Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-05-13
A TEST OF COURAGE.
TEXTURES WHICH INDIAN SCOUTS
BORE WITH SMILING FACES.

II Was Up to Lieutenant Farrow
Once to Emulate Their Example,
hut the West Pointer Used His Wits
and Escaped the Ordeal.
The Indian scouts that Joined forces
with the United States army in 1878
to make prisoners Of the Sheep Eaters
in western Idaho were skeptical at
first of Lieutenant Farrow's abilities
to lead them into battle. They had
never seen his courage tested and
plainly intimated by word and action
that they had no intention Of obeying
his orders unless he should prove him.
self drawer than any chief, subchief or
buck in the command.
First they gave themselves up to all
kinds of physical torture as lesson
to him. They slashed their bodies
with knives without showing pain.
They slit the skin on their chests, ran
skewers hereunder and jerked off
cutaneous and heshly strips while smil-
ing happily in his face. They split
|
ated their cheeks, butchered their arms
and legs. Their stunts We're SO far
beyond anything Farrow could inflict
upon himself that the poor young lieu
tenant thought he saw his finish"
Suddenly, while rivulets of cold per-
spiration trickled down his spine, the
West Pointer recollected that in his
schoolboy days he was an adept at
driving a pin into the thick Of his
"vastus externus' without feeling pain
and the joyful inspiration to thus illu-
inmate his courage seized him.
The necessary pin was in the lapel
of his fatigue Jacket. Ruthlessly he
slit the front of his breeches leg from
pocket to knee, then his drawers till
the front of the thigh was exposed to
the wondering gaze of the Indians
| gathered close around. Then dramat-
ically exhibiting the pin, an affair OF
all inch and sixteenth, he reached
for a fiat stone and drove the harmless
bit of wire down to the head in the
unresistng muscle. His handsome
face was as unclouded as when he
helped to haze his first plebe.
The red men nodded approvingly
grunted looked wise and sat down or
their launches. They had seen some
thing new, but wanted something moro
convincing. Farrow realized this ant
was in the seventh heaven of despair
as he smlingly pulled out the pin ant
held it aloft for inspection.
TO show the white feather meant il
that hostile country INSTRUMENTATION
and t,eachery, involving Farrow'
mysterious death. 1t was Il moment II
try a soul-and to fry it. The lieuten
ant whispered. to his trusted sergeant
II am going to take desperate chance
am going to shoot myself throug
the head with my revolver, but 20
stand beside your horse, and just a
instant before l shoot you fire you
rifle, yell 'Si-washv mount and max
off through the woods as fast as 70
can ride. Don't forget to fire before
do, else shall be dead man."
Sitting upon jagged rock, he ez
planned to the Indians what he wa
about to do, and with great delibera
ton and some fine theatricals he cock
ed the pistol and placed the muzzl
against his temple. The Indians wer
wrought up to a high pitch. They ha
never seen man shoot himself throug
the head and live. Surely here wa
the bravest Of all brave leaders. The
would follow him through hell.
The sergeant, unnoticed, fired his r
fe, his "Si-washw woke the echoes
Shoshone and Bitter Root, and the ella
ter of his horses hoofs rang down til
Clear Water as far as Fort Lapwa
"Si-washW The Indians knew VIII:
that CIV meant. In less time than
takes to tell it Farrow was alone. H
forces had scattered to the four wind
In the course of few hours all wei
united again, but the courage test We
not renewed.
Twenty-Five years after this eXcitir
incident, on certain evening in 100
: Farrow occupied box in the MadisC
Square Garden when Buffalo Bill
Will West was in full blast. CHI
Joseph, the celebrated commander
the Naz Perces, whom Farrow had ca
tured 90. years previously and who
he had not seen in the interim. led
wild, whooping. yelling, screechr
mob If painted Indians out into Il
arena for dash around the circle.
But the charge was interrupted-c'
short. When Joseph reached the cur'
near the Madison avenue end of tt
amphitheater. he pulled his horse shar
ly to the right. cutting across the fir
file of warriors in most dangerous fas
ion. In a mad gallop he poked h
chargers head into an arena DO
Strengthened up in his stirrups, he
out his hand and cried: How! HOY
Howw The old fellow had caug
sight Of Farrow, and nothing cou
prevent him from riding up to salu