The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-01-21

hc NV tnht u y uttuk III lVtpoEhtANh h's
tothe stock he had bough t and raised. But Alter
all" he reasoned, what H. the difference! am
only working ior, my children. Should die,
tie were 90 stray away 10 the public range
Then there were the traders stores, where ne
was obliged to obtain more or less OF his supplies
at double and often three times the market price.
For years aud years traders licenses have been
issued by the different ADMINISTRATIONS as rewards
for party services, but no more than two io' any
one reser va,ion. Consequently, the Indians have
been compelled to pay the highest prices; even
when there are two traders there Is never any
competition in prices
Stevens to get ahead, but somehow he did so
Year By year n larger number 81 cattle and horses
bore his aud the G9,vernment $ brand ana ne saww
be educated. lie became less AMI less inclined
20 accede 10 his wife's demands, and hnally put
hi, foot firmly down, declaring that not an9,nsr
dollar. not another head ~ stock. should beas
squandered on her relatives. Indeed, there We
no necessity for it; the rntions and clothing issued
tothem by the government were suiicientfor their
welfare,
Whitegrass, in earlier years, had always been
an object Of contempt. lie had never Joined me
hsl5s on the eS % n a,inp or Tribes Nh i"'oi ia On h ,ns never newer
owned more than two sore backed ponies at,a
time in his whole life; he had never even had tbs
| courage to run buffalo. but had subsisted by beg
ging from the brave and pr speIous, He was a
short, broad. immense chested fellow. with a lace
for all the world like a great owl, and the widest
mouth it extended nearly from ear 20 ear, Ito
was a great schemer; by smooth talk and the use
Of his wits, he had always managed to subsist by.
the industry Of others. After the buffalo had all
been killed, and the people settled upon their reser'
walton, he saw that the old order Of things, was
forever ended. aud he determined to take advan-
tage " the new. After carefully watching the
course Of events for a time. he mapped QUIZ plan
which proyedto be most successful; hemade friends
with the agent, The prominent oi men the trlbe,
chiefs, medicine men and warriors. fresh from the
Wild, lie OF the plains, thought
IT beneath their dignity 70 have much intercourse
with a white man, even II ne was their agent
Nothing that he did pleased them. ana they de-
nounced all his plans for their welfare IN unIneas
ured terms On the other hand. Whitegrass lost
no opportunity Of telling the agent that he con-
sidered he was a very wise man, ana every DAY
he brought reports Of what this ,hiel ana that ons
a alone" he would say, IAN your true friend.
and will always obey you, always help you when
! can"
lie got his reward. the Commissioner in Wash
ington decided that a reservation, court should be
established to decide eases not calling ior criminal
the three Judges. An We're not old scores paid
of then, Woe to the unfortunate who in tines past
had slighted him or turned a deaf ear TO his beg
ging' What were the great chiefs now compared
10 him lie held their welfare in his hand.
No matter what his income might be, White
grass was always in debt, The gltlerlng wares
in the traders stores had a fascination for him
that he could not resist All his money, every
thing he could obtain which was convertible INTO
money, even the stock issued to him and ms lam am
make a display No small part Of his funds had
been wrgng through HIS daughter rom 'n nr Ih,
rebelled Whiieg rass was for a time at a loss what
tn do about 1t But his cunning mind was not
idle, day and night he planned and schemen, ana
easy way. that he wondered he h0d not though'
Of II at once one Of his associates on the bench
Judge Wolitail. a man rich IN cattle and horses
and big round pieces Of silver, had recently lost his
wife. The next time WhltegraSs met him they
had a long conversation IN q corner o, lhs court
room, No one knows what they talked about,
but II could easily be surmlSed after what hap
pened a day or two later
Stevens was alone on the ranch, his wife having
again left with the children, after ~srlking, awhile
aud abusing him une morning be- was harrow
ing some grain when half a dozen policemen oil the
Indian force rode mp, informed him that he was
under arrest, and ordered him 70 saddle a morse
and company them at once
Under arrest" he exclaimed y on must be
mistaken. What have ! done that | should ot
That you will find out soon enough the leader
answered Come, hurry up; We can walt here
into n cell and locked the grated door. leaving MN
to muse in solitude upon the uncertainties % TINS
life. OF course, lie was greatly worrlen anu gu,
ragged in feeling thousand times lie said tnT
himself Il have done nothing wrong, vii
surely be- cleared Of whatever charge is brought
After four or five hours his CO ptors returned and
led him over 10 the Court houSe, where the thref
Judges and a crowd # ldletS seemed In be awaiting
ms arrival They mOllonei nm 10 u seat INV
then WhltegraSS arose ana SAID.
