The Opelousas courier., 1897-03-20
The Old Woman's Money.

L lit LtlbSC SASCAey tA"p
cember night in 80. There were q
number of us-all newspaper CORE
spondents-anl q few interpreters,
officers and reservation employees.
The days previous had been full of x
element for the Brule and Osallala
Sioux were engaged in the Ghost
Dance or Messiah Craze. About the
Agency General Miles had grouped
some 1900 troops; beyond their white
tents clustered the diugy tepees OF the
Indians, some 800 of them.
We greatly enjoyed those evenings
in the hotel. They brought back to
memory pictures OF the old West
staging, buffalo hunting, Indian fight
ing, And what a fund Of information
the scouts, Interpreters aud sold TIM
ers" poured into our willing ears!
Each one could have talked all night,
AMI yet left the narration OF his expe-
rience unfinished then. We were es-
pecially interested in the singular
career of b. He had left a homo
in Connecticut, and after varied expe-
riences in Iowa and Nebraska joined a
company of miners, and With them
entered the new mining ca.ap OF Dead
wood. He was then nut seventeen
years old. That sar.e winter he car
ried the first mail out Of Deadwood
to the Missouri river.
B. joined our circle while q scout
wal relating some experiences with
stage robbers in the early seventies,
and Immediately entered into the con-
%versation.
$50 far as know the smoothest
trick, prompted by a desire to save
money, ever played upon stage rob-
bers occurred near Miles City in '79.
A load of pass myers we're almost with
in sight Of the town. they had been
travelling all day and were worn out,
| for the roads were awful bad in those
DAYS and all coaches bounced and
swayed very much. Having come near
their journeys end they were congrat'
ulating themselves. Hold-ups had
been. frequent. Two heavily armed
messengers accompanied each coach,
with orders to fire on any person act
ing suspiciously.
".Dear met said an elderly mai
near the door, 'I'm glad we are safe
I have about $500 and if I lost it
don't know where I could get more.
az can get plenty Of money sai'
a travelling salesman, but the loss o
what I have would put me to mucl
trouble out here among strangers.
"Two miners and a prospector, eac1
with large rolls, expressed their salts
faction at passing dangerous point
safely. The next speaker was q littl
old woman, kind aud motherly in he
ways.
"'My boy has started a restauran
in town and is doing we'll. He wante'
me to come and help, so here | am
goodness knows far enough away fror
dear old Ohio. I thought he woul,
need his mother, for these mimi
towns are wild, | hear, and full 9
temptations. | have only got s2oi
It's ali the cash I have in the worli
Fearing robbers I have put it in
place whsnaa,po D would think (
looking. You cannot guess where
OF corpse tho guesses were all wrong
"'Well, I have four $50 bills agaiu'
. the sole Of my foot inside my lie:
shoer
/ "'Capital 7 said the elderly gentl
! man. no one would cver think
looking for money in your shoes. ]
J the far corner OF the front seat sat
small, slender, black. haired n E
kept between his feet a little blac
yaIise. No one spoke to him durir
the journey and he made 40 sour
save occasionally to cough in a pee
\ liar manner. Some Of the passenge
! thought him to be a consnmptiv
Even when general good-fellowsh
J prevailed he took no part in the co
! ~yersation. Making bold, the old lat
said:
!. ntAnd You; what womb you do
). you were held up?
"a hollow cough and a sLrug OF I
! shoulders was nll his reply.
). "sWhat q mean fellowi thoug
the old gentleman. At this insta
!. the coach lurched violently to 0
side and bang, bang, bang, came I
sudden rcports Of guns! One M
senger was shot, the other COMPEL
to throw up his hands bsfore time !
. resistance. and CONSERVATION and i
ror prevailed within the coach.
I.ora, Lord!' prayed the elder
man.