Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-17
iNBIAN WAR HISTORY.
"Reminiscences of"Old strike the Rec. -
"Old Dakota" and their Contemporaries
in the Early Fart of the Present Cen
tury

| "Oid Dakota" and their Cotemporaraes
In the Early Fart of the Present Cen
tury,
BY CREEP EASY, OF CALAMITY FARM,
| [Oontinusd from last week
Five years previous young Williams,
student of medicine, abandoned the
comforts and luxrsies of home, went to
st. Louis, took the first boat up the
river, and in due time reached the fur
oompanys trading post. Throughout
the year large parties of Indians from
different sections OF the surrounding
sountiy assembled at this post to trade
their peltries for the miscellaneous as.
sortment OF goods that was kept on
hand by the fur company for that pur-
pose.
Among the Indians that were en-
| oamped near the post for the purpose
OF trade was portion of the band of
| Blackfeet referred to. The Blaokfeet
beauties OF this band, as they Haunted
about in all the colors OF the rainbow,
soon became objects of rivalry among
| the mountaineers OF the post. Their
time was spent and their ingenuity
| tasked to the utmost in their endesyors
| to eclipse each other in their dress and
decorations, thus showing that these
children of nature" were causing each
other to experience all Of the Jealousies
and heartburnings equally intense with
| those of rival leaders of fashion in the
! luxurious abodes of civilized life.
Happy was the trapper that could pro-
duce gay colored ahawl or string of
fancy beads to win the smiles and heart
of one OF these dusSy damsels OF the
western wilds. The fair one no sooner
experienced the promotion of becoming
q trapper's bride than her notions at
once rose to the dignity of her station
and to the wealth and credit OF her
lover. Instead Of being the drudge and
slave OF an Indian husband, obliged to
carry his pack, build his lodge, make
his fires and bear his cross humors and
hard blows, she soon becomes, through
the indulgence OF her white lover, the
envy and admiration OF all the ieathern
dressed, hard working squaws OF her
acquaintance. "These wild blades COM
bined in the eyes OF the Indian girl all
that was dashing and heroic in warrior
of her own reoe. with ell that was GAL
liant and glorious in that OF the white
man.
During this season OF feasting and
frolicking, youug Williams heart being
open TO new impressions, became enam-
ored with the charms OF the chiefs
daughter, pert little Blaokfoot beauty
whose coquestish airs and stylish dress
made her the admiration OF oil. Williams
found this young beauty an honorable
girl. She bad, ere the young Kentuck-
ian paid court to her, been affianced to
one OF the most powerful sub-chlefs OF
the band. Iron Horn, as he was called,
was q morose and Ill favored Indian
whose only recommendation was his
wealth and power His valor had earn-
ed for him high place among his peo
pie. It's true he had another wife OF
older date, but the young Indian girl
was precious in his eyes, and all attempts
made by young Williams to bargain
with him for the young dsmsei we're
unavailing and useless. He had already
delivered to the father of the young In
dian girl two feetfooted horses, tho
consideration that she should become
his bride after his return from a pro-
tracted war trip against the Grows, a
hereditary band of hostile foes on the
hesdwaters OF the Yellowstone, and his
return was daily expected.
Young Williams thought the match a
decidedly improper one and determined
il possible to prevent 1t. Bot the task
was far from an easy one. The young
Indian girl owned to prediction for
her white lover. but she knew that the
bargain with her parents for her hand
was consummated, and would be con-
sldered binding by her people. But
Williams had, after some dozen stolen
interviews, filled her head with new
fanPled notions. He persuaded her that
mutual love was the most delightful
thing in existence, and endeavored to
prevail upon her to elope with him. The
days we're long and warm, and they
could take one of the company's boats
and with plenty of provisions and two
companions who wished to return to
their homes down the Missouri, they
could start in the evening and by morn
Ing be beyond the reach Of pursuit.
The young girl listened and longed,
but feared the vengeance of her Indian
lover. while young Williams could not
brook with patience the idea of the
young girls becoming snybodys squaw
but his. So they parted with the under
standing that they would wait for an
expected steamboat that WAS coming up
from st. Louis and would take passage
on its return trip down the Missouri.
ihe young girl returned to her native
village mp the Yellowstone Mean while,
before the steamboat, with tie load of
supplies from below arrived. Iron Horn
returned to his native village and
preparations for the expected wedding
proceeded.
Young Williams, becoming desperate,
left the trading post for the Indian vii
iage the day before the long looked for