Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01
When Indian Medicine Vendors
Sta1ked Abroad in the Land

southwest. where the Indians are better
known than In the east.
The ex-manager tells of an experience
he had in Texas, where it became neceS-
sary to get out of town in hurry. and
the packing up and departure were made
in reco.d-bre akfng time. The members
of the company were under an i!on-
bound contract to abstain from drinking
and to be careful in their conversation
and conduct toward all visitors at the
tents. The men were specially forbidden
to enter into any fiirtations with young
women In this Texas town one of the
men Of the company spied comedy
young woman who seemed to tu.n his
head completely. and before the show
had been there a day the Snowman and
the girl had a Irritation in full blast.
The Snowman was warned by the man
ager. but gave no heed, and about the
third day the inevitable happened tie
offended the girl. and her brothers with
other irate citizens gave the show one
hour to get out of town. 1t was done.
but the eX-manager wonders still how lie
managed to obtain t.anspoI tation. pack
up and get away in the time allowed.
When they were fairly beyond danger
of being shot the members of the COM
pany tied the hands of the offending
comedian behind his back and compelled
him to walk about twenty miles to the
next stop.
On another occasion the company had
been showing to poor business for nearls
a month in the lower part Of Indiana.
They had barely made expenses in some
places, and failed to do so in others.
Finally 1t became necessary to skip from
one small town in the night, leaving some
unpaid bills behind. The manager calcu-
lated that he would be able to get away
- loo vol ,1tl iv,rv n,,l
return in the course Of a week or so and
pay the bills. But the manner of going
did not please the creditors and they laid
their claims before the county sheriff,
who came on to the place where the show
was located and attached the whole out
fit. This, to say the least, was embar-
RAISING. but by way of a frank statement
of the situation. and being left for about
two weeks with deputy in charge,
enough money was realized to settle the
claims and set the property free. This, of
course, would happen now and then in
travelling through a poor rural commun-
tty, but the manager learned finally to get
his creditors together, and if it was
along to the next town to receive what
was due. This course saved costs and
made less excitement.
An amusing incident occurred on the
way over sea from New York to Jamaica
The Indians had never been out of sight
of land before, and when they walked the
first morning out they were in a panic.
The manager had forgotten in the hurry
Of preparations for the trip to fully eX-
plain to them what was going to happen.
The six men and two squaws were a
pitiable looking lot, as the manager came
on deck and they chung to him like chill
dren imploring him to save them from
the angry waters, which were beginning
to roll pretty high under stiff wind.
AS the day advanced the wind grew
stronger, the Indians, one after another
became seasick, and the mixture of their
curses with prayers to the Great Spirit
kept the passengers laughing nearly all
day. One of the Indians declared he
would kill the manager and had to be re-
strained finally from carrying his threat
into execution. 1t was only after the
handing in jamaica -and NE iDu1e6NS sights.
which there occupied their attention that
the Indians were restored to their normal
and stolid condition of mind again. This
voyage was proof to the manager of this
company that there was one thing that
can excite an Indian and throw him from
the balance of ten centuries of emotional
suppression.