Evening star., 1898-05-14
A Wall FROM THE DESERT

A pretty Washington girl whose father
was last year appointed to an Indian
agency about 5000 miles from the national
capital, and couple of hundred miles by
stage and blackboard from anywhere else.
has not found happiness at her new home,
as evidenced by her letters to her sworn
chum here
Dear Old Pal" her last letter reads
when, oh, when, are you going to put
yourself at the head of that rescuing ex-
pedition you suggested, and come out here?
If you don't arrive here very quickly bring
ing two three real, live. sure-enough
men persons along with you, I'll marry pas
teamster, and then you'll feel sorry that
you didn't brave everything and rush out
here to my relief even if it is seventeen
miles the other side Of sunset. The team
ster Is making all colors of eyes at me, as
my little brother says. and Teddy also says
that the teamster Stands to go fiat broke
In buying silver braid for his sombrero,
and in expensively rigging himself up in
general, II don't soon capitulate. The
teamSter hasn't as yet said word to me-
OF course not-but the poor big muff-he is
frightfuily good looking. too, the impudent
thlng-is forever and ever eyeing me when
L am cut on my 'errands of mercy around
the reservation. He'll get me, if you don't
watch out. Besides pa, he's the only
white man within about million miles of
here, and, even If he does eat chile con
carne with a bowie knife, why, goodness
gracious me, he's man for all that. and
Tor all that! But, oh, just to have one
Meeting glimpse of a man, even If he didn't I
have any more of a biceps than Aunty Gym
thia. with clean finger nails, and patent
leather shoes, and that close-shaven look
and-Well, even that tobaccoey smell! Min
ME, please, please forward me Immediately
consignment of such, subject to inspec-
tion and approval, with invoice for same,
c. o. ID. You recall the state of frenzied
excitement We used to attain at the seaside
/
bibs and fuckers on the Saturday after
moons when the beateous Willies with the
e-and-red-ribboned straw hats were ex-
pected in patches and sews and droves?
But the seaside was nothing to this! l be-
lieve L could even be civil to a Spaniard
out here now, even if he was garlicky =
My 'errands of mercy are booted, spur
red and plumed tours around the ,reserva-
tlon, In the best clothes can buy, beg bor-
row or steal, for the happiness of making
the indian young women who have been to
the Indian girls schools 1ealous Yes, that,
ana nothing more! l confidently expect
them TO aSSaSSinate me any old time! l
Just pile on everything I've got and then
go and see them, see? They look me over,
and then you ought to see their eyes
gleam! They are all crazy for fnery you
Know, these girls who have been east but
the poor, funny things have got about as
much idea of taste that girl who used
70 nEe next door to us in Washington.
On, the color combinations they achieve in
their Sunday-go go-to-snake-dance clothes.
Ihey all hate me impartially and profound
ly because L m so pretty and have such nice
clothes, and because the bucks twist their
heads around to look after me when l
pass. SO, If you read of my being ambus-
caded and shot all to nothing with poisoned
arrows in the hands of these girls, why,
you needn't be one bit surprised, that's all !,
IN Inc truth Is, I'm not pretty any more at
al: Inc desert winds have just ruined my
skin, and. oh, Min, come and take me out
OF this, or I'll just croak!'