The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-18
A FLAT FAILURE.
Tho Matrimonial Mi=hco OF c eioux
Warrior.
Iio Wcds y Modern Maiden and Then Pines
for obiivlon-uis Fin do Siccio Brldo
Would Not Chop Wood Nor
DrnW XRtCr.

a tragedy occurred near the mouth
OF willow creek, S. D., recently which
Tor humor and touching pathos has yot
to be equalcd in the history of this SEQ
ton of country. Paul Medicine Body,
Sioux warrior, becoming tired of life
and dlsgusted with tho pcrfidy of tho
weaker Sex, attempted suicide at tho
end OF q rope, and his aged father
brought the instrument of destruction
to Fort Pierre, appealing to the coro-
ner TO go out and "sit" upon tho body
of his son, who, he nverred, was ''much
heap dead-gulp a heap" AS there was
not sufficient evidence that the man
was dead, however, the coroner declined
to go.
On October 90 last, says recent dis
patch, Paul Medicine Body and Martin
Head wendell 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 be seen spread
ing itself over their swarthy features as
they realized that the fruition of their
hopes and desires was soon to be
consummatcd. No moro of the ainlcss
life of bachelor for Medicine Body.
Nomorc rude awalsenings from long
and blissful dreams of hunting grounds,
OF fabulous wealth, to the dull, prosaic
necessity of building Il fire and cooking
breakfast. The cobwebs which had
accumulated i'll the apex of his tcpcc
would no longer impede the blue smoke
from his wigwam Gre as it curled
hcavcnward to be lost in the clear at
mosphcrc of his beloved Dakota land.
lie believed that "as the cord unto the
bow is, so is woman unto man" THUS
sang the joyous Medicine Body, and as
he fondly conjurcd up scenes OF his
dutiful wife patiently cutting the pile
of wood he thought what noble being
was woman! In adversely how comfort
ing, and in prosperity how lovable
Medicine Body was given much to day
dreaming on that cventful October
morning, and the more he dreamed the
faster grew his pace toward the clerk
of the courts office. Johnston jeff
ries, VINO was then clerk of the
courts, happened to be in Il barber shop
getting his whislSers trimmed, and it
was there that Medicine Body found
him. lie applied for license to wed
the coy maiden, and Mr.. Jcffrics, who
always carried one or more of those
necessary documents about him, forth
with produced one. Medicine BODY.
being of n thrifty and economical turn.
then made overturcs to the clerk of the
courts who was also Il Justice Of the
peace. to marry them on the SPOT in
consideration of n cord of dry ash wood.
The bargain was struck, and there,
while the barber occasionally nicled
his 10 C II, J, ~.
the solemn rites of holy matrimonv
We're performed from the standpoint of
frontier justice of the peace.
Medicine Body and his wife, with
humping hearts and minds full of an
ticipations of joys to come bestrode
their ponies and set thor faces toward
the setting sun. Back over the hills
and through the canyons they went TO
the ancestral tepce, where they ey-
pcctcd to live long life of unalloycd
happiness together. But Medicine Body
was doomed to be disillusioned. Martha
would not cut the wood nor yet brush
the cobwebs from his tepee, nor do many
other things, small in themselves. but
which in the aggregate go to make up
the qualities of q dutiful, loving help
meet. while her liegc lord, the descend
ant OF q long line of noted warriors, sat
and smoked his pipe in peace. So
he became moroSe, sullen, 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 t1usty lariat and went hunting for
a'trcc No tree being in sight, he took
the next best thing, rafter in barn,
and sought a happy hunting ground.
where womcn's rights had not entered
its enlghtening 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 q failure.