The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-18

- TN--I
many of the old chiefs, staunch and
friendly, were assembled. No sooner
had this occurred than the hostile
redskins began crowding, crowding,
stealthi1y, maliciously, fatefully, as
does the serpent when about to spring
upon it's prey. The situation became
more and more serious. The little
squad of soldiers, now pushed directly
against the picket fence, was as
naught before the sea OF revengeful
faces before them. One private In
stinctively put his hand upon his Win
chester. One bullet, n ill-timed
gesture, one little fuse to the dyna-
mite, metaphorically speaking, would
have resulted in a prompt and merci-
less massacre. My father, compre-
hending the danger in which all were
involved, quietly crossed the lawn and
spoke to Bull Nose and several 9th
ers, Medicine Crow, Fringe, Bull-Goes-
a-Hunting and Bull Chief, telling them
to go out and drive the enemy back.
Now a young Indian has the most un.
paralleled respect for an old warrior.
1t is only when they become old and
weak that this feeling changes to one
Of contempt, because a word or &C.
ton on the part of any one of these
old patriarchs would do more to quiet
them than n amount of bravery
from a p~ale-face. Calmly, deliberate
ly, the chiefs walked ort the gate on
one side of which the soldiers were
still f%lattened, forced themselves be-
tween the two lines and raising their
quirts, beat such a tattoo upon the
foreheads of the affrighted ponies that
for the space of half a minute the
proceeding was suggestive of a hail
storm. The desired result, however,
was obtained. The braves fell back
farther and farther, and a few mo-
ments later the main body of troops
came tearing up and fell into line
with the remainder of the company,
who had so narrowly escaped the
vengeance of the bloodthirsty, de-
luded, but not quite memorable young
men, who shortly after returned to
camp.
; The agent lost no time in requesting
Captain Wessendorf to make the ar
rest as soon as possible that night
but the captain, having no authority
for so doing, refused to take such
stringent measures, whereupon my
, father said to the captain: "Sir, il
you attempt to make the arrest to
! night you will lose half of your com
! mand. You know how an India1
! fights. Concealed in the grass the.
are absolutely invisible, while you,
= men would be easy marks for them
: outlined against the horizon"
why" exclaimed the agent will
an oath, "there won't be an Indial
Il here in the morning; they will al
u have made for the hills"
> "Ill wager you a box of cigars tina
there will be more of them here to
morrow than there are tonight" wa
Z the reply.
: The agent was not to be persuaded
. but finally accepted the advice of tn
= two men. The soldiers went int
- camp, and the "all's we'll" that sount
= ed from post to post was entirel
! congruous with the outlook for
$ peaceful night.
p" My father remained quite two hour
: discussing affairs with the agent an
y others. At last, thinking all was IL
y deed we'll, he started for his ow
- quarters, where my mother was wal
ing to be taken to the agents hous
if matters became threatening. H
had just reached the gate when tt
captain of police, "Boy-that-Gr Grabs
came tearing down the road and throw
ing himself off his horse rushed int
the yard while delivering the follov
ing information: The discontentt
element were gathering upon a hill
i the west, preparatory to comm
e down in a body and wiping out tt
s agent and all those within his hou!
+ before the troops could be awakene
: My father Immediately rushed acro'
d the road for my mother, and had ju
,, got outside their own yard when thu
6 heard the ominous sound of horse
e hoofs a few feet away. Nearer, nea
o er they came, nearly four hundr,
II young warriors, %hideously painte
y their eyes glazing fercely from tt
As inky shadows OF the night.
"Run shouted NV father HIT n