The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1896-04-02
\ TIN CUP VERDICT.

The sun was low toward the western
peaks when ED Jones and his nephew
halted their teams for the night. Old
Jones and his relative were frelghters,
and the crack Of their long, shot filled
mule whips and the creak of their heavy
wagons had been heard in half OF the
camps of Colorado.
The four wagons tonight were swung
\into the segment Of "a circle, and the
mules were cast loose from the straps in
which through the day they pulled. AT
this relief these grateful slaves stood
about and attested their JOY i'll the loud
cries peculiar to their kind, but which
are so unfortunate in their lack Of har-
mOny. To stop this the nephew went
about giving them their vesper feed.
This he placed in MORALS or nosebags.
which he hung to their hungry heads.
Old Jones built IL little fire and began
the compilation Of an intricate but sa-
worry dish known to those happy ones who
have the recipe as 'frelghter's stew.
Supper over, the two freighters sat
about in the lurking shadows made by
Iilt IRE ; DIIuh anu SIIllLISA, sIIohIhS
their pipes. All at once there was "a
cOmmOtiOn in the band Of mules. Those
patient folk, who had scrambled and
pulled all day over Il rough mountain
trail with wagons loaded On the princi-
pie Of l., 200 pounds to a mule, and who
now in the properties Of mule life
should be at peace with the world, We're
,Hn-Ui,Y nhnrf nyl SnnpfIny IN a worry
alarming way.
"Injuns." said old Jones, showing
back into the gloom. 'lnjuns for
$1,000! There amt no animal or earth,
bar Injuns, ever makes mules take on
that away"
The nephew thought SO too. Old
Jones and the nephew did not fear at
tack. There were no Injuns about that
were not described as friendly.
What they did fear was that the
mules might be stampeded. Stamped
ing stock is "a great aboriginal industry.
The Indian will sneak up, flap a blanket,
stampede your cattle or mules and then
claim fl "a head for finding them for
you. Thus do these wise SONS of nature
fill their Golfers and exact a revenue
from those who cross their lands.
Jones nephew took a winchester from
a wagon and began to work his eau
tious, silent way toward the mules.
These last were still snorting and shy
ing as if prey to wild alarm. The
nephew disappeared in the darkness.
Old Jones placed his hand over his pipe
bowl SO its fiery eye could not be seen
and peered after him into the gloom.
Bang! Bang! Bang 1t was the
winchester speaking. 1t told the Indian
policy Of the border, and a very suffi
Gent policy it is too. Old Jones at the
sound heaved Il sigh, but never moved.
After a little the nephew came in to the
fire. He seemed alert, hopeful and unre'
lenting az t. the winchester Indian pol,
icy.
Did you stretch one" said old Jones.
II think most likely l did" said the
nephew III IA sanguine way. I'VE cal
tell in the morning, shore.
The mules We're now quiet. Firearms
had no terror for them. They coult
stand the odor of gunpowder, but Of In
dians-bah! No mule of taste cOulC
stand it Il second. Afte.r another hall
hour old Jones and his nephew kicked
ont the embers Of their fire and Went t
sleep.
Old Jones and his nephew had visit
ors in the morning. The whole Ute tribe
and their agent came to the freighters
camp. The members of the Jones famil,
at once seized their winchesters II
alacriously prepared for war. The Ute
ran about, jumping and yelling and de
manding vengeance. Old Jones and hi
nephew stood silent and grim behin'
their wagons and showed their irOl
teeth. The agent insisted on peace
Would the Jones who had killed tn
Ute the night before give himself up
He would be guaranteed from harm, blu
the Utes insisted on his arrest. They
the Indians, would attack the wagon
if the criminal did not surrender. )
spoke the agent, a nervous little lncom
petent. as many an Indian agent is.
Give up nothing. said old Jone
derisively. You tell them Utes
they want anything round yere TO wal,
in and get it."
The Utes howled and danced sti
harder aud higher at this, and the agei
talked more earnestly than ever. +
threatened the Joneses with the pow
Of the government. This was too muc
They wouli fight the whole Ute trib
but they We're afraid of Uncle Sam. Al
er Il brief parley the nephew stepped o.
and gave himself up TO the agent. +
would have displayed more sense if
had remained behind his wagon al
died in the smoke Of his winchester.
The agent, the nephew and the Ut
did not 60 a mile toward the agency
fore the Indians took the nephew, al
tying him to IA pine tree spent sever
blissful hours in torturing him to deaf
The agent was powerless to interfere.
Jones, the elder, knew the truth I
evening of the same day. He turned
little pale under the 80 years Of t
which Drowned his face, bat said no,
ing. As we'll AZ he could he managed
hitch mp his teams and went ahes