The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-04
Down in Kickapoo.


experience in Territorial stage coaching, AZ
follows:
On my recent trip through the Kickapoo
country 1 took passage from Shawnee to
Chandler in dilapidate old vehicle of an
tjquated pattern, pulled by typical ter
ritory team. consisting Of one measley spav-
lied Indian pony and a sorr.ful foriorn look
ing government mule with a no one TO
love, none to caress' sort of appearance;
one ear hanging down like pendulum over
his collar button. and the other at an angle,
acting as a sun-shade for ais partner In
crime-the feebitten pony. The harness
and vehicle bore evidence of prehistoric
manufacture, and were patched up and
upholstered in numerous places with bed
cord and barb wire, and broken spring
behind bols:ered up with an inverted stove
skillet
The driver, Tom Jones. was comieai
looking cuss. long. lean and lank. with a
crushed strawberry mark on the end OF his
nose. wild-eyed and mouth cut on the bias,
with notified track Of tobacco juice reach
ing from the lower corner of the diagonal
mouth across the vest 10 the bosom Of his
pants. The southern hemisphere Of his let
ear was missing and a long scar-wh.ch
he said was made with a builet-decorated
his cheek from the northwest angle of his
mouth to the remnant OF the ear. de
sported a brigandish looking mustacie, but
had himself grown so rapidly that the top
OF his head had pushed up through his
hair, leaving large bare alkah spot. He
wore typical cowboy hat, high-heei boots,
broad smile and clothing that 1T him
somewhat reluctantly, and could swear elo-
quently in seven different languages. He
was armed with a self-acting a and conceit
enough to enable him to pry up one corner
OF the kickapoo country and spill every one
that doubted his word into the cavity. The
occupants Of this antique stage coach-be-
sides the driver and myself-were couple
of Salvation lassies of uncertain age. but
old enough TO vote. one of whom was seated
with the writer in the rear over the refec-
tive spring The road was exceedingly
rough, the ravines steep and precipitous,
and the abrupt turns from down to up
sharp and sudden that a skylight might
have been torn in the top Of the hack cover
by the high top names Of the team scrap
ing along the canvass as the vehicle was
going down while the team was coming
up. The first quick wrench Of the hack
smashed the skillet prop under the broken
spring at my end Of the seat, causing the
aforesaid lassie to slide unceremon.ously
down into my lap, 10 her great embarrass-
ment and my lacerated tirnidity. / spas
medically grasped her about the waist TO
protect myself from sliding of into the
gutter, but forgot to let go. and she didn't
do thing to me but blush and exclaim 20
this is so sudden" Some very bo!sterous
audible smiles were INDUCED in by the other
lady-M:ss Hartly-and the driver. while
my companion attempted to excuse herself
for permitting my arm to remain about
her waist, on account of the color of my
sleeve matching her new dress so nicely.
1 was, OF course, very much shocked, and
too nearly paralyZed to break away. and
owing doubtless 10 my extreme youth and
beauty this little episode caused an inno-
cent blush to spread itself through my au-
burn whiskers, and / resolved-after ma
ture deliberation-never to let IL occur
again, and to bring damage suit against the
stage company for my lacerated timidity
at the rate of 10 cents per lass.
The driver, after patching up the spring
again with rock and wire attachment.
ever and ANONYMOUSLY anon-exercised a
harsh buckskin persuader over the deebit-
tented pony, mildly emphasized in broken
Choctaw profanity and at every lex he
would persistently affirm that this was the
best team he ever drew lines over, and
could not be eQualled anywhere in the Kick
apoo country. and no one present cared to
dispute his word. He was but little less
extravagant in his praise of the vehicle
when, at the very next gulcb- We plunged
into, the rock spring slipped from its moor
ings and the lady again slid gracefully into
my lap as before. / then suggested-while
we were statu quo-that 1t was useless and
waist of time to again repair damages.
and I would try to reconcile myself TO my
punishment, endeavor to be agreeable. and
make glad the waist places" The ladies
smiled at the novel situation while the
driver quoted some choice selections from
profane history.
As drinking water appeared to be scarce
along the road IL was noticed that the
driver was often compelled to resort to
bottled snake-bite to slake his thirst. and
at frequent intervals squirt tobacco juice
onto the fly dispenser of the larboard mule,
as he EXPLAINED It, TO prevent the ticks from
annoying the poor animal that had no
pride Of ancestry nor hope of posterity.
After passing a white settlement in the
Kickapoo country where We noticed some
dug-outs and sod houses Of Western Kan
sas architecture occupied by formerly from
kansas settlers who had voted for the
free and unlimited coinage OF pumpkin pies
at a ratio of Is to l. we struck an attitude
and an allotment of blanket Indians. some
of whom had forgotten their blankets and
were wrapped in meiitation-and that very
scanty. We were informed, however. that
some of these people at the agency are
clothed mostly in a savage demonica smile
and copper colored hectic flush, with Easter
bonnets composed OF skunk tail and por-
cupine quilts. The larboard mule shyed
at an unlaundried Kickapoo and the driver
remarked that the mule was something OF
a kicker himself, but would not dare kick
e-poor Indian. After this IL was smooth
sailing. and nothing further happened to
mar the pleasure OF our trip until when. in
going through a chug-hole the team, which |
seemed 10 be getting its second wind. made |
a feeble attempt at a uznp. breaking the |
couplin pin and went on up the hill with |
the pole and front axle. allowing the Hal |
lelujah quartet TO slide ungracefully down |
over the front end into the mud In pro- |
niscuous heap. No more songs were sung |
nor prayers were said. but as we walked |
up to Mitchelrs hotel In calm and quiet |
TO laundry our Hallelujah togas. /,
a blush suiphruious halo could be seen en-
circling the head OF Tom Jones. the driver. |
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