Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-07

ftUttered horizontally because Of the win
| try blast which blew through the sheath
/ boards. The room was indeScribable for
untidiness, although the necessities Of
| life were there as well as decoration in
the way Of rattlesnake skins. More young
Indians entered the outer room, and
everything grew moro sinister as tw-
light approached. The husband of the
woman who kept the house at last APP
peared with an armful Of wood. He was
a gaunt. red Irishman, the only bit of
cheerful color in the gloomy interior; but,
alas he was the worst Of the lot, for his
temper was as lurid as his hair, and at
that moment IL was intensified by drink.
on his return to the kitchen we heard
sounds Of breaking china and womens
screams. Without word we seized our
valises and fed into the dreary outdoors.
OIin followed, with awkward gait and
indugent grin.
There's only one place you can try"
he drawled That's Mary Lincolns. She's
an Indian. too, but she don't like to take
people in"
Mary Lincoln did take us I'm, and
not only that she treated us with the
royal hospitality Of an Arab and kept
US as her guests for several days Her
house would not have disgraced a New
England farm of the better class. 1t was
low and wide, with verandas on two sides.
and a wide bay-window full of pot
ted flowers 1t stood in a grove Of orna-
mental trees, surrounded By picket
fence, and behind were ample farm build
ings, while beyond stretched the acres
Of her allotment. She stood i'm the door
way as we asked her for her hospitality,
a woman of gracious but commanding
presence mild light shining from her
eyes, and a ready smile showing her plea
sure She was dressed with excessive
care, and with as much regard for the
mode Of the moment as though her home
was I'm a city instead of fifty miles from
the nearest railroad.
Supper was served by n neat little
handmade of white blood and the cook
ing was delicious. the service being bet
ter than Is found i'm most pretentious
homes i'm the Territory. The family were
all present-Mrs. Lincoln, her sister, her
son "a little chap in sailor costume, just
like any other bOy), and a young daugh-
ter fresh from boarding school. After
supper, all gathered in the sitting room,
which at first sight seemed to contain no
clue to the savage origin OF its mistress.
The mOquette carpet. the easy chairs,
and readlng-lamp, the upright piano,
were such as any wel-to-do family might
possess. on a table stood a large Swiss
music-box, across it a guitar, while near
by were books and magazines; but the
wandering eye caught on a shelf view
of ancient pistols, of epaulets. and other
soldiers accOutrements. 'These-Y' L
said. looking. almost with horror, at my
quiet hostess.
YES" she smiled imperturbably; and as
we looked into each others eyes, each
knew the meaning of those terrible relics.
and each knew the mpossibllity of
touching upon a subject Viewed from two
such opposite points. To me the frag-
ments of uniforms and equipments meant
soldiers massacred on duty; to her they
meant a victory over the invading army;
but while I was Mortified and perturbed,
she was serene almost to stolidity.
I picked up Mrs. Lincolns family pho
tograph-album from the table by way Of
changing the subject of conversation, and
she sat by me to give the names.
Don't any OF your people wear the In
dian dress?' l asked, disappointed at the
lack of picturesqueness in the dowdy
costumes.
my people can only wear what they
can buy at the agency store" she re-
piled, with a touch of acerbty; and l
knew that bitter thoughts lurked behind
her assertion, which she afterwards ex-
planned.
Il kept store myself" she continued
my people wished me to. / stocked ii
bought Of me freely the first quarter; but
the keeper OF the agency store became
angry because l took all his trade, and
appealed to the agent When 1t came
payday my people were told that no
money was coming 10 them; that they
were already in debt TO the agency store
10 the full amount OF their allowance.
This left no money with which 10 pay
me, and my people were obliged to TRACE
on credit at the agency store, from whose
debt they will never be extricated." L
afterwards saw her store, which was the
better OF the two in the settlement, and
was indignant at the petty persecution.
Have you always dressed ike thisT"
I asked of her. glancing at her perfectly
fitting gown of black cloth.
She laughed: "Oh, no."
.'In a blanketT' ! queried. smiling.
mo my tribe is northern one. We
wore skins:" and she disappeared Tor
moment. bringing back with her some
beautiful buckskin garments. ornamented
with prehistoric designs In flne bead
work. II wore these" she said, letting
her eve rest on them lovingly
you would not part with tesT, ! sup