Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-03-06

| tuttered horizontally because of the win
try blast which blew through the sheath
boards. The room was indescribabe for
untdiness, 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 more sinister as twi-
light approached. The husband Of the
woman who kept the house at last ap-
peared with an armful of wood. He was
gaunt. red Irishman. the only bit Of
cheerful color i'm 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 women's
screams. Without a word we seized our
valises and fled into the dreary outdoors
Olln followed, with awkward gait and
indulgent grin.
There's Only one place you can try"
he drawled. That's Mary Lincon's. She's
an Indian, too, but she don't like to take
people i'm
Mary Lincoln did take US in, 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 a picket
fence, and behind were ample farm build
ings, while beyond stretched the acres
Of her allotment She stood in the door
way as we asked her for her hospitality,
woman Of gracious but commanding
presence, a mild light shining from her
eyes, and 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 in a city instead of fifty miles from
the nearest railroad.
Supper was served by a neat, little
handmade of white blood, and the cook
ing was delicious, the service being bet
ter than is found in most pretentious
homes in 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 reading-lamp the upright piano.
were such as any well-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
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 relies.
and each knew the impossibility of
such opposite points. To me the frag
ments of uniforms and equipments meant
soldiers massacred on duty; TO her they
meant victory over the invading army;
but while / was Mortified and perturbed,
she was serene almost 10 stoldity.
/ picked up Mrs. Lincoln's family pho
from the table by way Of
the subject Of conversation, and
she sat by me to give the names.
Don't any of your people wear the In
dian dress?" / 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 touch of acerbty; and 1
knew that bitter thoughts lurked behind
her assertion, which she afterwards ex-
planned.
II kept a store myself" she continued.
"My people wished me to. / stocked 1t
with all the things they want, and they
bought OF me freely the first quarter; but
the keeper OF the agency store became
angry because 1 took all his trade, and
appealed to the agent. When IL came
payday my people were told that no
money was coming to them; that they
were already in debt to the agency store
10 the full amount OF their allowance.
This left no money with which TO pay
me, and my people were obliged to trade
on credit at the agency store, from whose
debt they Will never be extricated." L
saw her store, which was the
better Of the two in the settlement, and
was indignant at the petty persecution:
''Have you always dressed like thisY'
I asked of her, glancing at her perfectly
fitting gown OF black cloth.
She laughed: "Oh, no."
I'm 4 blanketT' 1 queried, smiling.
mo; my tribe Is a northern one. We
wore SKINS" and she disappeared Tor a |
bringing back with her some |
buckskin garments. ornemented |
with prehistoric designs In fine bead
work 81 wore these" she said, letting |
her eye rest on them lovingly.