and the dainty whip indi-
Gated the gray-haired father.
The Crow advanced to 1.-THE kid"
looked at him with supreme contempt
and said: "You-heap-lier' Then
turning his back to that discomforted
officer, he advanced to Mary and said,
coaxingly: Come"
mo! MOI" she replied, shaking her
head emphatically.
Come me, still more persuasively.
"No! Nor
"You come me-"
NOR Numbered the General.
"Clear outv'
However, the Indian was not to be
inundated. Going to his pony, he
returned with large elk-skin, and
spreading 1t at Mary's feet said. conf
IDENTIFY: '.Dress;-now you come"
Mary still shook her head.
With q somewhat puzzled express
sion, as If here was q phase of fem
mime nature not easily understood, the
ardent lover again journeyed to his
pony, and laid beside the dress string
Of elk teeth. Trim Dress" he ex-
claimed triumphantly: ''you-soiU-
come"
mo! No! NO. She is my squaw,
and viii not sell her." protested the
General.
Calmly disregarding his presence.
and still addressing Mary, the Indian
continued: "Four hundred elk teeth
you come" Gan elk tooth, among the
Indians, is equivalent to one dollar),
''tepee deer-skin-do come"
The patience of the General was ex-
hausted. Lifting Mary across the pi-
azza, he locked her in the hall, and
with the aid of Jim, the striker" to
use that persons description, cleaned
out de ranch, sah." Indian, suuaw,
papooses, ponies, went flying down
toward the suffers store.
THE kid" drew near to explain; but
something in the countenance of his
commanding officer converted his vaIor
into discretion, and he, too. rode away.
For many long week, that lovely
s,,u.na~ Ma-.r MN. lxo.,4 xri.4.,allx. !.