Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-05-22

Sp1tzle then, that the InJun name.
They got along pretty we'll fur a
while, an then they thought they'd jest
run this kentry an kinder legislate fur
it. So they passed a law that no trader
should sell ammunition to the Injuns.
Il heerd of it an laid awake nights
thlnkln' of it. [ was dom well an
maxim money hand over fist, an some
how 1t made m desprit like to think
that should have my livin' an every
thing L bad in the world taken away
from me by a lot Of n~o-account critters
that Lad got the name of bein' reckless
by swarm loud an bullyin' any Jnjun
that they'd ketch by hisself. [ knew
there wa Mt much fight in 'em except
they had a long way the best IN it, but
as it was jest then they had the best on
it, OWN to most everybody bein'
afeared of EN-. They was other traders
in the kentry as knowed 'em as well as
l did, but We was 81 scattered about
that we couldn't stand by each other
very we'll.
"We traders kicked agin this regula-
ton. Says we, The Injuns is peaceable
an friendly, an if they wanted to be
ugly thar amt no settlers to massacre
for hundreds O. miles. Nobody's here
but big a~ble-bodied men with knives an
shootln irons. men as kin take keer O.
themselves But they wouldn't have
1T that way, an SO they formed them
selves into a gang an called it the Spit
zie Cavalry, an started to clean out ev-
cry traders camp as wouldn't stop SELL
ing ammunition to the %Injuns.
81 had a little tradin' tort right whar
this fort stands now. 1t want much of
a cabin to look at, but it covered a lot o.
ground.
Il heerd one evenin' that they was
comm to see me some time the nextday,
an so | got ready fur them. Says I to
my ~half-breed boy as was working fur
me, When them tellers come you jest
watch me, an while | raise my hand to
my head you jest git outside an lock the
front dOo of the shop arter We, an
then run down an git the ponies and
herd them along a couple O. miles down
the bottoms and there wait fur me, but
eff We hear any shootin' of any account
We may as well skin out with the ponies
an do the best We kin with them, fur
they'll be no use to me arter the second
or third shot,"
II didn't sleep a mite that night, an
was up early in the mornin' gittin'
ready fur the company | was %expectin'.
About 10 o'clock in the forenoon they
KEN gallopin up to the door, armed to
the teeth an lookin' as though they'd
eaten up two or three traders afore
breakfast.
"They jumped off their bosses an
leavin' n of their gang outside to look
after 'em, KEN walkin' into my shop.
"'Good mornin', gentlemen says /
pleasant like, jest as eff / thought they'd
come to trade, but all the same I was
layin' fur them all the while. 1t was a
warm day in October, an l had nuthin'
on but my flannel shirt, trousers, boots
an hat, but I had a big navy six-shoot-
er, loaded an cooked, stuck in my
waistband right In front, whar I could
grab 1t IN a second.
"'Good mornin', Mr.. Akers,' SEE
Joshua Fletcher, speakin' up for the lot
of 'em, we've come down on a little
business, an we may as well get at it
fust as last
eat this I put up my hand slowly
an commenced scratchin' my head. I
never looked at the boy, but he under
stood the signal, an steppin' outside
softly locked thedoor on them, sneaked
down the bottoms, takin' the ponies
with him.
"'Wal,' says I, what's the business
yer KEN about?"
"'We hear you're sellin' ammunition
to the %lniuns,' seq he.
"'What if [ am o SEE L.
"'It's agin the law sez he.
"".Who made that law p SEE I.
1--WE did SEE he, am We know'd
varmint. afore | told ye. Nv
"'What it / told We l didn't go much
on yer right to make laws fur me p
seq l..
lived jest chuck yer stuff in the
river and give We ten minutes to saddle
a cayuse an start fur the States seq he.
"''What if I wouldn't scare worth Soul
apples p SEE I.
"'Jest hang We up to dry in the cot
tonwoods down thar on the bottoms
sez,he quite calm like.
""'Wall, now. gentlemen, we kinder
understand each other SEE |, AN we
may as we'll git right down to business.
If / stop sellin' ammunition to the In
juns, | may as. well quit tradin'. If l
won't stop ye mean to set me afoot
right here, an if | resist yen hang me
in the cottonwoods. Now, gentlemen,
years of his life tryin' to git suthin' to-
gether fur his old days might about as
we'll be hanged as set afoot.'
""All right seq he, 'hangin' it u.s. an
he made a step toward me-.
Stop. SEE |, jest a second, [ don't
want to be on angel. not right off, but If
yer bent on it, look whar yer going, fur
[ amt goin' up alone. Lift that trap
door an yell see a dozen kegs O. powd-
er in the cellar, all of them with their
heads out. Look at these three here,'
an with that I tipped over a full key
that stood by me, an let the powder
scatter all over the counter an on the
loose floor of hattened poles. All this
was q~uicker'n I kin tell We, but as the
powder scattered over the floor I saw
some of them tryin' to git out. I'd a
box of matches in my left hand all the
time was speakin', an as soon as I'd
upset the powder l pulled out a match
an offered to strike it on the bottom of
the box.
"Would you believe stranger every
n O. them ours threw up his hands
when / offered to light the match.
LAY down yer weepons,' SEE I, an
they shelled their knives an shootin'
irons as last as they could lay them on
the floor.
"'Now,' SEE I, 'sware of yez
that yell never try this game on Dave
Akers no more, nor lay for him, nor
~ 1S- - -