Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-07-14
THE BOY BRAVES.

Of fhrcs, preparatory to shooting it into
the fire
This was always tho signal TO the boys
that he was ready TO bcgii TO shoot
bulaloes and Indians. Uncle Jack was
grizzlcd veteran officer % the regular
army, aud had sOUn much hard fighting
on tho frontier
"Why. yos." sail be, If do know
something about what lnlians arc good
for rs fighters. aud for downright hu.
man courage. without any OF tho sneak
ing. striso-y ou.iu.iho.bacl, work In u,
think the Choyonncg stand ahead oi
them all.'
"Dut what Cheyenne; Whore did II
happeny .clamored the boys, who know
well enough tiat thCro was some special
instance back Of tho gonornl statement
of Z. ycnne bravery.
"How did you little rascals know
what ! was thinking OF" he growlod.
"Well. In 1873 my command WIS sta
toned ut the VIVA Rose agency. Things
had boon moving smoothly for n long
timc. but tho Indians were getting fat
and sauoy ON government rations, and
that state of things couldn't last. Every
brave had good brcocii loader aud u
pony or more. Even tho boys-wiry,
saucy little rnts-hnd their own guns
aud ponca, and tho way thoy did run
was caution.
There were two little chaps In par
ticulor who used 10 loaf around tho post
who had the most impudcnt black eyes
and tho most Social faces when thcy
thought you were watching them. They
were handsome little mscals, II they
were dirty and lazy. and often they used
TO run races across the parade ground
90 nmuso the officers for stake Of army
cartridges. They were tho most fcar-
less, nimble little monkoysi
"llalf tho timo you couldn't tell which
part was horse or which part was rider.
The way they stuck 10 these little ponies
in every position imaginable. now ON
this side ard now ON thatl They wcro
along tho neck, under tho belly. hoads
almost dragging tho ground They
dropped thor hats aud picked them m
again ut n broakneck gallon. They fired
their rifles with ono hand until II made
you think OF Fourth Of July in Bangor.
They were SONS OF Lone Wing, chief
81 got to watching for the little imps
20 como and show of their tricks. and
missed thom when they didn't put In MA
appearance; fora fellow becomes so lone
ly out there that he bankers after amy
kind Of face he's used to. even II 1t Is a
dirty rcd face
"Yon know haven't much use for a
live Indian. Somehow. living out on tho
frontier, one picks up a prcjudiccugnin
Them. Many OF tho young Indians who
h'rs about tho agencies doing nothing
become thieves and vagabonds. but
couldn't help ndmiring these two boya.
They stood by ono another likJ
Damon and pythias ono day some Of
the men coaxed one Of them into ia,
barracks and got lin stupid drunk
That's an example OF the way Indian
aro sometimes improved at the agon
cics.
"wcll. tho other boy wouldn't budg,
an inch away until no took his conrad,
with him. Ilo hung around him unit
after dark, and then managed 10 crccl
In while the men were Ut mess, an,
actually lugged tho sleeping follow out
whistled up tho ponics, loaded him OF
like log OF wood, strapped him ON will
'1riat and galloped or,
They had the blood Of tho oil,
ms IN them, and lido believe woul
havJ died for each other. got to lils
them as much as possibly could like ~
Indian, aud that would be- about a. har,
for mo Us to like u rattlosnakc.
maybe you have heard that the gov
enmont "a not the best proyider In th
world, and tho Indian department il
great deal more uncertain than the pay
master or commissary Of tho army
We'll. one timu the beef cattle wor
stnmpeded aud run OH by rascally Sioul
and tho other rations were about
month behind time and things got I
looking pretty blue over at the agency.
"Wo let them have all the army good
we could spare, aud Agent piorson sen
his scouts hero and there To pick u
what beef they could lawfully, jut b,
fore they could get a supply the rodsl,il
began TO grow lean.
"Some Of tho squnws and plpoosC
that staggered over TO tho agency woul
hardly have mado u shadow, aud It
no wonder that petty dopredations WEI
committed.
"First the agents poultry went. The
some one got into tho storehouso an
carried OIL a lot Of eastern canned goo,
the agent had FOR his own table. He d
clarod that he would make tho guilt
one smart If he found him. That nigh
10 cap the climax, u floor board ",
loosoned from underneath aud piero
meat tho cook had ready for brcalfa
was taken from the agents kitchen.
1.-THE guard saw tho thieves and fire
un them, and by tho flash Of his gu
recognized thom as Panther Tail an
Four Toes, the two Indian boys. | 70
got to tell you about their naincs. PA
Their Tail was the totem or mantle
name Of the older boy, aud the young,
one was called Four Toes by tho whit
because In some boyish adventure
had loht the little toe from his right Zoe
when tho guard came TO make {
examination there was tho four tol
track OF one OF the barufooted thioy,
Ailerward we heard that tho boy
mother was sick from fasting
THE agent gave prompt orders
have the offenders brought in for pu
ishnent. but the Indian police car