Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1897-07-10
SHY OF THE CAMERA.
Trouble Experienced In Trying to Get o
Snap Shot at Some Squaws.

Snap Shot at Some Squaws.
They're out here now, just across the
street. Where's my kodak? Quick 7"
The imprisoned speaker was one of the
lady guests of the Hotel Adams The
place was the hotel lobby. What or who
was across the street was subject of con-
lecture. Clerk Pierce darted behind his
desk. He emerged with kodak, which
the lady breathlessly assured him was
loaded for an emergency She ran out of
the lobby, and Mr.. Pierce carried the kodak
concealed behind him like wary but in
experienced hunter stalking a deer, as if
he wished to disarm the animal of suspi-
cion and convince it that he was approach
ing with pacific intentions.
The lady relieved Mr.. Pierce of the cam
era. "They," whoever "they" were, were
not visible to the unaided eye. The lady
crossed the street to the Gooding building.
When she had almost reached tho west
side OF it, squaw carrying an ola on her
head came around the corner. AS soon as
she saw the kodak she vanished with q
scream. The lady with the kodak hadn't
time to take a snap shot, but she went
on to the corner of the building She ad-
Justed the kodak and in ten minutes more
would have had a negative, but she sud
denly turned and ran toward the hotel,
pursued by three sQuaws, each armed with
a stick or a club. The squaws turned,
ran across the street to fruit stand and
stood in the shade, where they were rea-
sonably protected against kodak assaults
Mr.. Boomer offered himself as volun-
teer to procure the picture. He took the
kodak and began maneuvering around the
squaws, giving them more serious cause
for alarm than they already had for he
handled the camera as if it were shotgun.
They remained in the shade, however,
turning upon him occasionally, brandish-
ing their sticks
Drive them out into the sun!' cried
the young lady who had melted the trou-
bic. She stood in a safe place under one
of the porches, partly concealed by one of
the pillars "Get on the other side of them
and drive them out Point the camera
at them They afraid of it!' But they
wouldn't drive
"Why don't you go, Josie, and take
their pictures?" asked an elderly lady sit
ting in carriage. 81 gop echoed josie
'I'm afraid of them. Didn't you see them
shaking their sticks. -
Finally Mr.. Boomer corralled the
young lady then went across the street
and resumed tho kodak. She drew bead
on one Of the squaws through an open
window. The squaw ran out of the door.
The young lady ran to the front of the
building, ard the squaw ran back and CON
oealed herself behind a doorpost. The
young lady moved around and got in range
again. The squaw moved out Of range
They kept up this game Of hide and seek
until the sun went down, and the glass
upon which that negative was intended to
be taken was still clear and unmarked
One of tho many superstitions of the In.
dams is that a photograph brings bad
luck. Some Of them are induced by gifts
to disregard the superstition. 1t sometimes
happens that an Indian whose picture has
been taken and placed on exhibition in
curio stores dies. His relatives request
that the Thotcarnph be destroyed or at
least removed IRON sight.-Arizona Re
publican