The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1907-11-30
LEv|ES TAX ON
OLD TIMERS
OLD INDIAN JlM's CAREER AS
A WARRIOR HAS TAPERED
OFF INTO PEACEFUL PAN
HANDLING IN SPOKANE.

HANDLING IN SfONRN6.
Everybody, at least everybody in
Spokane, including dogs, cats and
green parrots, knows old jim, the
Indian, who is familiar figure ev-
ery afternoon as he stands first on
one foot and then on the other.
near the Traders bank. Jim is a
character around whom is woven
romance, tales Of war and blood
shed, and, mayhap, love affair
when he was young. About the
love affair there is no certain rec
ord, but Jim's other affairs are
known to almost all the oldest in
habitants. Despite his years,
which may be 20 or 10 for all any
one knows, and for all Jim him
self knows. his mind is still keen
and cunning and his sense of hui
NOR great, for an Indian. Jim s
face may be of parchment or old
leather, judging by the ridged
wrinkles upon it. The long easy
stride and erect carriage of the
young Indian brave is no more,
and in its place is the slow, feeble
shuttle of old age. One might
think at first that Jim's peculiar
gait was caused by the govt. Not
so, however. Jim's paddle-like gait
is from natural causes, and old
age. The constant, long. tedious
trips afoot he used to make in the
early days have finally told on, the
old man and as the result his feet
are handled like an inexperienced
person handles paddles.
One now and then hears the re-
mark, Wonder how the old cuss
lives?"
Jim was occupying his usual sta
ton this afternoon when the above
remark was made to a reporter,
who undertook to find out. Taking
up a position of vantage near Jim,
the scribe waited,
Suddenly the old chaps eyes
sparkled and a grin cracked his
features, then a Howl
The cause of this sudden inter.
est was NJ. M. Cowley, retired
banker and who many years ago
was like brother to the Indians
of this section.
\ How" replied Mr. Cowley.
"Jim heap starve," was the re-
ply of the old Indian as his eyes
twinkled.
OF course he knew what the re-
suit would be and that his white
friend would give him some money.
Evidently Jim needed more
money than was given him, for he
remained in his position.
Soon his face was lit up once
more as one of his old friends APP
preached.
The same dialogue was gone
through with except that this time,
instead of Jim heap starve," the
reply was Jim, he-no skookum
SHOE" as he glanced despairingly
at the coarse leather which he
wore on his feet.
Jim got more money.
Yet he remained where he had
stood from the first Another of
his old friends came along, and
when he caught sight of him Jim
shrunk up his shoulders and said
"Oof! jim, he-heap cold; no good
coat"
More money was passed over
and Immediately afterward Jim,
with that shuttle gait which is the
envy of all the Cinnamon in the
locality, started on down River
side.
1t might be we'll to remark that
Jim is a strictly temperate Indian.
There We're times in his younger
days when, full of bravery and war
like spirit, he used to drink the
direful firewater, but with age has
come good sense-or perhaps he
signed the pledge. Anyway, it re.
mains that old Jim is a worthy OBJ
ject of charity. Although an In
dian who has fought in many
bloody wars, his old friends say he
always was a good Indian to his
friends and an unforgetting one to
his enemies. But revenge has long
since left his heart and when he
dies more than one old timer, and
many school child, and a canine
or so, will long remember him and
his shuttle gait.