The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1895-04-12
A FLAT 4 ALLURE.
The Matrimonial Mishap of a Sioux
Warrior.
He weds a Modern Maiden and Then Pines
for ObIIvion-His Fin de Steele Bride
Would Not Chop Wood Nor
Draw Water.

a tragedy occurred near the mouth
of Willow creek. :. D., recently which
for humor and touching pathos has yet
to be equaled in the history of this sec
tion of country Paul Medicine Body.
a Sioux warrior. becoming tired of life
and disgusted with the perfidy of the
weaker sex. attempted suicide at the
end of a rope. and his aged father
brought the instrument of destruction
to Fort Pierre, appealing To the coro-
ner to go out and sit" upon the body
of his son. who. he averred. was much
heap dcad-gulp heap" As there wa-
not sufficient evidence that the man
was dead. however, the coroner declined
to go
on October 20 last. says a recent dis
patch. Paul Medicine Body and Martha
Head wended their way happily over
the hills and down through the can
yonS of Bad river to Fort Pierre. They
were to be married. and all the pent-up
JOY of sizzling love could To- seen spread
ing itself over their Swarthy features a.
they realized that the fruition of their
hopes and desires was soon to Ice
conSummated. No more of the aimlesS
life of bachelor for Medicine Body.
No more rude awakcnings from long
and blisSful dreams of hunting grounds.
of fabulous wealth. To- the dull. prosaic
necessity of building a fire and cooking
breakfast. The cobvvebs which had
accumulated in the apex OF his tepee
would no longer impede the blue smoke
from his wigwam fire as ii curled
heavenvard To be lost IN the clear at
moSphere of his beloved Dakota land.
lie believed that ''aS the cord unto the
bow is. 80 i woman unto man" Thus
sang the Joyous Medicine Body. and a
he fondly conjured up scenes OF his
dutiful wife patiently cutting the pile
of wood he thought what a noble being
was woman, In adversely how comfort
ing. and in prosperity how lovable,
Medicine Body was given much To day
dreaming ON that eventful October
morning. and the more he dreamed the
faster grew his pace toward the clerk
OF the courts office. Johnston jeff
rieS, who was then clerk of the
courts. happened to be in a barber shop
getting his whisller> trimmed, and 1t
was there that Medicine Body found
him. He applied for license To wed
the coy maiden, and Mr.. JcffrieS. who
always carried one OF more Of those
necessary documents about him. forth
with produced one. Medicine Body,
being of thrifty and economical turn
then made overtureS to the clerk Of the
courtS. who was also a justice of the
peace. to marry them OF the spot IN
consideration Of cord OF dry ash wood.
The bargain was struck. and there.
while the barber occasionally niclled
his customers as he told funny story.
the solemn rites of holy ma;rimony
were performed from the standpoint OF
"A frontier iuStirp pf he. Tp3,.,.
Medicine Body and his wife. with
humping hearts and minds full of an
ticipationS of joys to come. bestrode
their ponies and set their faces toward
the setting sun. Back over the hills
and through the canyons they went To
the ancestral tepee. where they eN-
pected to live a long life of unallovcd
happiness together. But Medicine Body
was doomed To be diSilluSioned. Martha
would not cut the wood nor yet brush
the cobwebS from his tepce. nor do many
other things. small in themselves. hut
which in the aggregate go to make up
the qualities of a dutiful. loving help
meet. while her licge lord. the descend
ant of a long line of noted warriors. sat
and smoked his pipe in peace. So
he became moroSe. Sullcn. and would
no longer maSticate the more or less
savory dishes which Martha prepared
for him. until at last life became an in
tolerable burden To him and he took
his trusty lariat and went hunting for
a tree. No tree being in sight. he took
the next best thing. a rafter in a barn
and sought a happy hunting ground
where women's rights had not entered
its cnlightening wedge and he could
follow the traditions OF his race without
molestation. His friends. however.
discovered him in time to save his life.
One more argument on the side Of those
who claim that marriage Is a failure.