Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-09-24
sNIDER's WICKEDNESS.


very bank OF the Mississippi-so near
to the water that when his active i'm.
agination or conscience would not let
him sleep he had been known to get
out of bed in the dead watches of the
night and plunge into it as diversion
and a solace.
Snider's playmates were boys and
girls of two races the red and the
white, and he confessed slight pre-
ference for the white on week days
and the red on the Sabbath, for. being
baddish boy. he played all day SUD
day and it is hard to get along
tremendously all day with the little
white boys who are permitted 10 play
on that day.
Snlder's sire held the orthodox
Western view that '.lniuns is pizen.
and did not approve his sons fami-
iarity with the aborigines but this
did not seriously interfere with the
boys plans for it was not regarded as
strictly necessary that he should con-
suit his parents as to his goings IN and
comings out Of the woods.
Snider's best friend and STEADY
company" was an Indian maiden of
ten whose name in English would be
freely translated Red Leaf but which
in her native tongue could be only
spelled by a combination OF letters
that would look very diseouraging to
civilized people. Red Leafs mother
had no warrior she could call her
own. and this detracted from her pop
uiarity With the tr be for its male
members were expected to divide the
produce Of the chase with her and
gratitude was not her strongest char
actcristic. Her husbands scalp was
blowing about like a dry rag in some
Sioux warriors tepee. he having been
killed in battle seven or eight years
before Snider formed the acquaintance
OF his daughter. The lady's name
might have been rendered AlkaI in
English, although it is quite likely
she had adopted or been given this
bitter title at a later date than her
marriage.
But Snider had other sources OF
amusement than the congenial society
OF the Indian maiden One OF these
was the casting of stones at wayfarers
from ambush. 1t CHANGED one day
that he cast a stone into a passing
immigrant covered wagon and struck
babe on the head making a cruel
wound. and it CHANGED that the child
father succeeded in dragging Snyder
from his concealment In the high
grass and dragging him to the wagon.
first 10 show him the villainy he haC
done and next TO swinge him soundly.
But when Snider had seen the WOUND
he was so abject so remorsefuL 81
anxious to be smitten hip and thigh
and made terrible example OF. tina
the immigrant and his wife, and the
baby to boot forgave him with al
their hearts
Others had seen his evil deed. ant
the news of it went speedily to hi
father so that Snider was a bruised
and battered little imp when hi
father sent him supperless to bed tina
night He resented his punishment
with bitterness of spirit reasonin.
that having made peace with the i'm
migrants outside parties had no RICH
60 disturb the status quo.
His father punishment made it hart
for Snider to sleep and being a queer
motherless little fellow he lay upol
his pillow and thought OF the coo
waters of the river and the smokl
tepees where the Indians were asleep
and how they, at least always re
ceiyed him gladly. Then he rose III
and stole out of the house. after tillinl
his pockets with biscuits. He wa
going to be an Indian.
The ours did not bite at Snider a
he approached but shifted his pocket
and wagged their absurd and dam
aged tails. Luckily for Snider. Alkal
was asleep and her daughter awake
1t would be pleasant to describ
Red Leaf as Pocahontas Minnehaha
Wenona and other Indian maiden
have been described by literary PEG
pie who have employed terra Gotta o
bron models; but Red Leaf alas
was a genuine Indian girl, with al
the mental and physical character
lstics Of her race. As she emerge
from her mothers tepee on observing
the face OF Snider peering in wonl
be as good an opportunity to describ
her as any likely to be obtained. He
hair was long black and coarse. an
at the part was a streak OF yeIlo'
pigment. This hair hung down owe
her swarthy and not always clea
cheeks in such way as TO make he
forehead iolerably correct triangle
Her eyes were almond shaped an
wonderfully dark and deep with
trace OF natural ferocity about ther
that made stranger look secon
time befo. be remembered with
shudder that they were made to loo
upon the tortures that the savag
heart below might devise. He
mouth was large but the handsom
white teeth within made it rattle
pleasant feature. Like all CROWN
children her shoulders arms an
body were angular and bony. He
raiment seldom parted with b
night or by day until it fell from be
person piecemeal. consisted OF sin
ole calico garment .fo0pledn topetht