The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1908-08-07


tory so far as they go; but the sto-
ries are always told from the white
mans poipt of view.
There was another side, and those
OF us who lived among the reds
know that naturally there's just
about as much of the savage in the
one race as in the other. 1t was my
good fortune-and in the light of
after events l can say that honestly
to spend nearly year at first as
prisoner, and then as adopted mem
Der of their tribe. among the
Kiowas.
Il knew intimately Satanta, Sa-
tank, Big Tree and Kicking Bird. the
last of worst reputation among them
all. There were many good and
generous traits in all these men. and
Kicking Bird in particular was much
thought of in his family and clan,
because of his loyalty, his truthful
ness and his just personal dealings.
That this chief could be more
than just, upon occasion. even to his
enemies. l can testify from personal
knowledge. Some years before l
lived among them, the Kiowas were
once camped on the Canadian River,
on the common hunting ground of
several hostile tribes.
"One day two of their lads, out
fishing, following the banks of a
small creek, strayed a long way
from their village. They were
Jumped and captured by a hunting
party of Chiricahua Apaches. CO.
chise, the famous leader of their
tribe, was with the band when his
men ran down the young Kiowas and
took them prisoners. The boys,
though armed only with their fish
spears, and no more than fourteen
and fifteen years of age. put up
valiant fight in defense.
Expecting at once 20 be put to the
torture, the lads begged in the sign
language that they might be given
knives, and that each, pitted against
stout warrior, might be allowed to
die fighting, while thus furnishing
entertainment to their enemies.
"Cochise was so delighted with
their gallant bearing and warlke
spirit that he bore them unharmed
to his village, a days ride distant.
There he feasted the lads, loaded
them with presents and sent them
home with an escort, who bore a
message to their tribesmen.
"'Tell them said Cochise, that
somehow or other, probably because
of internarriage with captives, two
youths worthy the name of Apache
have been reared among them. And
say that my only excuse in sending
them home is that the boys choose to
live among dogs
These lads were nephews of
Kicking Bird-his sisters sons-and
the Kiowa chief was so impressed
with their return, and the manner
Of it, that he vowed he would never
again lift his hand against the
Apaches save in self-defense. This
oath, l believe, he faithfully kept,
though the Chiricahuas were the Bit
terest of hereditary enemies.
During the first season that was
with them the Kiowas and some of
their allies, the Comanches, were
camped for a time on the Cimarron
River.
Kicking Bird at this time was
very wealthy as wealth goes among
Indians. He owned a large and fine
herd of mustangs. The Comanches,
who were preparing for a scalp
dance, at first refused to consider
an offer for their prisoner. They
finally, however, named thirty riding
ponies as their price, and to their
immense surprise, Kicking Bird
closed the bargain and took their
man.
There was no little curiosity
among the wild fellows to know what
Kicking Bird proposed to do with his
Apache, little dried-up old warrior
of near three score and ten. The
Kiowa kept his counsel, and some
time after midnight slipped out of
the village, mounted himself and his
man, and rode away in search of the
Apache camp.
1T was his purpose TO return the
man to his friends as his nephews
had been returned by the captive's
tribesmen years before. He dared
hO~ u usL Nut ApdCAS Win duy es-
cort save himself
Had the Apaches not been stirred
up like nest of jackets at
the defeat of their hunting party, or
had he been able to gain the conf
dence of the little old warrior, the
chiefs task would not have been par
ticularly dangerous.
las soon as he had the Apache
out on the plain in broad daylight,
Kicking Bird opened communication
with him in the sign-language. The
Kiowa told the old fellow that he had
paid ponies for his ransom, and was
about to return him TO his own peo-
pie; that he, Kicking Bird, wished
TO go with him to prove TO his tribes
men that a Kiowa had a memory
and could he fust lie dasfrad the