Raise your right hand. Do you swear that you
will tell the truth, and nothing but the truth, IN
this matter before the court
wis. YES. Of course, IN tell the truth" Ste
yeDs answered I'm not IN the haei' OF lying
But what is this all about
Without replying to his question, the Judge
continued White men have no heart, they DC
not love and pity their wives ana children. NJ
they think about IS 10 work like a beast and pie
up money, great big heaps OF money, so they
g,n l.,l NJ 4 4 mud say u am nrl Am n lg
chief This mans wife has borne his abuse
for many years and she complains TO us 'ha'
she can stand 1t no Longer, she HsGS ' ,ba q q ~
starves her and her children, that he does moi
give her sufficient clothing 70 protect her IRON
dence. believe what she says. The divorce Is
granted"
Hold on" Stevens exclaimed, springing e
his feet you haven't heard me, can prove
that all those charges are false.
we will not listen to you" said Whitegrass
What is the use, White men never tell the truth
The divorce is granted. | say, and the sentence
Of the court is that you leave this reservation
within twelve hours and never return
very well" said the prisoner Since yot
have got II all cut and dned, ~ Is useless 'ot M
hav We to find my children and round upmy stock
Your stock Whi,egrass cred with well
feigned surprise. 81 didn't know that you owned
any; what are they branded"
'You know as well ne | do" Stevens suddenly
replied "See'ns TIE number you nave H"'' 'e'
are branded u D, Ol course
Have they also the Government BRAND
Yes"
Anything bearing that brand said White
grass and here he smiled with qualification a
the thought uf the blow he was about ~ deliver
anything bearing that brand, say, Is Of cnurs
the property NJ the Indians. These horses an'
cattle you claim ere owned by your wife tina
was. and her children; You cannot take away
single head ot them. Nor can you take you
children unless Of their own free Will they wisl
10 accompany you. Court is dismissed
TbnS sip,r \, "a rily md putFopppISlN lTult with
il Isl wonder that Stevens controlled himself, \
he wandered out to- interview the agent, White
grass passed him with a malicious lcer. on HI
way Ia the traders store, and his pockets wer
stuffed with CON which he merrily ilngled as h
stepped along.
The agent sympathi7ed sincerely with the un
fortunate man. hut could do nothing Tor him
Tho rules ot the department. could not be broken
since the stock in question is branded l d,
he said. Il cannot allow You to remove II from Nh
reservation. q course you may take you
children # they wish to go wish You
WHY. Stevens" exclaimed n friend. "thl
isn't right, you know. They can't do any sucI
thing
Cant do it," he replied, well, they've don
+, IL haven't they"
ives. but you can got redress. Sue EN-; SIT
EN-, stand up tur your rights.
There IS no one To sue, " he answered sadly
" Mess IT is the I nited States, and | can't d
that. No lawyer will take \ pennlleSS man
case. have barely enough money Ia take my
self and children 10 the nearest settlement
But the children did not m him ON
: little girl only II The seven loved her father enoug
10 share her fathers poverty The rest ha
been emhlttrr"d against him by their mothe'
The day h. let the reservation she married Vol