Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-27
FLAT-IRON'S HARDLUCK.
SPENDS NICKEL FOR WHICH BE
GETS NO RETURN.
Oldest Indian With Pawnee Bill
Makes Social Call at White
House.

Old Flat-Iron was the worst disap-
pointed man In Washington Saturday
He is the oldest Indian with the Pawnse
Bill show. and he spent cents riding
down town to call on President Koose-
welt, only to find him out of town. lie
was SO distraught in his thrifty soul 1T
the idea of having spent the money for
nothing that he walked back to the
grounds and came near being late for the
night performance He did not have any
dinner. and though there Is privilege
car with the show where he could get
something to eat after hours he declined
to patronize 1t and did his night turn on
an empty stomach.
Flat-Iron is a noted character. He is
about eighty years old and has been In
the wild west show business for over
seventeen years. He Is an old-line Indian
with a scanned and wrinkIed face and the
peculiar bow-legged roll to his gait that
sticks to a man after he has spent three
quarters of a long life In the saddle. He
is well known to the Indian Office and to
nearly all Of the people in the canvass
show business He has been at different
times with the Cody show. the Pawnee
toured Europe and America and Canada,
and while he may not be as familiar with
the wilds of Broadway as he is with the
plains Of Wyoming, it would be hard to
the United States.
Russell Sage Of His Nation.
The other Indians look up to him for
counsel and advice. for he is the Russell
Sage of the Sioux nation. He is a shrewd
old party, who understands English but
will not talk it, and who owns one of the
best Indian ranches in Wyoming and has
money in the bank.
But graft? Flat-Iron would not let a
nickel get away from him If he had to
chase it block. The other Indians know
1t, and they envy but cannot emulate
him. He is the plutocrat Of the tribe and
the repository of all wisdom. He will
part with wisdom on occasion, but he
does not do the same with the coin.
A Star man who had known him OF and
on for many seasons met him between the
performances Saturday and the old man
recognized him and was glad to see him.
At least, he said so. but you cannot al
ways tell what Flat-Iron thinks by what
he says.
of greeting, and then, despite the fact that
he understands everything that Is said. he
had to go thrspgh the old game of calling
to his aid a Hbung Ogalalla Sioux. Flat
terpreter but It suits his ideas Of economy
not to let on
Tells Tale Of Woe.
been. and Flat-Iron spelled tale of woe
about the President. He has met all the
Presidents in Washington since Grover
independent of young fellow like Roose-
welt to go out Of town without stopping to
say How'd do?" to him.
This was about the interpreters version
of it, with the gestures left out:
He say ride down town see Pres dn't.
Spend whole lot money. whole nickel. -velly
poor. Dam Oh liar. got more money'n any
body"
This DEPRESSION as to his personal char
acter did not worry Flat-Iron any, and
the story continued:
HE go town. OF man he go anywhere.
Go way down. big White House lot, grass.
flowers. He know him; say been there
heaps Go one door, amt nobody. Go
'nuth'r door. amt nobody. Go front side.
there police Him say amt no Pres'dn't
Won't spend more money"
Thereupon the young interpreter. exhaust
ed by this sustained mental effort. sank
on the ground and rolled cigarette.
Remedy for Cold.
F1at-Iron explained by the aid Of Sioux,
the sign language and the interpreter that
he was suffering with a bad cold in the
head. but that he had accumulated big
medicine against it. Then he proudly un-
knotted a curious-looking lump from the
corner OF one Of six handkerchiefs he had
around his neck and produced a menthol
pencil case, which emitted a variety Of
odors. He said 1t was good medicine for
a cold in the head. but no protection against
an empty stomach; that he had had nothing
to eat since breakfast and was too poor
to buy anything. The Star reporter. who
knew him of old. produced a quarter. and
Flat-Iron felt for an empty corner In any
of the six handkerchief ends, but could
they were all knotted full Of coins Of one
sort and another.
"Umph- huh." nodded the interpreter,
whole lot OIL liar"
But Flat-Iron smiled a bland and child
like smile and cached the quarter away in
the folds of his blanket.