The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-03-06


read for himself
The young Sioux did not know oil
General Clusters exploring expedition
Of the year before, save from vague
4 report So they little dreamed tina.
] they followed a road of the grea.
trail-maker, the scourge OF their
people, whose impatient haste made
all roads as straight as possible.
Soon they came out of the hill,
! country upon the plain. and it seem
ed certain that they had found the
! Trail of the Coed They rode all
/ day over a trail which, in their eyes.
! at least, was marvelously straight.
and their hearts beat high with hope
that at the end Of this road they
should find themselves in possession
pie enjoy.
They had been told that the Most
Mysterious God Of these people. and
OF all the world. would provide for
their needs. They camped that night
upon a stream, where they killer
several sage-grcuse and caught some
fish.
Toward noon of the next day they
were astCnished to hear firing in
lront Of them.
1t is to brighten us-to see if we
are cowards,' said Iron Arm. Come,
let us go on. as We were told, fear
ing nothing"
Presently they came upon a fiat
valley, which cut, like huge, broad
ditch, across the prairie and the
trail, and from its heights they saw
number Of horsemen riding back
and forth, small party on either
side of a stream. These men were
shooting at each other, having appar-
emily net upon the trail and fallen
to fighting
For many minutes, sitting their
horses in indecision, the Sioux watch
ed the two small bands of Indians
fighting. The brothers knew the
strange warriors for Indians because
of their spotted ponies and their
manner of riding and fighting. Pres
emily they saw a rider on the op-
posite side of the stream pitch Off
his horse and lie still upon the
ground
After this they heard shrill yells
Of triumph from the band nearest
them The shouts of these Indians
determined their tribal identity The
brothers knew them for eros Ventres,
friends and old allies of the Oglalas.
How" said Yellow Horse. look
ing with deep inquiry into his broth
er's eyes. 81 think that We ought
to inform these people that they
should quit f3ghting and killing
NO harm can come to us if we
keep to the Trail of the Good" an
swered Iron Arm. so said the
Talking"
Although they were young men, the
younger not yet twenty years old.
both had taken part in the wars of |
their tribe, and were proud of the
[earlessness of Oglala soldiers. They
rode down steep ravine and out up
on the fiat land, sitting very stiff,
and with solemn dignity which was
certainly in marked contrast to the
eight or ten yelling eros Ventres,
who were skurrying to and fro across
heir trail, hanging to their horses
n all sorts of positions
Although their coming had I'M
been noted by both hos
lie bands, no attention was paid to
hem until they had ridden up to the
circuit of the Gros Ventres. Then
he leader OF these Indians left his
inc and approached them.
"Ho! no." he shouted joyously,
seeing they were Sioux. "Now you
wo shall help US to beat off these
'arrion Crows. Come on. we've al.
'eady killed one of the fellows. It's
good fight, and we are now like in
lumber"
The brothers halted stiffly, and
fellow Horse spoke in a cold, level
one:
1--WE are no more at war with any
me. This is the white mans peace
cad-the Trail of the Good No one
hould be fighting here"
AS they were talking, the fighting
topped, and the men of both bands
at at ease. looking at them.
Yellow Horses calm manner and
is voice of authority astonished the ;
sros Ventre, who inquired further
nto the matter. He was enlighten- ;
d according to the best OF the broth
rs understanding. When at the
nd the Sioux declared that they We're {
bout to ride on. regardless of any '
Citing, the chief, knowing that the t
rows were enemies of all Sioux, call
Il fnoptbor hie man Tb~ro rLo,1 =