The sun., 1894-09-16
GERONIMO'S BOYHOOD.
THE OLD IP4CHB CHIEF TELLS
ABOUT HIS PEOPLE.
His Enriy Home st the Head OF the eil.-s
His First Deer How n Warrior Bss
comes n Chier- Mexican IlupIicity.

His Enriy Home st the Head OF the eil.-s
His First Deer How n Warrior Bss
comes a Chief Mexican Dupiicity.
MIR. VERNON, Ala, Sept. io.-Now that the
Apache prisoners OF war to be moved
away from Mount Vernon barracks, Alabama,
a few facts regarding the boyhood Of the aress
chief Geronimo-pronounced "Hayronimo"-
may be Of interest to the public. A few dayr
ago the writer invited the old chief to his hoprN
with the interpreter, Mr.. Wrattan, who hs4
been with the Apaches ever since they were re-
moved from Arizona in 1886, and under the
solace Of good cigar he recalled, and seemed I'd
take much pleasure while doing so, many Of the
incidents of his boyhood days.
II am about 80 or 30 years old, /" he said, and
for an Indian that is being pretty old. Mana ts
"a, but ne is n very old man, much older than
many OF the Indians Get TO be. was born on
my fathers ranch. way up on the table land al
the head of the ella River, in Arizona, while 10
was still part of Mexico. All OF our people
were an agricultural and past oral people, tillna
the soil 10 raise our wheat and corn and vcgeta-
bles, and herdug our cattle and horses and
sheep We knew very little of war OF course
had fights with other Indians once
in while when they came to our
homes TO steal stock or our women
and when we rctaliated, going In our turn to the
homes OF our enemies for the same purpose. Our
people had lived on these table lands for many
years. and many of our men had never seen the
face of white man. The nearest Mexicana
lived on the Rio Grande, many, many miles
away, and we lived our lives, married our wives,
and raised our family happily and undisturbed.
"As boy I worked with the rest planting
corn, pulling grass for tho cattle, and such
things We had to pull the grass up by tho
roots or else twist II Off, for we had way Of
cutting IL. We did not know what scythes and
slckles were, and the big knives cost much
money, or, what was the same rs money TO ua.
our and wheat and stock and skins.
"As far as the traditions go back, our method
Of farming originated with ourselves. and We
planted our corn by digging little holes in the
ground with knives or sharp sticks and putting
into each hole two or three grains Of corn, then
covering them up with our fingers
My grandfather was a chief, but my father
was not one. Our chiefs are not exactly elected,
young men will go out on a hunt or on a horse
stealing expedition. One OF these young men
s strong po h in his head Of good Character amons
o his topa1ons; %d 66rays, % %Indsunted and good
stronger and his band will increase. II he isn't
cowaIdly, 4 he is not like the fox or like the
chiefs and that one will become great while he
will be rs nothing and will become laughing.
a chief will leave his own tribe and Join another
where he is not we'll known; but when he Joins
a chief. Indians are like white men-they
get what they can and they keep what they get,
MY father died when was 0 or 10 years old
and had to take care Of myself.
other boys about the same age went out hunt
Ing all by ourselves: This was the first time
arrows that we had made ourselves. We saw
three deer running way over on the other side Of
they would and and
again as they flew over the broken ground. We
aimed at one. Of the deer, then let my arrow fy,
and It went all the way through him. part Of thss
clsppeS hsads %o felt % so good we oouia
up and roasted the pieces in the ashes and on
Whole of but L was soed ss esH si%oss
taste 1t now. That was my first deer. OF course
arrows, many times at home In the village that
Is the way Indian boys learn to shoot. They
begin to use q small bow and arrows before
After this hunt turned hunter and sup.
my Wife and ssr %y fan
by hunting. I bought horses; the valleys and
was getting rich.
y" One day some Me1icans came to ou. village
to steal while was on hunt. During the fight
they killed my wife and my two papooses, about
When came back and found nv wife dead
and my children dead 1t made my heart sorry
for myself and hard for the MeIicans."
Geronimo was asked IL he killed any Mexicans
In retaliation, but he wouldn't talk about war or
fighting. He said, ~ will not talk about the
warpath."
Resuming he said: Z" One time, about thirty or
forty. years ago, the Mexicans got lot Of US
Apaches down TO a town In Sonora TO make q
treaty. The Mexicans brought out large buckets
OF whiskey, with tin cups, and they told US to
help ourselves. Most of the Apaches were fools
enough to drink and they got drunk, and then
the Mexicans attacked all that were drunk and
killed every one OF them. ! and two or three
others that did not drink got on our horses and
rode away. The Mexicans killed every one Of
the others, six women and thirty-fo men.
They killed every one of them. That is the way
they want 20 make treaty with us, 10 kill US all.
Whiskey is not good. Whiskey bad, awful
bad no good no good ut all. I have never
drunk whiskey. so never got caught.
Another time the MeXicans killed party of
over eighty. We thought we were strong
enough for them this time, but they played tho
same trick. and the fool Apaches got drunk and
were killed. l no get drunk, and l get away
every time.
The Mexicans often played the same trick on
all the Indian tribes.
1.-THE white people came TO our country after
the Mexican war. They liked our table lands,
and so they run us OFF. They run us out In the
plains and up In the mountains. and they took
our beautiful table land for themselves.
- guess | have talked enough for one day,
II talk too much | may not tell the truth all
the time, and want 70 speak the truth always
Good-by."