The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-02-28
BENDER FAMILY'S END
Writer in Chicago Paper Tells
Pipe Dream,
INDIAN SAW THEM DIE
Tied in Wagon,Were Swallow
ed by Quick Sand

at one time agitated the minus VI liiou-
sands of newspaper readers all over the
United States and even beyond the shores
of this country, declares a writer In the
Chicago Blade.
To start the story IN ship-shape, Joe
Wolf and | mounted our ponies on dull,
cloudy morning, and with our guns and a
lunch strapped to the saddles, started for
a point on the Chicaskia river, near the
city of Blackwell, where, as Joe informed
me. ducks were to be found heap much -
However, following facts didn't correspond
with Joes assertion, and after reaching
~ae place and hunting with indifferent
success for several hours we remounted
our ponies and struck north along the
rivers banks till we reached the old, now
almost obiterated tran over which IN
wears aEone the festive cow puncher was
wont to drive the long-horned Texan pro-
duct to The Abilene and Kansas iCty mar
ket.
Whe nwe arrived at the old-time cross
ing a proposition that we should discuss
our midday lunch met the approval Of my
redskin friend, and was acted upon &C
cOrdingly.
BY this time the sun had driven every
CLOUD Dc1OIlu TIE ItdNll VI lhAAieAAA ''H'~@-
and was sending its genial rays flltering
through the cottonwood branches, dlffus
ing a warmth that as lay gazing idly up
ward at the gently tremulous leaves made
1t a, matter of supreme Indifference to me
whether should ever again see duck or
not In this state of mind l was rapidly
drifting into complete oblivion of sur
rounding environments when / was
brought back to the realities of life by Joe
remarking, apIoros of nothing in particu-
lar: Me see funny things right here one
time
That's so? What was it?' 1 said, try
ing to instiT little interest into my tone.
And then added, quite as sarcasically as
anterrogatively-"d ducks
If the point of my mild joke pricked him
he didn't finch. for he answered stohdly;
NO, much bigger game than duck-peo-
Pile
This brought me to a sitting posture
with jerk
Joe calmly refilIed his pipe. deliberately
lit it, and proceeded to tell the following
story which for the benefit of my readers,
] will put in somewhat less eccentric Eng
lsh than his command of our language
made possible.
Many years ago. before the white man
built his iron trails into this country, my
: people lived further toward the east, but
this section of country where we now sit
was a common hunting ground by general
consent of all the tribes Here the prairie
was covered by countless buffaloes, and
this river teemed with fish of many kinds
Ducks that we cannot find today could be
killed by the young children with stones
for weapons. Sometimes the long-haired
cowboys from the south brought great
droves of cattle over this old trail; and
when we tired of buffalo meat We took
from their herds such number we
wanted. and asked nor answered any
questions.
This being the case. the present location
was a favorite hunting ground for my
people. and on the occasion of which l am
now speaking my father and [ had come
to this ford to wait for a drove of cattle
which had been reported to be coming
north Our intention was to conceal our
selves in the thicket here by the ford and
while the herd was crossing cut out as
many as we cared to take, and after the
drove had passed on its way drive our
chosen bunch into our own country. But
owing to a flood in the Salt Water Cthe
Salt Fork of the Arkansas. twenty miles
SOUTH the expected herd had been de-
layed and We reached here ahead of time.
This did not interfere with our plans.
however. as we had only TO wait; so we
set up our buffalo-skin tepee in that
clump of trees over yonder and awaited
events
10 40. 70 iYorr NI-l
drawing to a close when my father told
me TO climb that tall ottonwood-there-
and see If there was any sign of the eX-
pected herd. This duty I performed sew
eral times a day. but | was a boy then
and could climb ike a squirrel so l was
up the tree in twinkling and gazing
anxiously into the south for a first
glimpse of our prey. But as the impassa-
bic ford was still holding the herd be-
yond the salt water of course my task
was fruitless. But as l casually turned
my gaze to the northern horizon l dis
>eerned at a distance of two miles or less
q covered wagon coming rapidly toward
the crossing. My father directed me to
descend the tree. and as the dusk of
evening was approaching in the shadow
of the timber we crept cautiously down
20 the landing TO see who the newcomers
were
THE wagon drawn by a pair Of mules
arrived on the opposite bank nearly as
soon as We did on this side. and We saw
that it was driven by young white man.
while little old man with a great hump
on his shoulders sat in the seat beside
him. They did not attempt to cross the
sfrear7 bs,t r,rbitChad tho rnr,leS and led
them TO the water to drink While they
were thus occupied two white squaws
got out of the wagon and began taking
out dishes and food. while the old man
gathered wood and started a fire. The
young man. who was evidently the chief
fed the mules and then sat down by the
fire talking no further part in the work
Now, although our tribe was at peace
with the whites. we did not consider il
unlawful 10 take from them what We
could by stealth: so my father told me 10
cross over the river and see If we could
gain anything by so doing. We had 10
60 up stream some distance TO accomplish
this object. for you see except for this /
crossing, which was in plain sight of the I
campers there is quicksand both above /
and below that would in few minutes /
swallow down a thousand bufaloes. were 1
they 10 plunge into the treacherous ooze. /
So. as l have said. we went above and 4
waded across and then stole softly |
through the underbrush till we reached /
q position within few yards OF the party. I
from whence we watched them as they /
prepared and ate their supper They /
spoke little. and that time I could ont I