The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-18

land, so called because made at Flagstaft
Arr All these blankets have the bright
reQS, yclloWs, and greens blending in a
rough harmony very pleasing to the eye
Winter is the time when this room is
truly in its glory. While warm weather
lasts existence is cheap and the Indians
bring nothing to trade, but at the first
frost they begin to troop into town.
wrapped in their long blankets, which
conceal whatever they have brought
They all know Jake. They know that he
is square and that they have always q
welcome around his big stove, now cleared
of its festoons of Navajo blankets. There
they squat in silent circles. Sometimes a
buck will sit there for a day, making no
sign, and then suddenly draw his treas
ure, whatever it is, from his blanket and
place it beside him. Here is where Jake's
fine work begins. OF course any sign
of interest or enthusiasm on his part
would at once triple the value of the ar
ticle presented. so, however great a
prize it may be, he glances over il, puts
it down again, and walks away. If not
treated with the utmost finesse the willy
savage will sell his treasure to Jake and
then calmly produce some other article
from the mysterious folds of his blanket,
and trading must begin all over again.
Jake makes it a rule to only buy in bulk
and he let many a valuable relic go before
the Indians understood that they must
show all they had ION the first layout"
When he is satisfied that he has seen
all the merchandise under that particular
blanket he goes behind the counter, picks
out choice assortment of the trinkets
there places them beside the desired ar
ticle, and again retires. These articles of
trade" embrace all kinds of cheap dry
goods, buttons, toys. and cheap brass
goods. Perhaps the most amusing of them
is box full of those lead bird whistles
,s,I,t I. f.t-
our streets hideous. A pile of bandboxes
in one corner is filed with soft black
hats, each surmounted by a gay colored
feather"
Il got the hats alone" said Jake. but
they didn't take, so l put the feathers in
them and ! get rid of a lot of them now.
At first the Indians would give me about
anything for trade, but many fool
tourists have been offering them money
for their things that they want hard cash
for everything. and ! use my trade stuff
now mostly for boot
There is no haste about this bargaining
Sometimes it lasts for three or even four
DAYS, and the game is to see who can tire
the other out. In the mean time the In
dian camps in front of Jake's big stove.
FINALLY an offer is made which is accepted,
when the red man rises solemnly, places
his treasures in Jake's hands, scoops up
the goods comprising Jakes last offer, and
stalks away.
Nfexicans are good customers of Jake's,
and many a rare old relic or curiosity have
they brought him. He has old Spanish
trunks covered with colored leather, over
laid with slashed raWhide and having pom
derous iron clamps and lock. The first
missionaries brought them over, and they
are stilI occasionally found in the old
I Spanish missions
lake. and others after him, are respon-
sibla for akind Of vandalism hardly de-
fenaible from our point Of view. II is
known that these old Spaniards brought
/ over many fine paintings some of them
/ nv the old masters with which to adorn
/ their chapes These same chapels are
/ now I'm the hands Of ignorant and mer-
/ cenarv AfeAlcnns Such was the demand
/ for these old paintings, and such good
/ rrices could be obtained for them, that
] cents were sent out 10 search the land
~ Them. They went around with load
/ ~ cbeap. highly colorod chr0mos. repre-
sentiug the pope. different saints, tho
/ Needing heart Of Mary and Kindred sub
,eefs These they exchanged with the
g.iioless AIexicans for their "shop-Worn"
eooBa NJ Be- said that, thanks 20 these
yandais. n b now almost impossible ~ nnd
mn M relics ln the missions. Those
e,bieb Jake has be- sellt Win "a sublime
/ si~reeard Tor artistic excellence Eahslha