Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-02

consent of his family. he. in 1865 went into
the Red river country, going thence soon
after into the Yellowstone region. There
was no dare devil desire aroused by stories
that he had read or heard, or any Temporal
ry wish for the excitement and danger of
the life that he was to lead that prompted
this movement. He was a quiet, taciturn,
self-contained boy, who, with considera-
BILE poetic and musical element in his ma
ture, was fond of hunting and fishing, of
the woods and the solitude Of forests.
There is not much solitude, not many prai-
ries and few large forests in the neighbor-
hood of Geneva. in the very central portion
of the state of New York. What there was
he found, but it was all too small for him.
Many Years in the Yellowstone.
He spent more than twelve years in the
Yellowstone region. hunting and trapping,
and SO thoroughly exploring the tract, vast
as it u.s. that he knew it from the sources
of the river to it's junction with the Mis-
souri,. and for miles and miles back from
each bank, quite as well as a good police
officer should know his own beat. and he
became SO thoroughly identified with the
whole section that he is better known there
by it's name than by the name. with which
he was christened.
A Solitary Character.
He was known to the Indians also as
''Tha- man -who-never-lays-do down his gum"
in allusion to their belief that he would
never surrender. and as Lone Wolf" be-
cause Of his fondness for roaming about
alone. His wanderings have covered i'm
mense stretches of country. Once, unac-
companied by a single human being, he
Travelled 300 miles through regions swarm
ing with hostile Indians, and at another
time he traversed, under similar circum-
stances. distance Of more than coo miles.
Both times he returned safely. The only
companions he had on both journeys were
two horses that he had trained down so
fine that it seemed as though they under
stood every word that he uttered
Kelly has a strange bride by which he
sets great store. He says he put it to-
gether when he was a poorer man than he
is now. 1t is made from pieces of an old
United States army bride. which had prob
ably been thrown away. It Is very much
worn, but Is still strong and seryiceable
The top front strap is ornamented with a
number Of grizzlies claws. giving 1t a de-
cidedly ferOciOus aspect. while the bit is
an exaggerated Mexican one big enough
to break the jaw Of the most fiery wild
horse. The lines or reins are made of horse
hair. twisted into rope of three strands q
little more than three-quarters Of an inch
in diameter. Kelly has had his bride for
many years. and 1t has been with him
through number Of perilous adventures
He Is inclined to regard 1t as a sort of a
talisman, or medicine" or mascot
In no part of Kelly's life has there been
ing glamour that make up the careers of
the conventional scout and cowboy accord
ing to some books and some n.wspa pers
Although his life has been Just as strenu-
Gus and adventurous as any Of theirs as
| full of danger and alarming vicissitudes he
! Is as modest, unassuming and retiring as q
man as he was when a boy. He never was
known to ''lose his head" but Is always
| brave. courageous. reliable and reasourceful.
and he makes no fuss about 1t. Even the
grasp OF his hand indicates how truthful
| the remark was that Col. Cody ("Buffalo
Bilr) made Of him: Hes a good man to
| tie to-
Scout for Gen. Miles.
In 1877. after the Custer massacre on the
| Little Big Horn, General Miles who went
| to take command in that region. heard OF
Kelly as one who was perfectly familiar
with the country where the hostile Sioux
were the most in evidence. Kelly had
| taken a fancy to General Miles, and was
on his way to the latters camp to offer his
services at the same time that the messen-
ger had been sent for him. On his journey
he killed a monster grizzly, which weighed
about fourteen hundred pounds. Cutting
| OFF one Of its paws he sent 1t in to General
Miles his card. The fancy struck the
general nightly. and the two BECAME firm
friends. Kelly entered the government
| service as scout. and so remained for a
| number Of years. He located the camp OF
sitting bull and led the expedition com
| manded by General Miles that was the
| death blow to the warlike Sioux. He did
excellent service also In the subsequent
campaigns against the Nee Perces.
| Kelly returned to his hunting and trap.
ping In the Yellowstone region until the
| Spanish war was on. when he enlisted in
| the army. was sent to the Philippines. re-
| turned from there as a captain OF volun-
| teers, and was mustered out Of the service
For time he had temporary place ia
! the War Department and was not long age