The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-05-21
ELLEN'S MARRYING.

Ellen was a Washoe squaw- She used TO
come TO the back door nearly every morn
ing, and after eating the remnants Of the
matutinal rspast would wash the dishes
and tidy up tho kitchen. For quarter she
would sweep and dust and wash out the
towels She did So all very neatly and well.
She was young and comelys though rather
suuen looking. Her hair was smoothly
parted. and she always wore on the sur
face Of her apparel Il say surface advised
" for a suuaw wears al her wardrobe at
once) clean red or yellow calico skirt and
short gown A wise person would not seek
to probe beneath the surface A respectable
veneer is all that we seem entitled to ask
Of any creature.
As she appeared to be well past the mar
Tiageable age we asked her curiously one
morning, Ellen, have you no manf'
mol" replied Ellen emPhatically, her
face becoming black and menaCing in an
instant. mo, no have nan. Indian vo-
man fool have man. Now take care OF
myself and have good time. Have man,
have papoose and carry pack on my back
all day? No, not yet
sOho, here is food for reflection ''
thought we. 1T seems even the untut0red
aborigine can put two and two together.
and mutiny, if vainly, against her heaven
appointed lot"
But Ellen's fate was even then visible
on the horizon, which undoubtedly ac-
counted for her emphasis. 1t was not SO
long after her declaration of independence
that we saw her on the street, amid a
group Of her oompeers Of both sexes, gig
Cling and oRling after the most approved
fashion of savage Irritation. A bright
streak of vermiliOn down the middle of
her nose and one under each eye set OF
her brunette style of beauty full as effect
lively as a black patch or two answers the
same purpose for blond.
ssAhaP' said One Of Us to the Other.
Here is Ellen advertising herself as will
in at last. For that was what the YER
million strsaks meant. SaYages have such
a shookingly crude way Of indicating their
sentimental.
We wsre not Invited to the wedding but
there was certainly a hOneyln DON, for Ellen
did not appear at the back door for some
weeks. and on one OCCASION when we were
out driving, We met the newly welded
pair sauntsring together, hand in hand,
totally oblivious Of the Indian custom
which reiegRtos the woman to a station
few PAGES in the rear of her lord. They
were quite unabashed by our smiling OBJ
servatiOn, and equally so, which surprised
as, at the Eruption OF a band Of their COM
patriots. But, most surprising Of all to
us, these latter, instead OF guying them,
ignored them, apparently by tacit consent
leaving the lovers 10 the undisturbed en-
joyment of their heeting elysium.
Glow idyllicl' said One of Us.
Eyes, - said the Other, land I wonder
If, as a matter of fact, it doesn't last just
as long as with US. The great difference
is, when they have done, they don't pre-
tend. 2
"PshawP' said One Of Us, and took It
out on the horses, who resented the cut OF
the whip and gave an opportunity for
turning the conversation into other chan
neis.
Ellen came back presently TO the kitchen
door. The papoose and the pack were as
yet in the future, but the former sullen
expression Of her face had intensified and
hardened. To all our inquiries as to how
she liked her new responsibilities she op-
posed a stoHd silence, and we concluded
that loves young dream was already o er.
Months passed by, TIL one evening the
local paper contained an account of a fatal
ARRAY the previous evening. Among a
Longing, laughing, card playing group Of
Indians on the plaza one squaw had sud
denly attacked another with murderous
fury, alashing her face across from temple
to chin and chin to temple. The intent
had perhaps been only disGgurement, but
the temporal artery had bsen severed and
the wounded squaw had died in few
moments. The other had been hustled
away BY her people, and the police had not
secured her. 1t was not probable they ever
would, for She Indians settle their own
affairs among themselves without much
interference from their white neighbors.
There was no mystery or excitement about
the matter, and we scarce gave it a second
thought. We were about to retire for the
night, when One of Us said to the Other:
''HarkI Is that some one knocking at the
kitchen door,"
Or groaning?'' suggested the Other.
1t was both for Ellen was there, and she
said she was i'll. Between paroxysms of
pain she begged us to take her In and hide
her.
NO let the white policeman have mel
I die soon, - she entreated. Not die in
Jail -
Did you kin her9'' asked the Other.
81 kill her, - answered Ellen, and a vim
dictive joy illumined her pain stricken
features. CHOW he say he take me and
give me to the white policeman, and by and
by soon they hang me in the Jail No hang
mel I die myself. -
Fetch mattress here, said the Other
peremptOrily, and if he comes within
rod Of the house, III pepper him with
buckshot myself, if you don t..
The mattress was brought, and then tbs
doctor. Ellen was a very unsatisfactory
patient, as no Information about Der state
could be extracted from her. But the doc
tor discovered that her breas6bone was
crushed in. She would not say how it had
happened, but fingered in anguish until
the morning before the end mercifuily
came. Her last words were, No die in
jail Pr Batterinan Lindsay in San Fran
cisco Argonaut.