The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1911-05-19

M
HMM the Nez Perees got
@N white boy, they didn't 20
much on formallty.
When Sandy Smith FIRST
saw him, he was about three years old
and was IN trouble. He was about as
dirty AZ any member Of the tribe
which hzrbored him. and save for oc.
caslonal light spots, where his skin
accidentally broke through the crust,
and save for his top shock OF straw
eolored hair, IL would have been rather
difficult 70 recognize him as white.
He was standing outside a teepee at
a safe distance where things couldn't
be thrown ~ him grittlng his teeth,
Eobblng and kneading his eyes with
two very dirty, very pudgy fists.
Sandy had been on kind Of yaca.
ton, the kind that suited him best. ny
selling some cumberland In the olym.
pics and Teingesting in mining
elaim. he stood IN a pretty fair way to
get rich That ". almost everybody
IN the district thought so So he'd been
making little trip over into Idaho
Iiat that hasn't much 10 do with Mods.
Coming back 70 him Sandy happen.
ID 70 ride through this camp Just
at the time when Mods was feeling
pretty bad,
II the angel Trouble had job on
hand. be must have felt like pulling n
gun when Sandy Smith came around;
because that was sandy's weak point,
Couldn't bear 10 see anybody, let alone
child, IN sorrow
Seeing Mods crying, out In front of
the teepee, Sandy pulled up his horse
swung over into the side of his saddle,
aud took look at such an amazing
lhing a. little white boy In an Indian
village a hundred or so miles from any,
where; and. naturally. Mods recipro-
Gated the attention,
The pudgy tists came away about u
foot from the tear.stalned face and then
stopped, Tho eyes. which looked just
like gentian flowers, opened wide, and
Mods sized Sandy up for all he was
worth, Then. either because he hadn't
forgotten white folks or because there
was something about Sandy that went
to his baby heart. he twisted his face
into smile that was like big burst
OF sunshine over q rain.swept meadow.
Now all this time Sandy had been
watching him with kind OF paraiy5ed
hook When Mods gave him that smile
ne couldn't help giving II back. sapdys
face. with It's long, struggling mus,
tache. was ono 81 the set. steady kind
that seldom changed; but II any one
ever saw him laugh, II was sure to be
surprise, II was 40 unexpected, and
made you think there were things 10
Sandy that you never knew be
fore.
Mods saw this. and without delay
tEudEed up alongside tho pony and
held up both hands. Wanted to be
taken up and away from that village;
to 40 to some place with some one
who had q kind word instead OF n kick
Tor him. Sandy fairly fell on his
horse. dropped down on his knees
and put his big. long arms around
Mods. and that's how II began, How
Sandy aud Mods became acquainted.
Mods gave a sigh big enough tor q
fuiLgrown man. and. soon Ms he could
got room, put his two little arms
around sandy's neck, struggled his
face right up against sandys, and
held II taero. And from that on Sandy
could have died for him, 1t wasn't
anything he was used to, He had
Ia his time, loved and been loved by
lots Of things. but not by small char
like this
So SANDY was crying and laughing
when he felt something looking at him
turned round, and saw three or -four
blanksted bucks. but In all the crowd
thafs wasn't anything white. They
dldnt look TX though they liked Sandy
much
A powwow brought out the fact that
this yoaRgstsr had been left with an
old suuRw by man who claimed to
be his daddy Said he was coming
back 10 a week, but u year had slid OF
lnto the nowhere, The squaw was toe
old to do much camp work. but she
wasn't too old to think heap OF Mods
aWana And probably about all the
Kindness the little shaver ever knew
In all that year had been from her
The old woman. being not much use
had TO subsist OF the camp picktngs
80 there may have been times wher
both she aud Mods went pretty hun
cry. 1t was easier for her to stand
abuse, though. than Il was for Mods
sha was more used to II, having lived
longer,
The minute Sandy showed signs o
wanting Mods. the chief valued hin
highly. Il took a day and nights
trading to get him. but Sandy won out
being the kind Of fellow that neyeI
quits Once or twice he decided he'S
end the difficulty by going TO war Will
the whole Nez Perces nation, grab
bling Mods and riding on trusting t
God and his Winchester 10 pull hin
through.
As he WAS getting ready to so an'
Mods was waiting. Sandy heard
Kind of moaning noise In the tepe'
.,h,r. Mods lived so took a look In