The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-28

Beaumont Texas Dear Hnphammer:
The last letter I wrote was from Jack
sonyille, ILL.,, but I've come back to INV
native State and am at the great "oh
Vity, Beaumont ] had nice time on
my journey from Illinois and ! viii at.
tempt TO tell the Haps OF a picnic at
tended ,at Duncan. ], y Yon see. my
of my brothers, and | stopped or for a
weeks visit on my way down here Well
we were twenty miles from Duncan aud
Ms | wanted 10 take the afternoon train
for TeNns on the day Of the picnic we de.
clded to 90 nearly to Duncan the evening
pptore ana camp SO we would get there
bright ana early the next morning Well
we ate our supper aud pui fodder and bed
clothes In the wagon and a Jug OF water
ana q box Of grub, also a coffee pot.
me men ,'hitched mp the mules and we
started. II was beautiful night and
We sang nearly all the way. Al about 10
O'Clock we came 10 small creek called
Mud creek and camped for the night
there before us, and we spread our beds
down and were soon fast asleep We girls
pretended to snore for n while. until Il
became real Well, bright and early next
morning We were astr. but not before the
other campers were building fires. Soon we
had eaten our cold breakfast aud started
for town we got 10 Duncan. little
prairie town on the Rock Island road al
about o'clock. After leaving my tee
mic ground about half a mile from town
OF course. everything WAS new 10 me
There were only ii few people scattered
about, some putting up lemonade stands
ana others sitting In the -go-rounds
OF which there were two run BY horses.
We could see the Indians camped quite
mile AWAY. and decided ! would go there
we started on and met ever many In
dams. about 500 Of them Comanchcs
Apaches and one other tribe They all
had tents ANA dogs Every one was busy
getting ready to go 10 town. Two white
men we're running a gambling table. and
tue poor SHY indians were playing cards
ing genius OF which was Mexican / tried
to talk 10 some Of the girls, but they
only shook their heads, except Que. vine
was real pretty. talked little There
was beef drying on wagon bows Little
dirty Indians lying around IN the dust and
art, girls with every color Of clothing.
Some Of tho men had their cyclds paint
ed yellow and red, and nearly all the men
wore their hair braided. We looked at
everything and everybody and they PAID
examine my silver purse. which hung by my
side. We started back for the picnic
hundreds OF covered wagons with mules
lied 10 the wheels. everywhere and the
lying Dutchmen were full AT the dance
Ing dust ny / noticed one girl with
blue dress, with big loose sleeves ana red
mir, who danced all day AZ least. every
we had band which played "last years
music. and q large wigwafn and speak
efS Platform There We're barrels nf Ice
wafer where one had TO stand aud wail
for his turn to get the cup, and witch
little dirty Indians play with the Ice.
noticed very tall. handsome looking
Indian, without paint So | followed him
him ana started q conversation. He was
German, whom the lndHns had captured
nt the age of II, and az he told me kept
him eight years. For sight years ne ate
no bread. was tortured aud nearly killed
lie said he went Wild. and "Ininn haa
look or p" He talks very broken Per
haps some 81 yon have read his life Hls
name rs Herman Layman His Indian namo
is Montechetn. or OTTO ! potlced a queer
looking thing not unlike . piece OF horses
ho0f. and having a SORT ~ hairy some
green ribbon 10 his belt. aud asked him
what II was. and he said good medicine "
II Is something the Mexicans make whisky
from, a plant which grows In Mexico SO he
told me lie said he wore II for seventeen
years and w9s never sick. lie told nif
he'd give me one also bow and arrow
ana beads when he went home for dinner
Well, by this lime II was noon anh We
got our little hand out" which consisted
~ bread and ham and pickles coffee n |
YOU happened 10 be lucky enough 10 have
for my white otto, but IN vain Then
watched the Indians riding IN the merrs
go-rounds. also the young 'hncks" treat
Ing the bare headed young Girls 10 Iemou
ade and cream. Fancy, Then I WANDERED
back 10 the dance platform ia watch IA
boys aud girls dance--fhe boys In fhei.
shirt sleeves with handkerchlefs tie
around tehir necks, the girls With snun |