The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-22

II
troops TO scout the western slopes of the
Big Horn and keep the peace between
the settlers and the Shoshones. Time
was when these latter rarely ventured
across the Big Horn river, partly
through fear of the Sioux, who claimed
sovereignty over all the lands east of the
Shoshone preserves in the Wind river
valley, partly through regard for the or
ders of their loyal old chief, Washakie,
who for long. long years Of his life had
kept faith with the great white father,
held his people in check and suffered
the inevitable consequences of poverty
and neglect, the policy Of the Indian
bureau being 10 load with favors only
those of its wards who defy il and deal
death to the whites. Settlers seldom
encroach upon the Sioux, those gentry
being abundantly able and more than
willing TO take care Of themselves, but
the Shoshones had known long years of
enervating peace and, being held in
subsection by their chief, became the
natural prey Of the whites, who mistook
subord ination for subservience, as is
natural TO frceborn Americans and as
easily adopted by fellow citizens of for
eign birth and who soon began to en-
croach on their own account, stealing
Shoshone crops and cattle and promptly
accusing the army officer on duty as
agent Of cattle stealing and all around
rascality when he rescued the captured
stock.
Then, while this badgered official was
defending himself in court, the Sho-
shones had to defend themselves in the
field, and that peripatetio buffer between
the oppressor and the oppressed, the
corporations and the oranks, the law
and the lawlees-the much bedeviled
army-was sent out as usual TO receive
the slings and Arrows of outrageous for
tune and Of both parties Finding il
difficult TO swipdle the Sbohones so long
as their new agent-the army agent
remained in power, the obvious thing
was to down him by Misrepresentation
at Washington and, il that didn't work,
by deft manipulation Of the local Law.
OF course they didn't expect to prove
him guilty of anything, but there was
no law against lying. and they could
compel him TO come into court and
prove himself Innocent and leave his I'M
armed wards at the mercy of the settler
in the meantime, and so it happened
that there were high jinks up the Wind
river valley and along those wonderful
ranges in the wild valleys Of the Gray
Bull, the Meeyero, the Meeteetsee, north
of the Owl Greek mountains, and. the
cavalry having long since been with
drawn from that section, that was how
the detail fell on old Fort Frayne.
"You can straighten matters out in
q month, said the commanding officer
to Major Wayne, who had FASTENED
back from the east to take command,
and when it came to selecting the troops
TO go, even though it lacked less than
two months to his wedding day, Will
Farrar gloried in the fact that his was
one of them. 1t is hard to conceive of
lot i'll which u spirited, soldierly fellow
of 81 could possibly be happier than
commanding troop of cavalry on an
expedition through so glorious coun-
try. Amory's troop and Leale's were
designated, and, the latter captain being
still in Berlin and the senior subaltern
on staff duty in the east, Farrar was his
own captain and troop commander and,
despite the troubles Of the Christmas
season, long since buried SO far as he
was concerned, just about the happiest
fellow that wore the army blue.
The expedition had proved even ion
ger than was planned, but at last, while
Wayne, with Amory and the recaptured
cattle and rounded up ShOshones, went
over the Owl Greek mountains TO render
account of his stewardship at Fort
Washable, Will was tod to make the
best Of his way homeward with his own
command, and, marching leisurely
along in the radiant spring mornings
through country unmatched for wild
beauty in all America, shooting, fish
ing, plugging in mountain streams,
sleeping dreamlessly in the open air by
night, they reached the valley of tho
Platte toward mid-June. The blessed
landmark of the Eagle buttes came in
sight one peerless morning. The blue
SUBMITS of the Medicine Bow loomed up
across the horizon to the southeast The
flag tipped bluffs Of old Fort Frayne
would greet their eyes before the close
of tomorrow's march, and so they aid,
but with a raging torrent tearing at
their base, and this was Monday and
less than 4S hours Of Wills wedding
day.
Meanwhile there had been partial
reunion within the walls of the fort,
and already joyous bevy Of army folk
had gathered in anticipation of the June
wedding, with Kitty Ormsby as the CEN
ter Of attraction, since she was the colo
nel's niece and he was to give her
away, and Wayne was to be best man
by order of the bride. provided he didn't
get things mixed in his own inimitable
way and turn up unexpectedly at some
one else's affair, as he did the night of
the Willetts' dinner to Captain and
Mrs. Billy Ray of the --th, where,
with army bonhomie, a seat was squeez-
ed in close beside that Of the winsome
guest of the evening, and where he was
n har ne1x