Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-06

Z move On himssN IKE . man Who was
riding scr = record
Whether this means WAS fair or foul.
the ieasers carried the day, and the
larger part u the reservation was turned
over To the COW men. A change was
soon noticeable. Substantial buildings
took the place Of dugouts; corrals were
built at convenient points: surveyors ran
the lines between the ranges and wire
fences followed close behind
Down at the agency Two Bellies was
enjoying the reward for the part he had
played. and, if his work could be judged
BY the reward. he had played it well
Right into the swim he landed, and in =
short time was putting on the airs OF .
man who owned the pool itself. Discard
ing the tribal blanket and gee string.
he donned a major generals coat, spring
bottom pants and had his moccasins
beaded to the heel. Af,er the excitement
that followed the election had subsidized
he began to lay his plans for the future.
The first thing on the cards was to Sc
cure a squaw. After accomplishing this.
being well satisfied with his bargain. he
opened negotiations for another, and
was soon recognized as a man of family
and OF affairs. He also enjoyed the
favors and perquisites that formerly
fell to the 10, of Crazy Mule. As l saw
him standing in front of the agency
store one evening, with his hat tilted to
the right angle, his cigar between his
fingers. practicing splitting between his
teeth, as became a politician of his stand
ing, l thought of the old medicine man
out in his lonely village, shorn of what
power and privileges it was possible for
over and guarding alike his little corn
patch and the sick children of his fol-
lowers. to whom. in spite of defeat, he
was q chieftain still. And then l smiled
as l remembered the words: May be
SO, pretty soon. long time come, things
even up"
The years rolled by, and in the course
Of events another election was held. The
party who had been in power SO long in
Washington city stepped down and out,
and the friends of reform took up the
reins of government.
The old chiefs assumed their places,
while the pets of the agents were sent to
the rear.
As l rode along l wondered what
changes would find at the village, which
was approaching. II expected any !
was disappointed. The same ours, ap-
parently, barked and snapped at my
horses heels; the squaws seemed busy
with the same tasks, and under his arbor
the old medicine man sat smoking his
pipe with the air of a proprietor and one
who had earned his rest, and further
more had the advantage Of knowing it.
With q wave of the hand that included
greeting and an invitation to seat,
he babe me welcome and fell to asking
me the whereabouts of the other boys,
who in days gone by had smoked the
old sisters out of these thickets and sand
hills. l answered as best l could, for
they were scattered from the Rio Grande
to the British possessions. in turn be-
gan to think of some Of those who had
played prominent part in those days,
anu " ds dpout ~ Pul thc question 40 "
their fate, when the sight Of a buck bend
ing low under load Of wood attracted
my attention. Something about him ap-
peared familiar. and as he approached |
could scarcely believe my eyes, for in the
laborer l recognized the ex-politician,
Two Bellies.
Old Crazy Mule, seeing my look of
wonder, gave grunt and a chuckle and
relapsed into silence. Instead of the
major generals coat and spring bottom
pants and high hat, in which had last
seen Two Bellies, he now appeared with
an old blanket over his shoulders, his
lower limbs incased in a pair of blue
overalls, and as he threw down his load
and turned to get another, saw the seat
of these had been removed in Difference
to the tribal custom, aud then | knew
his fall was complete; that another. back
slider was abroad, and that civilization
had lost another convert. AS he disap-
peared in the timber, l could but think
again of his own prophetic words: May
be so, pretty soon, long time come,
things even up."-Ned II. in Atlanta
Constitution.