The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-03-17

against his enemy's spear and shower of arrows
This ceremony on the part of the novitiate. if
reverently performed, gave his shield invulner-
able power.
story told TO many of us during the cam
paign referred to, by one of the Oldest OF the
Comanches the Oldest Indian / have ever seen,
Little Beaver" of the Osages, is very inter
esting, showing to what an art the despised
savage of thirty years ago reduced story tell
ing. The dried-up old warrior prefaced his
tale by stating that he was so aged, that he
was brother of the highest peak of the Wichita
Mountains" at the foot of which We were
esmped on a cold December night in 1868
Here is the story:
So many years ago that it seemed like dream
even to the narrator, the Comanches were the
greatest tribe on earth. Their warriors were
as numerous as a herd of buffalo on the Arkansas
IN the Fall. They Were more cunning than the
coyote. Their herd OF ponies contained SO many
anlmals-ail fine and fat-tbat no man could
count them in year. All the other Indians
OF the plains and mountains feared and trem-
bied at the name of Comanche.
In the tribe, as is ever the case, there were
two warriors who excelled all the others in
their prowess. One was young and the other
mlddle-aged. They were very jealous of each
other, each constantly attempting some deed
OF daring at which, it was hoped, the rival
Nouiu bdlh. OU6 RAN, WD6u Tue 1BuldH Sutu.
mer made the air redolent with the sweet per-
fume of thousands of flowers and the mount
aims Were bathed in the amber mist of that
delicious season, all the great warriors were
returning from one of their most famous VIC
tories.
They camped under the shadow of Medicine
Blun late one afternoon, where the young
brave, who was quietly smoking his pipe as he
lowered over the little campfire on which he
"A If hannah
ed to Tx his gaze on the highest point of the
bluH and in that position continued for sew
eral minutes wrapped in a most profound
study, while all the rest of the band stopped
whatever they were doing and gazed at him as
ntently.
Suddenly he rose to his full hight and cast
ing defiant look Ipon the warriors scattered
around on the grass, who, excited at his strange
manner, sprang up to learn what he meant.
Presently he turned his face toward the sun,
which was about two hours high, and broke
out with this boast:
% No warrior equals mel I am the greatest
of all the Comanehes! l resemble that mount
ain !" pointing with his spear TO the highest
peak of Medicine Bluff. my actions are as far
above yours that mountain is above the
stream at its foot! Is there warrior here
whe dare follow me?"
Then he shook his spear and brandished his
shield In defiance of any and all. His rival
was all the time swelling with rage and pride
lie knew the boast was intended for him alone,
although he was the elder of the two. He ap.
preached the braggart with all the dignity of
the savage that he was, and striking himself
ON the bosom several times, exclaimed:
SO! You are the greatest warrior of the
Comanches9 You are the buffalo that leads the
herd? i am the old bull to be driven away by
the oowsrdly coyote and die, leaving my bones
to whitenf You ask me to follow you. Never!
never follow will 60 with you'll"
The remainder of the band gathered around
the two celebrated warriors. They wondered
what new deed of daring they were going to
attempt as the rivals arrayed themselves in
their best buckskin dress and mounted their
favorite ponies. With shields held in q defy
ing position, their faces painted and their bon
rets of war eagle feathers flowing in the breeze,
they rode away without another word.
They forded the stream. The youngest now
started up the difficult trail which led to the
sacred summit Of the Medicine Bluff, where,
stopping his afirighted steed, be pointed to the
fearful precipice few rods Off and exclaimed:
You have followed me here; follow me fur
ther"
Then shouting the war-wheop. which made
the echoes Of the mountain awaken, and thump-
ing the TANKS of his animal vigorously, he
darted toward the awful brink. His rival in
stantly raised his pony on bis hind legs and
with whoop more piercing followed the young
man, who when he had reached the edge Of the
precipice failed in courage and pulled his pony
violently back on his launches. The elder saw
his chance. With an awful yell of defiance and
triumph he forced his horse to make the terri
bic leap In mid-air
All the warriors on the grassy bottom below
watched with eager interest what was going
on above them. They heard the whoop of the
aged warrior as he jumped down the awful
abyss. They saw him sit as calmly as if in his
lodge as he descended, seated Is upright on
his pony al if his animal were walking the
prairie, and, above all, they heard his clear
voice as it rung ont in the clouds: Greater
than all the Comanches."
Sadly they wendell their way to the foot of
the bluff, where both horse and brave rider lay
a mangled mass on the rocks, the old warrior
with smile on his wrinkled face of unmis-
taxable triumph.
The boasting rival became a wanderer among
the tribes. His name was accursed of all In
dams. The very dogs of the camps snapped at
him as he passed. At last overcome with re-
morse at his cowardice and treachery he killed
himself One day he was found dead on the
grave of his rival at the foot OF the Bluff. His
body was eaten by the coyotes; his shield and
spear. by which he had been identified, were
lying on the ground at his feet.