The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-14

and again it arouses only wrath. The
people along the railroad, where there is the
least danger, seem to be subject to as many
panics as those penned up in little agency.
with only handful of troops to guard them,
and with several hundred armed Indians
mixed IN every crowd and parading every
stIeet, Wnile Two thousand more are camped
TWO miles south. They are called friendly
Oniy because they remain near the agency
ana Draw rations with the regularity Of
clock-woTk; and not because any one knows
lo LOT certain that their hearts are overlooking
with love for the white man Many Of them
are true friends, and they threw themselves
noDly between the agency and the enemy in
last weeks attack but the freedom granted
tnem enables hostties also to come into the
agency and mix with the crowds so as to get
the news OF the day. They know far better
what is going on at the agency than any
wnite man does of the events taking place In
tnelr camp. Some of the news sent to the
western press within the last few days
wnich never had the slightest foundation In
iact. Dnt was sent in by men miles away
from the nearest troops, was The report Of
battle near Gordon. Neb.; that General
Miles was dead; that Colonel Henry had
COMMITTED suicide; that Father Craft was
skipped down the White River BY them
selves, and that the Seventh fred first at
wounded Knee out of revenge against the
indians. II IS not easy to get the news from
W tne -, hnqlan camp, aud we may easily err as
no excuse for lies like the above quoted, that
carry UNNECESSARY pain and sorrow to the
ttamlHes OF loved ones all over the land. The
iacIs are cruel enough. bad enough. This
WAT Is by no means over. 1t takes eternal
combatants on the frontier. Lives have
peen lost and more must be given for the
sake Of peace and security. The people
want the news as it is, bitter at times. then
quiet and reassnring. $50 9taAs" = ~ eN
$50 much for the wild rumors printed. 1
wonder II there are not many young men
wishing that they were at the front report
ing? Let me giyeyou a few ideas Of the
lie. and then see If you really care to tryit.
Maybe you think yon can 60 to the head
eraf Miles has the reputation Of being very
accessible to the members of the press. This
Is true ordinarily bat the General has been
SO busy since his arrival that he pleasantly
notified the boys. that he must be excused
IRON sna, az p interviews Wen. there are the
hearts the officers and soldiers pump the re-
| p0rters and are the most vigorous agtators
OF the handle In the camp. When troop is
ordered out only the commanding officer
E knows W. where ere they are going; and what he
Then there is the agent He Is overwhelmed
with routine work and knows nothing about
the troops. How about the Indian himself !?
WI, Mnat are you going 20 get ont Of an enemy
IS limited to How Koia' and .Washte.
Anyhow there are, too. squawmen and
half breeds they talk English. Yes,
that IS true, 1T Is also true that the squaw.
man Is more afraid Of the Indians in war
danger Of assassination; II you go to them
and publish what they tell you, Your paper
will be filled with lurid lies and Yield a dis
tinct odor OF sulphur. The half breeds will
| understand English. You can't get news
from the half-breeds unless you have known
them for years and have their confidence.
How Ia the world Is II done then? My dear
ycp Be yoa want to have
everywhere ct all times Of day and night.
Yon want to have your eyes and ears OPEN
Be ready to run down thirty-six different ru-
mors every twenty-four hours. only to find
the, town, Is In an uproar and panic is
| threatened, put yonr revolver in your belt
| and hunt everywhere until you know the
truth. When the whole town deserts the
houses and PUSHES into the stores to sleep. as
they did last Sunday night, take your Win
chester and 90 to prowling. Prowl at mid
night? But that is dangerons!. Well,
where there is the most danger there Is the
most news, and that Is what you want You
may get into ugly quarters. What Of 1t ?
made on the agency Get where you can see
what Is going on. Bullets are flying. Never
mind; you are no better than any one else
here. Men fall near you in the agonies of
death. Describe 1t II you go the next mo-
ment. Then. worn out mentally and physi-
| cally, with head aching ready to split, re-
Numbering for the first time that you have
| eaten nothing all day, you finish your courier
and start him on his perilous journey to the
railroad, and then drop down ON your blan-
kets, without undressing, with your gun by
your side and live over the events of the day
again in your dreams. Another day has
nearly gone. A telegram is handed in; you
dream Of thanks for the news written under
fire. Poor boy, 1t is only despatch wanting
| to know why! 3! ! you don't
| get off your kilograms earlier. Your last did
not get In until morning instead Of 9 o'clock
| at night How was the editor to know that
the courier was chased off the tail by the
| enemy or lost In the blizzard; or that the ex-
peIienced telegraph operator has been re-
placed by "piug."
The newspaper comes at last What
That abbreviated, mangled thing your pet ?
Never! You feel like telegraphing your
resignation, and with blanket over your
head wandering out on the reservation fer
ninst the government hostile ito every
thing civilized"