Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-08-23
seouovah District, Cherokee Nation.
BY L, a. OSBORNE.

payment to about l,ooo Cherokee
Indians of their strip money. Calcu.
late it at about 1895 per head and
,on can see about the amount OF
good greenbacks and silver on hand
for the occasion.
II was away off in the wooded
hills, and Sequoyah is merely the
name for a sort of two story frame
council house. There is no town
within eight miles.
100000 il a big pile of money
these days, or any other days, yet ]
saw a good part of it stacked out
on long table in the open air, un.
der the shade of some big trees.
You must not suppose that it was
left there all to itself, like a pile of
backward rubbish. No; around the
frame building near which this
money was SO stacked was stretched
rope on four sides at distance of
about sixty feet. Near this rope,
seated calmly and luxuriously-they
had right to be luxurious-at every
few yards. was an Indian with a
Winchester across his knee; he
knew how to use it, also. Prone
nadiug about the ground were other
Indians with the inevitable Win.
chester, and maybe brace of six
shooters strapped about them. At
the long table sat several very fat
and very potnpous high moguls of
the payment-all Indians. All these
precautions are not unnecessary let
me say, since among the unsettled
Businesses Of the Indian country are
many men, both white and red, will
ling to risk life for so tempting a
prize, which could be stuffed into a
few shot. bags. Here, however, they
could not stuff very successfully.
Day and night these hundred men
there are that many all told-all
armed, trained to shoot and willing
10 shoot, have guarded the success
slve treasures hauled about that
wild country. When they moved
from one payment to another, about
eight in all, they have sent their
scouts ahead and their skirmishers
on either hand. Iii one place they
had $l,500,000. Think of that be-
ing hauled abou. in country where
might is right!
But we must get down to this
same Sequoyah payment. Of all the
toughs the toughest of the tough
may be seen here; yet they are as
meek as lambs. They hunger after
the noble red man as he steps out Of
the inclosure with the proceeds of
his numerous family in his pocket;
but they must not rob him. A pick
pocket would be lynched, a la Cher
okee, with a bullet through him.
The "man who has money in his
pocket" can gamble all he wants.
Of course, there is most times rob-
berry in that, but it must not be too
opened.faced; and the Cherokee is a
good enough gambler not to be bit
TOO bad. | saw one at a spindle ma
chine which some times, but not
often, pointed to the rs" and 40"
The spindle did not stop to suit him,
ana lie took possession of the ar
ran cement 10 find the hiding spring.
1t was quite a hubbub of an i'm
proylsed town of pole.supported
tents, open in front like bazaar.
There were many and narrow streets
within them, where everything to
attract the Indian eye was sold.
There WAS one cheat, which was TO
catch the most unsophisticated.
ms MAS the scheme Of our organ
man. He had music box inserted
Y the organ, which could be wound
" by pressure of the treadles. Then
Ne would ask what tune the fair In
ulan maiden wished, which was gen.
Haily some popular air. All right.
'ae Was invited to sit to the organ
aaa rattle over the keys TO the no
uon Of how it should be played.
- FariablS, of course, since the Keys
NsIe "eul off, she played the tune
" her entire satisfaction. Conse.
o. L