The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-03
AS TO INDIAN DEVILTRY
Here's a Story That Will Raise the
Hair.
RED GIRLS IN HARD LINES
Four Jack Bob's squaw Whose
Name Was Neg Perez Mary
She Wasn't Given Much
OF a Show.
ASpokane correspondent of the Chicago

ASpokane correspondent of the Chicago
Times tells this story:
"Ialking about Indian devIltry," said
an ex-member of the Canadian police, now
| a merchant here, to a group of friends in
one of Spokane's hotels, did ever tell
you OF my first experience with Siwashes,
or Neches, as we used to call them on the
plains?" Being assured he had not, he
went on to say that the adventure hap
pened in June, 1880, about three months
after he enlisted in the mounted police,
and that the scene of 1t was the Milk
river crossing in the Northwest territory.
He was on detachment duty with Sergeant
Thompson and Constables Shepherd and
Spencer, and their camp consisted of
bell tent and an old log stable, situated on
top of low butte about 200 yards from
the ford.
zone morning." he went on, tive
turned out our horses TO Craze as usual,
keeping only the sergeant's mount,
Bearpaw, to round them up in the even
ing. AS bad luck would have it, Thomp-
son returned from his afternoon ride
leading a very lame horse, SO Buck Shep-
herd was dispatched on foot to find the
others and herd them down to the camp.
Shortly after Bucks departure Spencer
deserted party approaching on the Mon
tana trail, and in an hour or SO we made
them out to be two buck Indians and a
squaw. In this great lone land the sight
of any living being, even a Neche, was
most welcome, so it was with lively inter-
est that we watched them swim their
horses across the river and ride directly
up to our tent.
"'B'jou, Neche,' said the sergeant, sit
ting up as they approached, and the two
bucks, after responding to his greeting,
dismounted and crouched on the ground,
dropping their brides and leaving their
ponies free to Craze about. The squaw
remained on horseback, and while the
others we're talking l took a good look at
her. She was apparently about 35 years
of age and still passably good looking.
Though she rode Indian fashion, her
dress was much more civilized than that
of any Indian women had yet seen, and
she wore enough brass ornaments to
equip two or three ordinary Indian girls.
Her bearing throughout the scene that
followed was stolidity itself, and to Judge
from her face, what was passing was of
no concern to her. Her companions were
both young, 81 or % years of age, and
neither sported the insignia of brave.
"'Boys, guess who that squaw is and
what these young bucks are doing with
her. said the sergeant, after talking with
one of the Indians IN the Blackfoot lam
guage for few minutes. She's Four
Jack Bob's squaw, or leastways, she was,
and her names Nez Perez Mary. She
lived WI Bob ever sim he came to this
country, tradin's whislzey to Injins an
that's 10 or II years ago. Ye mind Bob,
don't We, Spencer? Him that bet his IA
mule team on four jacks and lost his hull
freightin' outfit to Rattlesnake Joe at
Wood mountain in 70? IT seems Bob
got shot in n gamblin' scrape to Benton,
an the squaw hadn't nobody to look to- so
these yer young bloods concluded they
could get some 'cnickamen' outen her.
She's fur sale. Dye want to buy her?"
"'Blast mo hif that don't take the
bloomin' bun,' was Spencer's comment.
Hive seen blasted lot o. queer things
hin my day in Hindiar an Hafghanistan,
but this 'ere's the FUNNIEST go 1 hever
'eard hof.'
"'Oh, that amt nothin,' said the SER
geant. Most every white man in Mon
tana a few years ago had a squaw, an lots
o. 'em as yit. Eff you'd even bid at Mac
leod you'd find all the old-timers has one,
an they gin'rally bought 'em, too. But
these two young bla'guards amt got no
right to her; she's Nez Perez, an they're
Piegans, an Piegans is dirt. They're the
lowest down lot o. Neches God ever put
the breath of life into. They don't GIN
rally do nothin' but sneak horses. I've a
notion to send the hull gang to Fort
Walsh. I'll see what the squaw has to
say, anyhow"
Turning to her, the sergeant spoke in
the Nez Perez tongue. which he knew as
well as Blackfoot: It's no go, boys-she
says she's with 'em an she'll stay with
'em. That bein' the case, an she willin'
to be peddled aroun' by 'em, don't see
as we've any call for to interfere. Say,
Spencer, this buck wants to know if you
won't buy her. He says he's offered her