The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1901-08-01
HON Old NAN HA|NES
| LOST patience.

The red gentleman with the feathers
in his hat and the telegraph wire
bracelets became too importunate in
his demands for cigarettes, and as he
had been detected in the act of appro-
prfating wooden handled skinning
knife, valued $1.5O, five minutes be-
fore the post trader walked around the
counter and kicked him energetically
out Of the store and half way around
the hay corral. 1t spoke volumes for
the post traders activity that he was
able to do this, for it is no easy matter
to keep within kicking range of prop
erly scared Crow Indian for the dis
tance that he covered, to say nothing
Of performing the act itself. There
fore the post trader was breathless
when he returned and had to lie on the
counter with his head on bolt of pink
striped calico to recover himself. The
old bullwhacker, who had been watch
Ing the race from his seat on a nail
keg, with grin on his wrinkled ma
hogany visage. complimented the ad-
vance agent of commerce on his
achievement.
II wuz suthen Of a foot racer myself
when 1 wuz younger an limberer than
what am now." he said. "but dunno
that ever seen the time that could
have done better than that. I'm re-
gardin 1t purely as a physical feat,
however. I'm not sayin that you
showed strikin amount of Judgment
When Young Man Afraid of His
sFeechclout has got you knotted up
wiz green Tawhide an the squaws are
fixing the fire fer the grand barbecue.
mebbe you will regret your pernishus
activity an cuss the day that you hum
bled the proud spirit of the noble In
jun warrior. Is this shebang insured? ?"
"You was never introduced to me-"
rejoined the post trader. 1--WE got a
half inch of callous on the soles Of my
feet, an / come into this country from
the headwaters of Bitter creek along
Of j. w. Hancher an Ed Phernetton an
the rest of them desperadoes. I've got
relatives by marriage among the Crows
and Ogallalas, an I've drunk more al
kali water an eat more dog an buffalo
berry than any white man this side of
the big Mizzoura. l didn't bring my
outfit in here in the spring Of '99. What
did you expect me to do - give that
greasy, tin tagged coyote my stock of
cigarettes to keep him good tempered p
"An If you had you wouldn't have
forfuted his friendship" returned the
old bullwhacker. LAS IT Is I've got an
idee his heart is bad, an he won't come
an see you no more. An Injun has got
his feelin's the same as a white man
has, an | reckon you would git hostile
if any hombre booted you from blazes
to breakfast because you asst him fer
the means of soothin your nerves. You
inferred that Crow in a sensitive spot,
Ike"
81 done my best to-" said the post
trader.
"He may belong to the Badface band
an have hair in his tepee." continued
the old bullwhacker in the same grave
tone of reproof. "but at the same time
he's q human, an as a human it's your
play to extend the right hand Of feller.
ship to him instid of the sole of your
number nine. Hain't they got no SUM-
day school liberties out on Bitter
|
the settler who found poor, starin
redskin out in the snow plum exhaust
ed an took him inter his shack an fed
him up whole lot an warmed him an
then turned him loose with a grut
stake, an when the Two Kettle outfit
exhoomed the tomahawk an raised
merry Cain scalpin an burnfn through
the paleface settlements an the good
hearted granger was raked in the In
jun that he had saved sashays in ar
rescoos him from turr'ble death?"
''I've read them stories," said the
post trader. ',.. ~
''But you don't believe 'em," said the
old bullwhacker. "You amt sangutne
concernin the good that there Is In youl
feller man. If you git bad deal. yor
decline to chip in an lay down YOU
hand instid of callin fer cards an draw
in to the ace"
81 don't draw to no two spot In tht
hope of completin fiush."
"Well, my the'ry is that there aim
no galoot SO low down but If you trea
him with kindness an keep him clos
herded he will show the good that's II
him. Did l ever tell you about olt
man Haines an Gus Minnick? Wen
it goes to prove what wuz a-sayin
Old man Haines lived out on Blu
creek apiece above where it emptie'
into the Platte. opposite the mouth o
Ash Hollow, where Harvey cleaned vi
the Sioux. He wuz jest about the mos
benev'lent old duck that ever rippe'
up tough sod with balky team o
bulls. Long sufferin wuzn't no nam
fer him. He had two boys that wuz
Jest like him, an his ole woman wua
worse'n he wuz.
'One fine, cloudy evenin Gus Minnicl
Ian Todd Blakey comes along an rustles
ten head Of old man Haines' ponies
Ian wuz hikin south with 'em wheT
they met up with crowd of inquirir
Istrangers who were driftin back dowI
Prairie Dog into Kansas after an on
lsuccessful pursoot Of some north bount
boss thieves. The boys had too man!
brands In their bunch. an one OF thu