New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-23

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buffalo trails. To one of these melancholy drivers,
drawing his career to a disappointing close, moth
| ing is so comforting to shoot dudish tender
| foot" through the Stage window upon jag of
| rocks below.
| Observing that my driver was in q pcnsive
| humor, l said nothing more to him than
| necessary to procure permission TO sit "up there"
| with him We rode for twenty miles in dead
silence, and at last when we ncared the station
| at which we were to obtain dinner and change
| Of horses, he turned TO me and said Parner,
| like you When first see you | thort didn't
But do You're the fust man that ever rid on
the top O. my coach that didn't start fer to toll
| me that golderned story about Hank Monk an
| Horace Greeley"
| The ice was broken, and we continued fast
| friends TO the end of the ride At the station we
took in elderly lady with crossed eyes, a purple
paraso and passion for telling the price of every
| thing she had on. We had proceeded II scant mile
on our journey when she stuck her head out Of the
| window and screamed 10 the driver not 10 go SO
fast cause it shook the teeth right outen" her
mouth, and they cost ten shilling in Omaha
| When the Indian agency was reached the old lady
and her teeth in great state OF perturbation
Several hundred tecpees covered the plain for the
Indians had gathered from all over the reservation
| 10 receive their rntions and they were having "a
| grand dance and powwow The Crow is an eX-
ceedingly dressy Indian lie wears the gaudiest
of blankets the widest fringes the highest feath-
! ers. He paints profuspy, and in many cases he
is dressed richly in bears claws and cllis' teeth.
| The teeth OF the elk are Indian money. Twenty
| five will buy q pony. In their widest toggcry,
all blazing with color with circlets OF brass ivory
| claws and lava around their necks arms md
ankles, beating their tom toms furiously, and
| meaning a monotolouS song. the dancers vaultcd.
| ran leapcd and jumped in weird and crazy
| tcStacy Groups Of Indians were sIuattcd on the
| ground in a circle around them, nodiing their
| heads solemnly, and occasionally giving vent 70 n
| grooming sound or a fierce yell The greater chiefs
| sat at o distance from the dance surrounded by
their squaws and a few chosen followers, maintain
| ing their dignity Here and there fires burn
| ing furiousy, heating a lot OF stones upon which
| the medicine bowls were placed. None dared APP
| proach these sacred spots save only the medicine
men, in whose supernatural powers the Indians
| still firmly believe. On our route through the
reservation we passed number OF trees, willows
| and cOttonwoods from almost every twIg OF which
| bits Of CANDY cloth and ribbon wrrc hanging.
| These are the medicine trees from whose leaves
| the medicine men supposed TO derive their
| high attributes. Each OF the bowls wns filed
| with herbs and leaves and over them the most
absurd lamentations were being performed.
| An incident which shows how thoroughly super
| stitiOus the Indians even yet was furnished
| by our old lady passenger and her tcn-shillng
| teeth. Having concluded her supper she
| standing at the door Of the agency building. wait
| ing for the stage score OF Indians. bucks and
| squaws, were grouped around staring at her. Sud
| denly she made distressing grimarc and dropped
| her teeth into her hands. The Indians gave few
startled grunts and flew. They ran like antclopcs
10 their camp. and presently great crowd % them
| advanced cautiously toward the agency. Hating
| at respectful distance from the old lady. they
| regarded her with looks OF wonder and alarm.
| They told the driver hS b" cam" up To hcS.'c 81
| her, she had heap medicine tn" lHdnn
! agents should be especially instructed from Wash
| ington 10 do all in their power 10 correct this
| medicine superstition. The medicine men AMI
the bad whites are at the bottom Of all Indian
troubles. They are necessarily ut work, the one
| infiaming, the other provoking. Agents should
| have the amplest powers 20 suppress and punish
| both.
| There is not much excitement about Army life
on Western posts Drserii"ns on tie part Of
soldiers occur every day. They complain bitterly
against being employed AS hborcrS. The most
considerable part OF their duty is 10 take cnrc OF
the post PROPERTY to s'ryr The oi'rcrs as ,hr,s
| and 10 perform mental work. They claIm that
this is not what they enlist fer sen tor Plumb ;
AN amnesty proclamation III favor OF dcscrtcrs, IS
| received by Army officers with some irritation
| They say TINT Senator Plumb makes statements
lie cannot substantlate, point probably well
| taken. His charge that the men are abused ana
not properly fed is certainly incorrect. t'n ne
contrary, thev i've we'll and are confia"r;n ,tni
preferred by the men themselves, that they shout
not lie called upon TO rri@rin acts OF rrsoth,i
| service TO the officers and their fhmllcs though
their other complaint a-ain't having 10 work as
| day laborcrs is open TO discussion: EHke u",
can hardly be the way to prevent it however.
The men ought 10 be rclcN cd % those features
Of their work which arr degrading to them as
soldiers the term OF enlistment shoul be shortened
fIom Sc years to three. and u plan should b"
| devised by which disconnected spirits coni! ROM
| burse the Government for whatever c@rcnsc IT
| IHs incurred o. their account, and ihus purchase
| their release. lho.e conditions provided, HeSrr,
! tions should be heavily and swiftly pnniSiru, ana
q good round price he set Oh every deS'F''r
One great difficulty in enforcing discipline in
the Army, difficulty that Is especially icit On
these Western posts arises from the fact that me
| Articles of War, under which justice Is admin
lstered, are Anticipated aud inapproprnr' Ihcy
| were formulated IL ccntur? ago from the English
| articles and they need revision. They were made
for the days when 1t was great part OF IN o.
opinion had no control Of him. II Is his highest
| duty now TO be gentleman, and. WhlIe mere are
prgs and snobs In the Army, as elrryMhsre rlSe,
! ihat no soldier can be punished for any act what
| ever except by the verdict Of court-niItMi
This makes in immense amount Of L""s anu rgS
| tapc over breaches Of discipline when are utteIN
Petty, and yet necessary TO- he corrected ~ ,h s
rrrtny is u he an army. There were 21OOo Of;
fences against the military laws last year and
every one had TO he tried by "a court mnrtl ;,I:
| This rule seemingly in the mens interest really
| tenGed AGAINST them, for thousands finally al
Judged innocent were subjected to long conimC
ments, awaiting the action or the cnmDcis "nT
C"ngress ought 10 arrange SO that the command,
| inc officer at each post might have jurisdiction
over trivial fences That IS the rule every where
| oxcent in orr Array and IL appeals 10 common
s ssnse' II would have o good effect upon the
men Its tendency would be 10 brc,rht many VI
| ,Losa acts which render them so often hulsante
M the Western towns near which ihrir posts he
The Army will be needed in the West Tor m ;nr.
| tears and AS the country becomes NOR" ana more
;hinbiv aettled it's opportunities TO annoy CIVILIANS
| vii increase There is n OnsidrrnDle trlctllh
| 49, nnrnnlainfS nPalnst the hOlOIcfs hrC