The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-01-05

WRITTEN FcR THE SUNDAY Rr.Pl BLlt-
(which I tells this we're narratif first
back in one OF them good old Rel Lisht
eveninfs when it's my turn to talk"
The Old CattIeman following this remark.
considered me for a moment in silence. l
had myself been holding the floor of discus
sion in a way both rambling and u~ointIess
for some time. I had spoken Of the luck of
Indians and the ~latter's superstitions. and
other subjects various and sundfy. Ny dis
course had been remarkable perhaps for
emphasis rather than accuracy: and this.
TOO. held d purpose. 1t was calculated to
rouse my raeonteur and draw him to 4
story. Did wbsttI say. lack. energy. he
might go to sleep in his chair: he had done
this more than once when ! failed to inter
est. Also, if what l told We're wholly. true
and wanting in any ripple of romantic er-
Tor. even though my friend did me the COM
pliment of wakefulness, he would make no
comment. Neither was he likely to be pro-
voked to any recital of counter experiences.
At last. however, he gave forth the obser-
walton which I quote above, and l saw that
] had brought him out. / became at once
v$rdless and lighted a cigar. leaned back
= hear him through.
JAS | observes" he resumed. following q
1considerahle pause which I vas jealous Ia
xEuard against word or question ni my own
Z 81 tells this tale TO Colonel StcTrett. Old
Man Enright, an the others one time when
we're restiu' from them Wolfville labors Of
ours. an Is renOoin' our youth with nose
paint in the Red Light bar. Jest as you
does now. Dan Bogcs takes up this yere
question of luck where Cherokee Hall aban-
dons it, an likewise the subject OF them
savages where Texas Thompson lays 'em
down, an after conj'irin' the two In a way
] deems a heap footile. allows plenty dog
matte that luck. or good or bad that away.
Is confined strictly to the T~aleface, said
sborgines not KNOWN sufficient to become
the target Of them vicissitoodes OF fortune,
excellent or otherwise.
which Injuns is too ignorant TO have
what yOu-all calls luck says Dan. an
IS l says. he's mighty doematic over it.
That gents who's to he affected either up
or down by luck" has got to have some
mental capabilities. An as Injuns don't an
swer no sech descriptions, they amt no
more open to luck" than to enlig hit 'nment.
Luck an Injuns when took together is
shorely preepost'rous! It's Ike talkin' of q
sycamore tree havin' luck. Gents 1t amt in
the deck! An tharupon Dan seals his views
by demandin' OF Black Jack the bottle with
glasses all round.
when it comes to that. Bosgs.' says
Colonel Sterrett. as he does Dan honor in
four fingers OF Valley Tan. an talkin' of
luck, I'm yere to offer ODDS that the most
poignant hard-luck story on the list is the
story of them Iniuns as u race. An L
won't backtrack their game none further
than Columbus at that. Which the savageS
may have found life a summers camp prior
TO the arrival Of that Eytalian mariner an
the ornery Span!ards he surrounds himself
with. But from the looks of the tabs, the
deal since then has shorely gon against
'em- Them Injuns don't win once. White
folks. that away. of themse'fs is bad
luck incarnate to Injuns. The savage
never SO much as touches EN-. or listens to
'em. or initiates 'em. but he perishes right
\ thar. Which the pale-face shorely kills
\faid Injuns on the nest! as my grand-dad
Ased to say
When i recalls the finish of old Hard
robe / says. sort O. buttin' into the argy-
ment. the same bein' free an open to all.
AN l might add by way OF a gratooity in
lines Of proof. tho finish of his son, Bloc
Jacket. l inclines to string my chips along
with Colonel Sterrett.'
"'Give US the details of an concernin'
this yere Hardrobe.' says Doc Poets. For
myself, I'm prone an eager to add to my
information touchin' Iniuns at every OPP
enin'.'
las Enright an the rest makes express
sion similar. / proceeds to onbuckle. 1
don't claim much for said tale neither.
Still, wouldn't copper it none. for it's the
trooth, an the trooth should alters be
played open every time. I'll tell you-ali
this we're Hardrobe story as | onfolds it to
them
II was here that my friend began looking
about the big hotel parlor with a vaguely
1Hi9 Sas,e ege' l sa" his need and pressed
Il was amin to summon my black boy
LTom,' he said.
A when a moment later. his favorite decan-
I fer appeared in the hands of one of the bar
bows Of the h~ostelry. who placed it on a
little table at his elbow and Withdrew,
The necessity for Tom seemed to disap-
near. and recurring to Hardrobe. he went
on.
.Hardrobe is an Injun-Osage buck an
ba,oncs to the war clan of his tribe. He's
been dedicated East a whole lot an can
rad in books some an W American
that away mighty near as fiooent as 1 does
myse,f. An on that last pint I'll jest take
a chance an go as far as you-all likes that
/ amt tongue-tied neither.
(which this yere is Il long time ago.
Them is days I'm young an 1.-the an strong.
i can heft u pony an IN SIX loot TWO IN
nv moccasIns. No. / ain't SO tall by three