Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-12-24
DARING ADVENTURE
Interesting and Romantic Exploits of Old
Suns Wife

Interesting and Romantic Exploits of Old
SUMS Wife.
Old Suns wife sits in the council of her
natlon-the only woman, white, red or
black, of whom have ever heard who en-
Joys such prerogative on this continent.
ohe earned her peculiar privileges, if any
one ever earned anything. Forty or more
years ago she was Piegan maiden known
only N her tribe, and therefore nothing
more than her good origin, her comeliness,
ana her consequent value in horses. She
met with an courageous fortune, but she
turned 1t to such good account that she
was speedily ennobled. She was at Eome
IN a little camp on the plains one day, and
had wandered away from the tents, when
she was kidnapped. 1t was in this wise:
Other camps were scattered near there.
On the night before the day of her advent
ure a band OF Crows stole a number of
horses from camp of the eros Ventres.
and very artfulIy trailed their plumber to.
ward and close to the Piegan camp before
they turned and made their way to their
own lodges. When the Gros Ventures dis
covered their loss. and followed the trail
that seemed to lead to the P1egan camp,
the girl and her father, an aged chief, were
at distance from their tepees, unarmed
and unsuspecting. Down swooped tho
eros Ventures. They killed and scalped
the old man, and then their chief swung
the young girl upon his horse behind him.
and binding her to him with thongs of
buckskln, dashed off triumphantIy for his
own village. That has happened to many
anether indian malaen, most of whom
have behaved as would plaster image,
saving few days of weeping. Not such
was Old Sun S wife. When she and her
captor were in sight of the Gros Ventre
village, she reached forward and stole tho
chief scalplng knife out of it's sheath at
his side. With it still wet with her faith
e1 s blood she cut hin 5n9 in tbs fhsee Sh his body
from hers and tossed him from the horses
back. Leaping to the ground beside his
body, she not only scalped him, but cut
of his right arm and picked up his gun
and rode madly back to her people, chased
most of the way, but bringing safely with
her the three greatest trophies warrior
can wrest from a vanquished enemy. Tive
them would have distinguished any brave,
but this mere village maiden came with
all three. From that day she has boosted
the wight to wear three eagle feathers.
Old Sun was young man then, and
when he heard of this feat he came and
hltched the requisite number of horses to
her mothers travois poles beside her tent.
| do not recall how many steeds she was
valued at. but have heard of very high
priced Indian girls who had nothin except
their feminine qualities to recommend
them. In one lease | knew a young
man, who had been casting what are
called Sleeps cyes' at maiden, went
one day and tied four horses to her
father tent. Then lie stood around and
waited, but there wa, no sign fro I'm the
tent. Next day he took four more, and
so he went On until he had tied sixteen
horses to the tepes At the least they
were worth twenty dollars, per-
haps thirty dollars. apiece.
At that the maiden and her people came
out, and received the young man SO
graciously that De knew he was the young
woman's choice, as we say in civilized
circles, sometimes under very similar
circumstances.
At all events, Old Sun was rich and
powerful, and easily got the savage herein
for his wife. She was admitted to the
Blackfoot council without a protest, and
has since proven that her valor was not
sporadic, for she has has taken the war
path upon occasion, and other scalp have
gone to her credit.-Julian Ralph, in Har-
per's Magazine for December.