The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1892-04-02
~.

the tram rum bled across the magnit-
cent bridge spanning the Father of
Waters at st. Louis did the English
man deign to make a few turns on the
platform to get the kinks out of his
long, thin legs and even this was but
for a brief half hour. One after
another jefferson City. Sedalia, and
Fort Scott were left behind him, but
not until the train pulled into Vinita
and "a band of Cherokees stalked be-
meath the car windows In sullen grand
eur of bnclsskin leggings, red blanket,
and eagle plnmes did Gin-Ghi stub his
eyes, give a smothered exclamation OF
horror and reach up to feel If his pig.
tail was still there.
NNow began weeks of patient search,
weeks of wandering on horseback
among the various reservations from
tribe to tribe, from Cherokees to Ar
rapahoes, from Comanches to Chick.
owas, from Creeks to Pottawottomies,
from Sacs to Pawnees. Often and
often, when halt was made in some vii.
lage, a chief wearing a silk hat stalked
out to greet the silent Englishman, but
that long, hard face, with it's small,
CLASSY eyes, vas each time turned in
vain upon the headgear of the noble
red man as Gin.Ghi timidly handed him
n plug of tobacco. 1t was not the hat
that Prince Louis had given to Mr..
Smith of East Houston street.
Once, and once only Mr.. Joshua Mer.
rift unsealed his mysterious lips when
an Indian agent expressed a hope that
he might be successful in his search
for the coveted treasure.
"0h. yes, that's So" murmured the
collector, as IL speaking to himself,
that's so. l. shall find it. / find
everything / look for. Yes, that's so,
it's only a question Of time. No doubt
you have heard what l am looking for
now"
Eyes, sir" said the agent, "aud I can
hardly believe it, but you know more
about these things than do"
Eyes. that's so, that's so, you see this
hat is not like any other hat in the
world"
And hence you deem your collection
incomplete without it."
Eyes, that's SO, that's So" came from
Merritt slowly, and then he added,
''and I'd give my head to get that hat
on it,"
'.Is it a cooked hat, all gold lace
inquired the agent humoring this
harmless monomaniac.
oh, no., but you must excuse me if
refuse to describe it. must be wary
yes, that's so; there may be some
competitor in the feld-that's so; ]
must be wary; he might snap 1t up"
mo doubt you have some proof Of
its existence
"Oh, yes. that's SO, that's SO; $40, 00C
worth of proof-yes, that's SO: twenty
years hard work; that's so; agents, cor,
respondents, detectives, emissaries =
that's so: but I'm on the track at last;
may find it ON some chiefs head;,yes,
that's sou
But what tribe does he belong TOP
Cant tell-that's so; can't tell--but
If necessary l shall visit every one oil
them. | shall ransack every village
that's so; II must be here-that's so,
About the middle of the month a.
Josh and Gin-Ghi-the former mounted
on u tall, raw-boned, shaggy-maned
piebald horse and the latter on NJ
Indian pony as fat and sleek as him
self-emerged from o deep gulcl
through which they had been patiently
toiling for six hours, they suddenly
found themselves surrounded by a band
of half intoxicated Indians, whose war
paint and wild demeanor BODIED no
good to the venturesome palefaee and
his yellow-skinned companion. They
were Kickapoos and in a state of violent
agitation, for United States troops had
lately drive them back from an at
tempted foray over the Mexican
border. A number of them had been
slain. As they formed a circle around
the two one travellers, executing q war
dance and shrieking like bowling der
wishes. Gin-Ghi gave himself up for
lost; but Joshua Merritt, from his lofty
perch. looked down upon the dancing,
bowling, rgesticulating band with a
mien cso dignified, an expression SO
stolid and rigid, hat the Indians fell
back abashed, uttering their deep, gut.
teral .'hows" with a respectful de.
meanor. The Englishman ordered
Gin-Ghi to distribute tobacco. Not un-
til he had made certain that his pig.
tail was still in place could the poor
man ecover his wits sufficiently to
obey.
And now, with q slow and windmill
like wave OF his long arms Merritt di.
rected the Kickapoos to conduct him
into the presence of their chief, Pee
conowah, whose uaiae was well known
to the great collector. The village
was reached in half an hour, and In
solemn silence the bucks squattet
around the two visitors. Pipes were
produced and smoked, but still the
chief of the Kickapoos came not.
The fact is the chief was sleeping of
a debauch and was not in a fit condi
ton to meet his distinguished visitor.
The sad failure of his attempted foray
across the Mexican border had souret
this noble red man, and he had tasted
deeply of the insidious fire-water; but
as the sun went down Peeconowah
leaning heavily upon two OF, his braves
made his appearance, wearing an army
blanket in a very careless and undigni
fed manner, while upon the back OF
his head an old-fashioned, broad
brimmed b~ell-crowned silk hat seemed
10 be clinging desperately.
AS the chieftain took his place among
his braves the hat slipped of
and rolled on the ground. Quicl
as u flash, Merritt's long legs
snapped him into an upright
position, and, picking up the hat
he replaced 1t upon Peeeonowah's heat
with u respectful bow, but q keen oh
server would have noticed that as h
did so he turned down the lining ant
glanced at it for an instant. 1t wa
the hat-the hat of all hats that Mer
ritt's very soul was yearning for, tn
hat that he had searched for in ever,
corner of the new world. Upon tn
lining Merritt had read the words
Prince Louis Napoleon to his frien,
William Smith, New York, April II
1897"
Did Joshua Merritt give q wild vel
OF triumph? Did he kick his long leg
in the air? Did he draw out his walle
and spread crisp bank notes in Peecono
wal's lap? No; nors of these. II
calmly turned to Gin-Ghi and con
manded him to give the chief of tn
kickapoos, Peeconowah, or ''old-F o,
Fond-of- His-Hole," a plug of Swee
Virgiuia tobacco.
Joshua Merritt, Esq, of Liverpool