The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-26

/ Inby nNN0 HuUNENu0u lh y NhIk " WI htN'
ceeding season. II II has not been quite al
true TO tho rules laid down by their ANCESTOR
az IL might be. Il has at least afforded then
the opportunity TO express their love and ven
GRAFTON for the great Sun. and to beseech hin
for continued life and health. Last July. al
usual. the people assembled to carry out thii
ancient observance. Tho O-kan. or. as the
frontiersmen saw. the medicine lodge. was tc
be built on q wide plain above the agency .
little way. Not only were all the Blackfeet as.
sembled here. but from the north. way over
In the province OF Alberta. came their brethern
the Bloods and North piegans. and from the
Bear Paw country some Gros Ventres and
Crees. Then there were white men from the
borders Of the reservation. and some from the
far east, who had come thousands Of miles to
sec this great One OF these was q
man Of science. another an artist OF national
reputation. The agent. a very Gar In his au-
thority over the people OF the great reserva-
tlon. said not n word he knew nov badly tho
people would feel TO be deprived Of this exer-
else OF their religious tenets. and winked at
the departmental rule fnrbldding 1t, As II
thew knew in Washington about such things.
So with many prayers and ceremonies the poo
pie built the great lodge. and made sacrifices
to the Sun OF the best they had. The sacred
tongues (nOw OF beef. alasD which had been so
carefully cut and dried ny the medicine wo-
men with many a peculiar rite and song, were
distributed. a very small piece to each one. and
while the people prayed and tasted, implorinG
the Sun to give long life and happiness 10 them
and theirs. outside the men rehearsed their
deeds OF Nalor with the aid OF others. giving a
living. active picture of how they had killed
an enemy; how he had fallen how they had
rushed forward and scalped him or taken his
weapons.
Among others Nc Coat came forth and re-
counted his deeds. Besides other successes
he told OF going to war against the Asslniboins.
and rust above Cow Island Of having suddenly
met three OF them In the brush. two Of whom
he killed and scalped. As he went OH with his
story every part OF it was acted out. three
young men representing the three Assini-
boins. First they fired at him; then he shot
two Of them and the third turned and ran. He
rushed forth and scalped the fallen ones In
triumph and at the close OF the dramatic scene
was cheered and applauded by the spectators.
In due time. the religious festival being over.
the eros Ventres returned TO their country
loaded down with presents their wealthy
friends the Blackfeet had given Thorn. Also
they drove before them u large band OF horses
which had been given thom. Naturally
enough. when some time later one Of them
visited the Assiniboin camp he spoke highly
OF the Blackfeet and the pleasant visit he had
had with them. He told OF their wealth. OF
their generosity and of their bravery as evil
denced by the deeds he had heard them re-
count at the medicine lodge. incidentally. he
mentioned No Coats story OF killing the two
Assiniboins in the brush. Among those who
sat smoking and listening to the Gros Ventre
was "a man named Growing Chief. and he
seemed much disturbed when he heard this.
But he said nothing and no one paid much at
tention to him. The two tribes were at peace
and bJgones were bygones.
A few days ago three Assiniboins. Growing
Chief, Plenty Young Men and another came
up from their reservation - visit the Black
feet. They were Hospitality received. and as
they went about received many gifts OF horses.
Growing Chief. who seemed to to the leader,
finally found out where No Coat was living and
the party proceeded to his camp at the foot Of
the mountains. Here. too. they were well re-
ceived by the people. who Immediately took
them In. gave them the best they had In the
way OF food and lodgings and presented to
them several horses, making In all forty three
head they had received since coming upon the
reservation.
One evening IL happened that No Coat was
alone in his house with the strangers. every
one else having gone out to visit In some Of the
nearby houses. Plenty Young Men and No
Coat were talkiuR:to each other by signs. when
suddenly Growing Chief arose and plunged a
long knife into No Coats breast. Plenty
Young Men at once seized the assaIlant. who
withdrew the knife. covered with blood. No
Coat rushed to the door only to find It looked.
but he succeeded in opening 1t and made his
way over to his fathers house. where he told
what had happened and then tainted.
Meanwhile. strange 10 say. the Assiniboins
had not attempted to escape. and when No
Coats relatives reached tho house they were
found to be sitting as quietly and unconcerned
as IL nothing had occurred. The Blackfeet
had brought their guns and would undoubt-
edly have killed the strangers had not the old
chief. Running Crane. commanded them to de-
sist. Growing Chief. in signs. begged them to
shoot him. No Coat. he said. had killed his
two brothers many years before. He had
sworn then to kill their murderer. He had
lately found out that No Coat was the man.
and he had come here to fulfil his oath and
then die.
Now" he concluded. Il am satisfied. 1t 10
your turn shoot me-
But there was no shooting. The three As
siniboins were securely hound. bundled into
a wagon and taken to the agency. When they
arrived there and saw they we're to be placed
in the jail. Growing Chief struggled desper-
ately 10 free himself. The others took things
coolly and disclaimed any knowledge OF their
leaders intention to kill No Coat. Neverthe-
less. tho United States Marshal has taken the
trio to the prison at Helena. where they are
awaiting trial. No Coat. at this writing. is
very low and 10 not likely to recover.