The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-09-20

broad, yellow stripes could be discerned
beneath the coating of dirt; gray
flannel shirt and an indescribable dirty
blanket about his shoulders. Around
his neck was a string of beads, blue,
white, black and purple. and hanging
from them an Indian razor, simple
piece of tin, doubled, and to be used
after the manner of tweezers. His
coarse, black hair hung in. five long
braids over his blanket, which ar
rangement accounted for as many dark,
greasy streaks which adorned that
garment. On his head were no eagle
plumes, no waving crest OF feathers,
| but a small. round. felt hat, whose
| brim fiared in aggressive Yankee fash
| ion.
Mounted on forlorn-looking pony,
| this noble red man sat and stared at
Mary. Although an army girl, and
one who in early life had passed
through one Indian campaign, reposing
in a basket under the drivers seat in
an ambulance, Mary was a trife
startled. Never had .the kid" been
80 desirable to her as at the present
| moment. Would he ever come ? AS
| II in answer to her thought, that irate
officer appeared, heated. dusty and re-
vengeful. at 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 chattered-Indians do
not talk-ssHowp"
"How," replied Mary, gravely.
Then, turning to .'the kid" and
pointing TO Mary: aYour squawp'' 2
.Yes,p preplied thatindividual, wrath
fully.
''TradeP" g
"Yesm-still more irately.
s.How much?''
+ sVery little, with intense sarcasm.
'.Four ponies?"
F 80 yes."
"Good! Me trade Then turning to
Mary he again said "How,n and re-
mounting rode off 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. ~
'9Miss Mary" he pleaded, sit was
all a joke. Inever meant what said !;
and he is only a Crow, 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, squaw and two
papooses. At the post in front of the
house were hitched four ponies.
"Carlton!'''' shouted the commanding
officer, .'what is the meaning of this
! outfits" pointing with disgust to the
squaw and papooses.
!. ''The 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,
t"Now me trade squaws."
The General fairly bounded from the
| piazza, and in language more military
than refined, blessed the entire Grow
nation.
+. To him next the Indian appealed.
"His squawP Pnpointing a dirty
finger to the s.l1id, and giving COM
prehensive glance at Mary.
(Which squawp'h. - 81
+ His and the dainty whip indi-
Gated the gray haired father.
The Crow advanced to ''the kid, y
looked at him with supreme contempt
and said: '.You-heap-lie!' Then
turning his back to that discomfortea
officer, he advanced to Mary and said,
| coaxingly: Come
mo! Nor' she replied, shaking her
bead emphatically.
ssComeme, still more persuasively.
"No! No"
"You come me-
| "NOm thundered the General.
| aClear out!''
!. However, the Indian was not to be
intimidated. Going to his pony, he
returned with a large elk-skin, and
spreading it at Mary's feet said, conf
IDENTIFY: "Dress;-now you come"
Mary still shook her head.
With a somewhat puzzled express
sion, as if here was a phase of fem
mime nature not easily understood, the
ardent lover again journeyed to his
pony, and laid beside the dress a string
of elk teeth. s.Trim Dress he ex.
claimed triumphantly: ''you-s0iH-
comen
..Noi No! NO. She is my squaw,
and will not sell her" protested the
General.
Calmly disregarding his presence,
and still oddracciner Mary the Indian