The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-16
Stories of an Inland State.

(; Misty Dawn's progress in the last year
had been marked. Her daily converse
lions with the agent, and her perusal of
the books the agent had purchased for
her had taught her an English which was
more modern than Shakespeare's. 1t must
be said to properly guage the young wo-
| man that her use of the Shakespearean
terms had been without the affectat.on
which would seem almost inevitable, and
| should be accounted for solely on the
grounds of her intense. obstinate anxiety
TO master the language of race she now
| believed superior to her own.
Her adventure of the corn-husks mad
greatly diminished her popularity among
| the Indians. But she did not care for that
and looked upon them with fine scorn.
| Nine months after this adventure another
awaited Misty Dawn which was much more
| serious.
| 1t happened or payment day. Before
| the sun had shown himself in the east
the Indians began to gather at the agency.
| Some of them wore the brooches of civil
| ization and the blanket; some only olan-
kets. All Wore moccasins the last article
of apparel the Indian VIII surrender.
Men, women and children were there to
receive from generous government the
| annuity awarded in quarterly payments to
| each man, woman and child, share and
| share alike.
| The Indians grouped themselves a little
| way from the agents Office and waited.
| Now another curious spectacle was pre-
sen;ed A little one-room building came
rolling up the street. II was mounted on
wheels. Severa, white men and half
| breeds were behind II, pushing and heav-
fnO no Ylo h,ril cir
ly The Indians saw t, but took no notice
1t was a familiar sight to them-th;s pro-
rate building. The white men, who were
the traders, the licensed merchants of the
| reservation, located the prorate building
a few feet away from the main window
in the Agents office.
The Indian trader runs general store
at the agency. He does a purely credit
business with the Indians. He pays
license for the privilege. On payment day
ne demands payment-that is. he takes ii.
A merchant on the outside of the reserva-
ton and not licensed can not come on the
reservation to collect debts So these sew
cral licensed traders have an understand
ing among themselves in regard to the
collection OF debts. 1t was not satisfac-
tory TO Holding, this prorate building ana
the methods of the traders. but the last
Agent before him had fought it and had
incurred the enmlty of the traders, who
had secured his removal from Washing
ton
Holding now came out of his house and
looked the ground over and went inside
his office and raised the window, got down
the roll books and waited.
White Thunder, the official caller, now
was ready
Fire awayr' said the Agent
White Thunder Strengthened, filed his
chest and called in voice which rang
away over the rolling hills:
Long Nose
A group came out from the body of the
Indians, a tall Indian, two squat squaws
and four or five children. They approached
the window.
many papooseT'
Five"
Name them"
He did.
"Are they all IN school?.
Eyes"
''Good Indian"
'Humphr
Touch the PEN
The Indian did so.
The agent then gave him seven large
checks, payable at the st. Louis sub
treasury to bearer, written in green ink
Now curious thing took place. On
either side of the lane formed between this
window and the open door of the prorate
building several traders stood. They
grabbed Long Nose and handed him along
this lane as hog is handled in a modern
pack.ng-house.
Once in the room the several merchants
or their clerks surrounded him. Each pre-
sented a paper showing what the Indian
owed him. The spokesman said: Long
Nose, how much do you want?'
Fifty dollars
TOO much. We will give you ten"
He took Long Noses checks and gave
him back ten silver dollars. Long Nose
was then hustled out
This continued quickly as the payment
proceeded. When the payment was over
the traders would divide among them.
pro rate, what the Indians had paid to
them.
Long Nose had paid them $780, The trad
ers' accounts against him stood at a thou
H..
This system was carried on throughout the
tribe. Shall II be necessary to say that the
traders became very rich men? That the
Indians rarely got out OF debt?
Towards noon Little Robes name was
called. He had been drinking some He
got his checks. The traders tried TO hand
him along the line. There was opposition
and then a tumbling, shrieking mx-up
n the dust.
Holding went on about his business, try
ing not TO see It. What was the use? He |
would only lose his place.
But another saw il and interfered. |
Nisty Dawn sprang mo the midst of the |
struggling mass, with long "black- |
SNAKE whip. and like a modern Joan |
began to lay on vigorously.
She soon had the Indian free She |
placed herself in front of the torn and |
bleeding savage. her eyes flashing, her |
hand firmly on the whip.
For shame"' she cried to the traders /
who now stood before her. and disregard
ing the Indians grouping behind her /
Shall you kill the Indian because he
knows you are robbers? know and they
know. Your blankets you sell US are dam
aged and full of moths. but you sell them
" Us at thTee tunes tbe-r cost; your goods
are old and worthless. but you sell them
10 the Indian like jewels: you keep all the
books; YOU make all the charges: and
charge what You like; you take the In
dams check and give him a pittance as
though II was favor: the things you sell
10 him are the discarded wares Of the
white man in some city; sometimes they |
have not even been washed And yet when
an Indian refuses to be further pfliageS !
you set upon him Ike the thieves that you