The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-04-05


one not only willing but anxious "to
beard the lion In his den." Here was
the very chance for which he longed to
make "things even up, I" and besides who
could tell but that in the general shuttle
that would follow the new deal he might
land somewhere near the top? As he
had nothing to lose and everything to
gain, 1t was worth trying.
day or two before the election he
appeared in the village with the sinews
Of war in the shape of silver dollars (for
blanket Indian will have nothing to do
with paper money!, parasols, yellow
paint, chewing gum, and other things
dear to the red mans heart, besides a
commission 70 count the ballot and bring
the returns to the agency.
It would have taken a keen ward
worker to have told on the morning of
election how the village would vote
History tells us that when the ballots
we're counted the leasers had carried
their point by a bare majority; but it
forgets to mention that, in order to do
this, more vobes were counted than there
were voters to cast them.
When the old medicine man, by an
hours struggle with mental arithmetic
and final count by noses (the Indian
method of balloting), had discovered this
fact, he got out his Winchester and went
around inquiring for Two Bellies. That
worthy, by this time, however, was far
on the road to the agency, and, as a COW
boy who met him expressed it, "He had
| n on, Il.
riding for a record"
Whether this means was fair or foul,
the leasers carried the day, and the
larger part of the reservation was turned
over 10 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 we'll
Right into the swim he landed, and i'm a
short time was putting on the airs of a
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. After 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 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 lot of Crazy Mule. AS / 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 apolitician Of his stand
ing, thought Of the old medicine man
out in his lonely village, shorn of what
power and privileges it was possible for
the agent to take from him, watching
over and guarding alike his little corn
patch and the sick children of his fol
lowers, to whom, in spite of defeat, he
was chieftain STILL And then / smiled
as remembered the words: "May be
SO, pretty soon, long time come, things
even up"
The years rolled by, and i'm 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 tc
the rear.
AS ! rode along l wondered what
changes would find at the village, which
l was approaching. If expected any
was disappointed. The same ours, ap
parently, baTked and snapped at my
horses heels; the squaws seemed busy
with the same tasks, and under his arbol
the old medicine man sat smoking hii
pipe with the air Of proprietor and on,
who had earned his rest, and further
more had the advantage of knowing it
With wave of the hand that included
greeting and an invitation to a seat
he babe me welcome and fell to asking
me the whereabouts of the other boys
who in days gone by had "smoked tn,
old sisters" out of these thickets and sane
hills. | answered as best 1 could, 70
they were scattered from the Rio Grand,
to the British possessions. / in turn be
gan to think of some of those who baC
played a prominent part in those days
and was about to put the question as t,
their fate, when the sight of a buck bend
ing low under a load Of wood attracte,
my attention Something about him ap
peared familiar, and as he approached
could scarcely believe my eyes, for in tn
laborer l recognized the ex-politican
Two Bellies.
Old Crazy Mule, seeing my look o
wonder, gave grunt and a chuckle ant
relapsed into silence. Instead of tn
major generals coat and spring bottom
pants and high hat, in which had las
seen Two Bellies, he now appeared witt
an old blanket over his shoulders, hi
: lower limbs inoased in pair Of blu,
overalls, and as he threw down his loa'
and turned to get another, saw the sea
Of these had been removed in deferenc
to the tribal custom, and then l knew
= his fall was complete; that anotheTback
, slider was abroad, and that civilization
had lost another convert AS he disap
] peared in the timber, could but thin
, | again of his own prophetic words; Ma,
be so, pretty soon, long time come
things even up Ned H. in Atlant
> Constitution.