Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-04

"weI, when I went Il, do the washing that
morning, / found all my light dresses soiied. 30
/ tumbled them into the 'suds' and slipped on
the red wrapper, pinning up the supernuous
length.
''Gringo had not taken half dozen strides
before every pin had ripped out, and, as few
down the street with my long rudy gown flap
ping about Gringos spotted legs and my hair,
from which the stilletto had dropped long be-
fore, sweeping out behind me like yellow
cloud. while the sombrero spread above me like
huge white umbrella, looked more like
maniac than moderately sensible young lady.
'As Gringo halted suddenly before the store
l saw but one face in the dozen curious ones
turned upon me and that was papa's. To his
startled exclamation as dashed up had only
strength to gasp:
/" The Indiansr
"And then I tainted, one Of the strangers
catching me in his arms as 1 slipped from
Gringo's back.
'.In half an hour from the time I mounted
Gringo on the claim dozen armed men were
on their way to rescue mamma, as they rather
expected to find the house in stage of SIEGE On
the way out they encountered band of half
dozen Indians accompanied by an interpreter,
from whom they learned that the Pawnees were
going from their reservation in Nebraska to
visit some friendly tribes in the nation The
interpreter said some of his charges had been
very ugly in crossing Kansas, and that nv in
truder was Shan-ta-wan-tah, a chief, but that
he would be punished, if complaint was lodged
against him. The rescuing party found mamma
nearly dead from fright, but no Indians,
Papa remained with mamma and sent neigh
Dor after me. had fallen into very good
hands, however. The gentleman who rescued
me in my faint, when the neighbor presented
himself with his big wagon, assured him that
could not endure the jolting of that vehicle and
dismissed him. Then he went out and hired
the only light vehicle in the country, except
mammals carriage, and lifting me into this
placed himself beside me, and all that two
miles, which never seemed SO short before,
treated me as CALAMITY as though 1 was attired
in the height Of fashion instead of horrible old
red calico wrapper, made with a train and
trimmed in cotton lace.
''Soon after the Indian episode we prepared
to return to Chicago; not, however, until Sham
ta-wan-tah had been apprehended, tried con-
victed and sentenced to five years in a military
prison, besides losing two of his fingers, of
which my trusty rife bullet relieved him. He
died in prison before his sentence expired and
so escaped the vengeance he vowed against
me.
EARLY in September we left the ranch, much
to my regret, for the strange gentleman and
became firm friends. That summer was the
turning point in my life, for it led me to dis
card the butterfly existence Of fashionable So
ciety into which 1 would have naturally drifted
as grew older.
every summer Mr.. Barton and spend two
or three weeks on the claim now an ideal
stock ranch but mamma has never been in
duced to go there since that first summer"
Mrs. Barton paused, fairly breathless with
her rapid recital, and jamie broke out with an
impatient '.fddlesticks" and tweaked the kit
tens ears till it spit at her angrily and bounded
away.
We stared our amazement and Mrs. Barton
said gently: "Why, jamie, child, what is the
matter?'
"Matter enough" she pettishly replied. 1t
was such splendid story, and then to end in.
that fTishtfully prosaic way-I think it's just too
Mrs. Barton's eyes began to twinkle. "Let me
show you the identical dress" and rising as she
spoke, she opened a curiously inlaid Indian cab
met and brought forth sondal wood box. In
side its perfumed lids lay the red Dress
We crowded about her, picking and pulling at
1t, screaming with laughter as we held the
ruddy cotton folds out against her exquisite tea
gown; then we set at her to put it on.
'Bess you, couldn't begin to wear it now.
am four inches taller, fully, and twice that
much larger about the waist than when that
was fashioned. think, though, have some
thing jamie would rather see than this
Dear Mrs. Barton, what can it be? Not
Gringo?" cried jamie breathlessly.
mo" said Mrs. Barton, sadly. poor Griugo
is dead, but come and see for yourselvesa
And lifting the silver-embroidered portieres
she led the way into Mr.. Barton's room.
ihere are the trophies OF my pioneer ranch
life In Kansas; examine them for yourselves"
Pressing forward we saw on the wall above
the mantei slender little rife, a silver stirrup
and pony halter made of fancifully braided
rawhide. Arranged as a frame about this fan
tastic decoration was the picket rope of curiousy
braided horse hair black, white and chestnut
while high above all hung the white sombrero
jamie found her tongue first. "Ohr' she
murmured extatically, land so Mr.. Barton"
SIS the man into whose arms and heart
slipped that awful day."
ISABEL WoRRELL BALL.