The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1899-01-26
ADVENTURE OF A HEARsE.
E. Day of Glory for Indian Warriors
In Early Times In Chey-
enne City.

E. Day of Glory for Indian Warriors
In Early Times In Chey-
enne City.
When Cheyenne was much smaller
place than it is now. when, in fact, it
was so small that one had always to
speak of the place rs Cheyenne City or
stand the chance of shooting, city life
was characterized by familiarity with
the Indian which the town would now
Elush to own. Much Of the time the
warriors Of the Cheyenne tribe were
street loafers who had to be pushed out
Of the way if anyone was in a hurry,
but there were times when the Chey-
enne warrior drew his allowance OF
cash from the Great White Father and
then he was an object of consideration
until he had spent it. There was a
society in Philadelphia which looked
out for the Washington end of the
transaction on the score OF philan.
thropy and Indian rights and made sure
that the Indian got the cash. The citi.
zens of Cheyenne and every other town
which had an Indian agent looked after
the other end of the transaction and
saw that the Indian restored the gov.
ernment funds to speedy circulation by
spending quickly. if not well.
On one such pay day there was par
ticularly large sum coming to each In
dian. Possibly some of his very
saadowy rights to something which he
did not use and never could use had
Lcen purchased by the government. At
any rate there was distribution which
turned each warrior loose upon the
business community of Cheyenne City
with something in the neighborhood OF
81, ,O00.
In the early stages Of a plains COM
munity there are not many specimens
Of the pleasure rig. The rolling stock
is for the most part composed of quar-
termasters' wagons and the almost
equally cumbrous ambnlances used by
the officers at the post. But it is never
long before commendable spirit OF en-
terprise introduces a hearse. At the
time of the great payment to the Chey-
ennes the new hearse was the only orna-
mental wheeled conveyance in Chey-
enne City. This hearse caught the eye
of warrior with more money under
his blanket than he had ever had be-
fore. From catching his eye it was no
long step from exciting his eye to own
that vehicle and to celebrate in style.
That's Indian nature. at least the kind
of Indian that people know on the
plains. 1t took very nearly all the
money he had, but he bought the hearse
and team of six mules complete.
There wouldn't have been any surplus
for the Indian but for miscalculation
on the part of the undertaken in setting
his price. He made allowance for the
Indians spending money little more
freely than was actually the case. How
ever, the surplus was not lost to the
general circulation of the currency.
The warrior and his squaw got on the
box seat of the vehicle and drove off in
style. As other Indians Of standing in
the tribe were encountered the hearse
was stopped and they were invited to
get aboard. When they had filled
every available inch on the root. Of the
conveyance other Indian passengers
were crowded into the box and sat be-
hind the glass panels looking solemnly
out upon the world. When the hearse
could not be made to hold another In
dian the outfit set of at gallop on a
tour OF the business houses which par
ticularly appealed to their custom.
AS their money gave out, or as they
succumbed to their too great purchas.
ing power. the first batch of Indians
dropped off the hearse and fell by the
ayside, but there were others keen tc
take their places. and the vehicle
passed from one Indian owner to an.
other for very small consideration
Never before had a hearse been con.
cerned in such an orgie. But through
1t all some sort of luck looked out fol
it; it had fallen on disreputable uses
but it came through the wild debauch
without serious damage. After the
spree was over, the last Of its success
sion of Indian owners took the hearse
back to the undertaken. It was an ele-
phant on the Indians hands; there was
no use for such wagon in the Chey-
enne village, and he was willing to sell
for a thousand dollars, for hundred
dollars, ten,. five, two bits and a bottle
Of whisky, on which last terms the
transaction was completed. 1t is not
ef record that any of the first citizens
! Of Cheyenne objected TO being carried
in this conveyance because Of its lapse
from sobriety for a single day Of In
lian extravagance.-N.i y. Sun.
His Reason for 1t.
F.. Mother-Why, Tommy! you dom,
mean to say you took second piece
of pie when you were visiting, do you.
Why did you do it?
Tommy just wanted to show then
that was used to havin' plenty to ca
when | was at home.--Plck.