Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1892-06-30
THE BOY YES.


of fbres. preparatory to shooting it into
the fire.
This was always the signal to the BOYS
that he was ready to begin to shoot
buffaloes and Indians Uncle Jack was
a grizzled veteran officer Of the regular
army, and had seen much hard fighting
on the frontier
why. yes, said he, Il do know
something about what Indians are good
for as fighters, and for downright hu-
man courage. without any of the sneak
ing, strike-you-in-the-back work in it, ]
think the Cheyennes stand ahead Of
them ALL
But what Cheyennes? Where did it
happensr clamored the boys, who knew
well enough that there was some special
instance back Of the general statement
Of Cheyenne bravery.
How did you little rascals know
what | was thinking off, he growled.
"Well, in 1878 my command was sta
toned at the Wild Rose agency. Things
had been moving smoothly for long
time, but the Indians were getting fat
and saucy on government rations. and
that state of things couldn't last. Every
brave had a good breech loader and a
pony or more Even the boys-wiry,
saucy little rats-had their own guns
and ponies, and the way they did run
was q caution
'sThere were two little chaps in par
ticular who used to loaf around the post
who had the most impudent black ewes
and the most stoical faces when they
thought you were watching them. They
We're handsome little rascals. if thev
were dirty and lazy, and often they used
to run races across the parade ground
to amuse the officers for a stake of army
cartridges. They were the most fear
less, nimble little monkeys,
Half the time you couldn't tell which
part was horse or which part was rider
The way they stuck to these little ponies
in every position imaginable, now on
this side and now on that! They were
along the neck, under the belly, heads
almost dragging the ground. They
dropped their hats and picked them up
again at a breakneck gallop. They fred
their rifles with one hand until it made
you think of Fourth of July in Bangor.
They were sons of Lone Wing, a chief.
81 got to watching for the little imps
to come and show off their tricks, and
missed them when they didn't put in an
appearance; for a fellow becomes SO lone
ly out there that he bankers after any
kind of face he's used to, even if it is a
dirty red face
"You know haven't much use for a
live Indian. Somehow, living out ON the
frontier, one picks up prejudice against
them. Many Of the young Indians who
hang about the agencies doing nothing
become thieves and vagabonds, but |
couldn't help adni- ing these two boys.
''They stood BY one another like
Damon and Pytnia4 One day some of
the men coaxed one of them into the
barracks and got him stupid drunk
That's an example of the way Indians
are sometimes improved at the agen-
cies.
"Well, the other boy wouldn't bulge
an inch away until he took his co1nrade
with him. He hung around him until
after dark, and then managed to creep
in while the men We're at mess, and
actually lugged the sleeping fellow out,
whistled up the ponies, loaded him on
like log of wood, strapped him on with
lariat and galloped off
'They had the blood Of tile old
sachems in them. and do believe would
have died for each other. / got to like
them as much as possibly could like an
Indian. and that would be about as hard
for me as to like rattlesnake
Maybe You have heard that the gov
ernment is not the best provider in the
world, and the Indian department is a
great deal more uncertain than the pay
master or commissary Of tile army
Well, one time the beef cattle We're
stalnpeded and run off by rascally Sioux,
and the other rations were about a
month behind time and things got to
looking pretty blue over at the agency.
Eve let them have all the army goods
we could spare. and Agent Pierson sent
his scouts here and there to pick up
what beef they could lawfully, but be
fore they could get supply the redskins
began to grow lean.
''Some of the sQuaws and papooses
that staggered over TO the agency would
hardly have made shadow, and it is
no wonder that petty depredations were
committed.
First the agents poultry went Then
some one got into the storehouse and
carried off a lot of eastern canned goods
the agent had for his own table. He de-
clared that he would make the guilty
one smart if he found him. That night,
to cap the climax, a floor board was
loosened from underneath and piece Of
meat the cook had ready for breakfast
was taken from the agents kitchen.
''The guard saw the thieves and fred
on them, and by the flash of his gun
recognized them as Panther Tail and
Four Toes, the two Indian boys. i for
got to tell you about their names. Pam
ther Tail was the totem or manitou
name Of the older boy, and the younger
one was called Four Toes by the whites
because in some boyish- adventure he
had lost the little toe from his right foot.
when the guard came to make an
examination there was the four toed
track of one of the barefooted thieves.
Afterward we heard that the boys
mother was sick from fasting.
"The agent gave prompt orders to
have the offenders brought i'll for pun
ishment, but the Indian police came
back with the word that they were not
to be found in the tepee of Lone Wing.
The whole village was sullen over not
getting rations, and not only refused to
give information, but threatened ven
geance if the boys were arrested.
cit was time to show a bold front.
There were enough hungry warriors
waiting for rations to destroy us all if
they should go on the warpath. and
every one was armed.
"Agent Pierson saw trouble ahead
He mustered all the force Of Indian pib-
lice and scouts he had, and called for a
detail of cavalry from the post. was
ordered to take my company, and the
entire force, numbering 100, was put
under my command subject to the
agents orders.
when we rode into the village there
was not a soul in sight We made first
for Lone Wings tepee. The cfd chief
stalked to the entrance when the agents S
messenger spoke to him. Ho said that
his people were still friendly. but refused
to tell where the boys were.
Then we will search every tepee.