The Forrest City times., 1895-05-24
SEEKING TOMANOWOS.
BY ALVIN H. sYDENHAM.

m the lend or the ShOShOneS, in the rugged valley east of the Teton range, at the most silent hour of a night of unearthly blackness, White Bull, the medicine man, sat by the smolderinp embers of his fire, considering the question of selecting from the young warriors of his tribe a new war chief who would be friendly to his personal interests.
 Red Eagle, the old war chief, who had three days before suecumbed to the displeasure of the Bad God by dying of a fever, and was even now being mourned among the pines on the hillside, as the plaintive shrieks of lamenting relatives borne on the night wind indicated, had to be re placed; and to replace warrior who has led his people from victory to victory for thirty summers is an act requiring the most mature deliberation. Among the young braves the two most eager for the election were Whirlwind and Washable, both brave warriors, and both far enough ahead of their com petitors in deeds of blood and prowess to be considered the only rivals for the position.
 As White Bull was peering through ths folds of his blanket into the dying embers, hand stole through the flap of the tepee, which was presently fol- lowed by the body of a young warrior, gliding serpentlike in from the dark ness.
 "Whirlwind, son of the Gray Wolf, what brings thee here?" asked White Bull, not deigning to move. Hast thou not found the tomanOcos?"
 ''No, White Bull. Four days have I lain at the top of the thunder-rock, naked and without food, yet have dreamed not. The Great Spirit has not revealed the secret of the to- pan0seOs. Since breath went out of the body of old Red Eagle have I strug- gled with Bad God, who is seeking to defeat me. But thy magic power, White Bull, can aid me much. Make me war chief of my people, and all my wealth is thine. Thou knowest the value of the ponies, and of the arrows, and of the furs."
 'sThe Whirlwind is brave and we'll spoken young man. White Bull re- members his endurance in the sum- dance. Go now secretly to the grave of Red Eagle and wait until the White Bull comes. Let none of the women see thee."
 The young man threw himself to the ground and glided out at the opposite side of the tepee. No candidate for the chieftainship will risk the danger of returning upon his trail. It is an action suggestive of retreat.
 After some moments the medicine man struck sharply upon tomtom and shook the rattle at his girdle vio- lently. He had not long to wait be- fore the flap of the tepee opened again and tall young man stood be- fore him.
 "Does Washable still desire to be war chief?" he asked, motioning the young man to seat upon the ground.
 .'Washakie. bravest of the Shoshones, claims the right to be war-chief."
 But thou hast no ponies to ride in battle. Thou comest not of the chiefs blood. Thou hast married no daughter of a chief. By what right, therefore, dost thou aspire to this highest honor of the tribe?"
 By the right of manhood. By my strong arm, by my swiftness, by my skill with the bow and tomahawk, and by my stealth and cunning, l have slain more enemies than any warrior of the tribe. The Bad Spirit can't cheat me. 1 shall be war chief, and thou shalt aid me, White Bull"
 Good! but what hast thou now for thy tomano,cos?"
 .The heart of a grizzly bear, the brain of panther, the arrow-thorn that grows on the thunder-rock, the