Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-13

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at the other end. Other men with legs strolled
up to the scratch, but the athlete in the 1856
combination had the anatomical advan tag
until there appeared bay-legged twenty-five
year-old whose upper works were covered by
two shirts. He was after the two dollars which
awaited the ieetest, and he did not propose TO
allow little matter like a shirt or two to stand
between him and the lucre. He unhesitatingly
and gracefully shed his garments. and won the
race amid chorus of ye!ls that made one think
OF that long-vanished day in Washington when
the home team won a real game of base ball
''PIcKEr PIN" MISSING.
For more than half an hour picket Pin
stood near the finish and awaited the coming Of
an opponent. This was not an inanimate
picket pin: it was live Indian, who has a rep
utatlon hereabouts as . wrestler. The man
who could secure for his antagonist two falls
out Of three was to become the proud possessor
of 50. Presently the second man appeared in
the shape of q mixed blood named Morrison,
and just about that time picket Pin was
missed from the scene of his recent vocal
activity. He evidently did not want any Nor
rison in his. Had it not been for picket Pins
discretion we would have witnessed a wrestling
match in which the pin" would in all human
probability have been driven into the earth.
1t was past noon and the SUMS heat was in
tense, but when the crlers announced the
George long-distance championship race $50
called because Col. j. A. George of Washington
donated the priZes) four willing men appeared
at the stsrt-one a mixed blood clad in civil
lied garb. the others Indians in a state Of
savage undre5s. Tine run was long and promo
tive of perspiration-no one knows the dis
tance-and the honors went to Levi Blue Horse
and to Iron Horse, the former getting 50, the
latter e. Iron Horse did not make anything
out OF it, though, for he mashed one OF his
great toes at least s5 worth.
INrIANs WIN THE TUG OF WAR.
An inter-racial contest was the tug of war.
Nine members of company D, eighth United
States infantry, secured pretty solid grip on
one end of heavy rope and declared their in
tentiOn of hauling nine Indians all over the
face of creation. The scheme WAS a good one
and would have worked admirably had not the
Indians and half-breeds refused to be party
to IT. 1t was worth SO to pull the center of
that rope over line and the aboriginal team
triumphed, while several hundred Ogalalas
and Bruies INDUCED in gleeful whoops of the
most extrayagantly loud description. Nobody
could hope to describe the satisfaction apparent
on the Indian vissges when the result of the
struggle was announced. The soldiers were
not over-pleased, though. Their team was a
scratch sort of an affair, muscular but lighter
by three or four hundred pounds than the In
dian nine.
Other sports had been arranged for on the
program, but there was difficulty in securing "a
suiticiency of Indian contestants, so the morn
ing exercise and amusement was brought to
an end with the releasing among the multitude
OF pretty thoroughly creased pig. the animal
to become the property of the captor who could
secure primary hold on either the tail, a leg
or an ear. 1t was good deal of porker,
this humorous contributor to the events of the
day. He could run at speed which put to
shame the records of his ancestors who have
niche In the temple of scriptural history be-
cause of the squirt they made down a steep
place into the sea and he had as much vicious
ness In ms makeup as even Satan himself
could inject into him. Every body wanted that
pig and about everybody tried to get him when
he was released. The rules and regulations
promulgated for the guidance of competitors
were disregarded and before the unfortunate
porcine quadruped had an opportunity to get
warmed up he was completely surrounded.
soldier go: him and, realizing that struggle
would be made TO relieve HIM of his prize,
clasped piggy In his arms and rolled over back
ward 1t fell to my lot to rescue the victor
and when had pulled about sixteen indians
and mixed Dloods off the top Of the heap both
soldier and pig were somewhat mashed. The
soldier was happy. though. He had saved his
bacon. Four OF his comrades relieved him OF
his greasy burden; each took leg. and in this
inverted and undignitied manner the grunting
was carried down 10 camp.
THREE THOUSAND INDIANS FEAsrISG.
Then came the feasting. All the morning
several hundred squaws had been at work I'M
der the supervision of Issue Clerk Robert Pugh,
and when the sports were concluded every
body appetite was in good condition. Ten
huge steers had been butchered and cooked
and with the meat were served other edlbles
and turntables. Two thousand five hundred
pounds OF hard tack. 200 pounds of coffee. 400
pounds of sugar, 100 pounds of bacon and 200
pounds OF rice were handed out early in the day
and prepared for consumption. When all was
ready the male Indians seated themselves in
what was originally in lended to be a huge cir
Gle, the squaws who had something to do
busted themselves, while those whose work was
concluded squatted around the periphery and
ate that which the 1ordly savages were pleased
to give. There never Was such sight in all
the history of Pine Ridge AMI there may never
be another such; nearly 1900 Indians all eating
at one time and in one place. All cracking
hard tack and swlgging coffee and chewing
beef, taking good tooth hold piece of the
animal anu then cutting off the portion held in
the hand with a knife.
Some of the soldiers enjoyed barbecued beef.
but not too much: the beef was plentiful, only
the enjoyment was limited So far as MANY of
the white people were concerned the dinner of
the day Was al Post Trader Finiays. Mr. Fin
lay s house was appropriately decorated ex-
ternally and internally, and especially patriotic
was the artistic work evident IN the prepara-
ton Of the dinner table; even the food seemed
to be tinted red, white and blue.
At p. m. the horse races commenced. If it
be true that only depraved people go to horse
races, then is it lamentable fact that Pine
Ridge is in state of utter depravity, for
everybody went down to the Loafer Camp to
watch the heeting steeds. Those who ought to
know say that the races were remarkably in
teresting. The dislocation OF a horses shoulde-
by fall and the raising of sum of money for
the unfortunate owner were the more exciting
features of the afternoon until on returning to
the agency We found thirty or forty sauaws.
gaily clad, INDUCING in that never-failing sopo-
rifc--a squaw dance.
THE FIREWORKS.
There were not as many Indians in to see the
fireworks some of the entertainers had ex-
pected. but large number of more or less no
BILE red men occupied points OF vantage on
neighboring hills until the last rocket had gone
up, the last bomb exploded. the final balloon
sailed away. The display OF pyrotechnics was
highly satisfactory Ill every way, most of the
work being done by Mr.. g. II. Little one of the
agency farmers, but the crowd behaved oddly
Every piece OF fireworks was so exp loded thatit
could be seen from the agency, yet the multi
tude of Indians and mixed bIoods and numer-.
whites insisted remaining to the rear
and on one side Of the rough framework, which
had been hastily erected to facilitate matters.
OF course the rockets and geysers and bombs
and Roman candles were just as easily visible
from the rear as from the 'front.' but even the
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