The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-01-29
Eyes. You stay, eat dinner with u.s.

| SuCH SucStS.
Come out on the porch, Peppajee
we smoke
Peppajee rose, gave his blanket {
hitch, and followed his host.
Where fadder? Where boys" ht
asked, politely, as they seated them.
selves.
"They went for horses. They come
back sOon."
Peppajee smoked in luxurious silence
for time, then began, suddenly: "Me
got heap wano pony. Me trade him
| yo'. Him wano-heap wano. Him &c
fas'-lak dat" He drew hand rapid
| ly through the air. Him no buck, him
f., no keeck, him go all places same.
| Mebbyso rocks-laya bed-him GO
| s-l-o-w-him no fall Mebbyso wano
road, him go, go, all same deer. Meb-
byso heap dark-no moon, no star
Mebbyso ride all day, no stop for eat,
for drink, him go all time fas' Heap
wano pony. Yo trade?"
VIII applied match to his newly
rolled cigarette and pulled vigorously.
He knew something of the way of the
red man; he is full of guile as when
he rode rampant the plains, seeking
whom he might devour-that is to say,
scalp.
What for you trade wano pony?"
he demanded, suspiciously. What for
YOU no keep him.
Peppajee shifted his position un-
easily; his eyes narrowed "Vinie,
she ride all the time. Vinie heap lazy
| lick. She no care. she ride all time
same. Vinie no stay wickiup-no cook
no make moccasin for sell. Mebbyso
me keel deer, me come home, Vinie
gone. Me hat skin deer-haf cook.
Vinie come back bimeby, me lick No
good. She go mex day all same" He
paused, dramatically, then continued.
Me trade pony. Me git noder pony,
she see, she no ride-Vinie heap 'fraid.
No walk-heap lazy. Vinie stay home,
cook deer, make moccasins for SELL
me no lick. Wano'
The explanation was logical and con-
yincing. Will, more trustful then than
he is at present, smothered any lin
gering doubt, and inclined his ear to
Peppajee's specious reasoning.
"All right. We eat; then l go look
at pony. MebbySo | trade"
The eyes of the Indian sparkled.
'Yo' got wano pony-mebbyso make
buck a little?"
Will nodded. you saw him out in
the corral Little black pony, wano.
You spur him, he buck. You ride him
to wickiup, you spur him-heap scare
Vinie.''
Peppajee looked down at his mecca
sins. Huh. Me no got spur"
"Oh, well, there's an old pair in
the blacksmith shop I'll give YOU"
said Will, firing of the lingo" Pep
PAIGE grinned; evidently the prospect
pleased him. Still, he chung to his In
dian caution.
Me go look; mebbyso me trade. |
Mebbyso me want ten doIlah, So" He |
raised both hands, the fingers and |
thumbs extended, and the negotiations
we're postponed until after dinner
"Mebbyso, me ride yo' pony. Wano.
Mebbyso me trade"
All right" said Will, and led the
iery little black from the corral, and
leld him while Peppajee transferred
lis saddle. The horse was beautiful
,reature to look upon, but lacked
stamina for hard gallop over the
ough, surrounding country, so Will
considered the trade all in his favor
'eppaJee's pony was a plump little
'into, kind-eyed, sure-footed, and
ound.
The black threw back his head and
yed his prospective owner askance.
'ome horses seem to possess a consti-
utiOnal aversion to our red brethren,
nd Mohawk was one of these. Peppa-
ee hesitated, one moccasined foot in
he stirrup.
Him no buck heap?" he queried. APP
rehensively. The belligerent, back
yard glance of Mohawk filled his In
ian soul with misgiving. Peppajee
vas victim of civilization. He had
flowed most of his accomplishments
0 grow rusty from disuse while he
arried long at wine-or, to be explicit,
heap whisky. He no longer rode la
'entaur. l doubt if he could even
roperly scalp an enemy; l am inclined
D think he would have botched the
ob disgracefully. Will fastened to
eassure him.
He never bucks with me, unless
pur him. he said. Il don't know"
e added conseryatively, ''how he'll
ct with you. He never had an Injun
n top of him. He don't seem to take
, the idea ]
Huh" grunted Peppajee, stung by ]
ne distasteful epithet. He mounted,
nd settled himself and his blanket {
rmly in the saddle. "Yo' let go him
cad. Mebbyso, Injun ride TO yo' ,
awn!" {
Ned and Dick, who were watching l
he trade, sprang upon their horses,
Spectantly. Will turned loose the
lack and swung into the saddle. I'VE
with you,' he explained. I'VE see :
ow he 60"
Huh" said Peppajee, but got no
lrthor Mohawk oathorod b;s foo4