Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14

string attached. which 10 slipped over the wrist
under the blanket. The men on the other side
guess which hand holds the white stick. II
they guess right they count one; wrong. the
other side counts one. When all the counters
are on side that side wins, but il some
times takes hours. OF maybe whole day. to
play decisive game where the stakes are large.
There is much science in the game as these
natives play it Thew endeavor by pointing
hrst TO one hand and then to the other 90 make
the opposite Indian betray BY his facial express
sion which land holds the stick. When the
guesser points with two fingers extended full
length, the opposite man must show his hand.
out the guessers frequently try 20 deceive by
crooking one finger little. As we approached
'he side holding the little sticks were IN appar-
entity agoniziug contoriions holding their
blanket In their teeth, bending double with
severe collie, gruntiug, shaking and twisting
IN their supreme effort not 20 betrsy the where
abouts OF the white stick. Finally the blanket
Is dropped and the arms folded with the fists
closed under them. During all this time the
PLAYERS grunt IN regular rythm. with the wierd
melancholy music furnished by a number OF
squaws squatting behind them in the shadow.
As each side Is guessed off the sticks are passed
over to the Others. who then develop the colicky
symptoms ana Crunt TO music furnished by
thsir own band Of souaws. The game con-
unuec for hours, the participants grunting
themselves into wheezy state while the
preparation rolled of their faces although the
night was chilly and morning showed frost On
the ground
Just As LIVELY IN THE MORNING.
We retired an hour or two after midnight to
our luxurious couch. a little straw in the bot
tom Of wagon, with blankets over US Every
thing was in full blast and we we're lul!ed TO
sleep by tho confused sounds Of grunting
ialsetto singing, bass drum. stamping horses
Vir fv
spanish. At daylight everything was hustle
ana confusion. Indians leading horses TO
water. squaws preparing breakfast as indus
tflously as though they had rot been forty
elSht hours without sleep, boys yelling. mules
making that soui-rending sound that makes n
teamster feel at home. aud tSo-bit Mexicans
riding on a $50 or SIS saddle with a four-bit
sore-back broncho under IT,
The cruelty OF these people 70 their animals
Is proverbial, and we were obliged to witness
Two examples OF II. spirit-broken sorrel.
hltched TO the barbed wire fence had = sore on
l's back as red as raw beef. which the saddle
could scarcely cover. young Mexican was
pushing his horse at full speed when he sud
denly and violently jerked his horse back on
his launches. The cruel Spanish bit cut an
artery In the horses mouth and the blood
spurted six feet away. Their indifference TO
human suffering is great as their cruelty to
beasts. Young buck gave an example OF this
TRAIT OF the Indian character. He was posing
as bad man with a gun by ostentatiou-ly
shifting his pistol from one pocket to another
when the weapon was discharged and the bad
man was shot through the hand. He uttered
no sound and did not vince but calmly peck
eted his pistol and walked of.
About 10 O'Clock several squaws got up in
one OF the rooms open to the court and com
menced singing, taking at intervals a peculiar
jumping sidelong step. Soon after a venerable
bent old Indian. who had been brought up in
one OF the missions, began a Catholic respon-
slve service IN one OF the rooms, aud bucks and
squaws gathered around him making responses
which consisted mostly of "Gloria" '.Santa
Maria and Jesus" crossing themselves the
while.
In the afternoon horse racing was the prin-
cipal feature. The horses were ridden bare
backed. and little Indian jockey carried off
The honors against ali corners. winning in every
race without once using quirt or spur The
distances were short. but the races we're in
tensely exciting TO the Indians and Mexicans.
who staked their money. weapons. animals and
clothing and stripped themselves to pay with
utter stoicism.
THE BOSS DANCER
While the racing was in progress a large
circle of Indians, Mexicans and whites gathered
in the court, inside of which an elderly Indian
known as Sylvester. one of the Coahuillas. dis
PLAYED his skill in dancing. With the ex-
cepuon of a breach-clout and girdle of eagle
pluues and head-dress of hawks wings he
was clad only in natures raiment. with black
and red streaks drawn across his brown hide
which made him look like a wild Apache brave
on the warpath Physically he was fine
specimen Of manhood, with broad. square
shoulders, deep, broad chest. large thighs and
legs and frame muscular and well built. In his
hands he held two round sticks about three
feet In length, which he knocked together fire.
quently. Al one side of the ring was the band,
which consisted of an old Indian wearing. a
IA liant l,.. a
scattering chin whiskers. which gave him
comicai resemblance to Uncle Sam. rafting a
gourd filed with dried seeds He and some
other old bucks Nere attempting to sing an old
war song, while Mr.. Sylvester was doing the
ballet act. At certain times he would whirl
around like top, going around the circle. the
eagle feathers spreading out horizontally by
the rapid motion. Other times he would skip
around the ring tapping his sticks, then he
would get IN the center jumping up and down.
tnen circle around on a jog troi, only to fly of
again into the dizzy whirl. When he finished 1
followed him into his green room. which was
green In fact and through the binding smoke
of a smoldering fire secured rapid sketch,
for which paid him two bits and ..muchas
gracias amigo"
In the afternoon. just before the races. a
Protestant missionary came the grounds,
mounted bench on the dancing floor and be-
gan an eAnortation. He soon gathered little
knot Of bankrupt whites and Mexicans. but his
discourse did not disturb the patrons OF
"chuck-a-luck' hard by. At the same time
Catholic services were being held by the old In
dian squaws were dancing and singing, and
another group of squaws were gambling with a
pack of greasy Mexican cards, using, oddly
enough. Chinese coins for chips. In one alcove
sat Mexican caballero twanging a gaitar and
singing n love song; in another a suuaw was
preparing dinner, and altogether the soil was
pretty barren for sowing gospel seed.
THEY tn rur
The circus was to be the feature of the even
ing. The tent consisted OF some canvas. stuck I
up on poles, in circle about eight feet high /
with the blue yault Of b.ara, sor