The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1913-04-04
The Butt 81 the
Camp
3, SADIE

l III lFtL /. aLaSs RI EAsI 14L.Nl -si8sdL -EamI Il
Hanging about q mining camp In the
Tar west was an Indian girl whose
name was % unpronounceable that she
was called Sal. She was not the typ
ical Indian maiden OF song and story.
but q real daughter Of the forest.
which means that she was not beau
tiful, not over clean, and her hair
hung down, coarse and straight, on
her shoulders. At least 1t would have
hung straight II It had been combed.
Sal was not popular with the camp.
err, but she could be made useful for
a very small expenditure. Men who
had an accumulation Of unwashed
dishes could hire her for q few cents,
an old piece Of ribbon OF some tobacco
to do the Job so that they could start
anew with their tableware and use 1t
all over again. A drudge like that y
always sure to get all the cutting that
springs from i'll temper, and Sal had
no one to divide It with. II any one
lost anything she was accused Of hav-
ing taken 1t and i'll treated until It
was found. which was often in the
possession of the owner. The Indian
is p%roverably revengeful, but Sal seem
ed unusually patient under the rough
treatment she received. All wondered
why she didn't stay with her people.
who were settled on their reservation
ON the other side Of the divide, but
despite her u%ngainliness Sal seemed to
realize that whites were superior to
redskins, and she would rather be the
butt among the former than stand
high among the latter.
Ono day Sal got In. the. way ot! Tom
Barton when he was stamping his way
through the camp In q very bad humor.
He gave her a bat on the side Of her
head that sent her to the ground. A
young and comely man called Ohio
Sam, he having come from the highly
civilized state Of that name. saw the
'n.,Sacticn and was so lincensed at a
...a A,rik.nS 81 woman that he walked
ntq Barton and batted him as he had
atttd Sal. Barton vas too cowardly
. ii,,,lt. SO he took 1t out In jawing.
vs. soon us Ohio Sam was convinced
hat he w;,s not called upon to give the
elbow ANY satisfaction he turned and
walked away. sAs
a coward. u mean coward. who will
domineer over those he can safely Inn
pose upon. though he will not stand up
in open fight. will usually take a mean
revenge Snl seemed to understand this
better than her champion. She kept an
eye on Barton. expecting that he would
manage some day to get the drop on
Rowley, which was Ohio Sans real
name, and shoot him before he could
draw.
One night Rowley was awakened by
4 pistol shot within q few feet Of him.
There wa just light enough-it was
coming dawn-to see two persons ct
the entrance Of his cabin. One was
Barton. with q smoking pistol In his
hand the other was Sal, whose hand
was under BaFtonhs weapon. Il was
evident that she had just knocked It
upward. The villain retired and was
not e around the camp again.
Rowley, sensible Of sals having
saved his life, after this treated. her
with ~ much consideration q he conid
one Of her low degree. This seemed4to
encourage her to tidy up q bit, and she
appeared In 4 white wotnanffS discarded
dress that she picked up somewhere.
Ope day she went 10 Rowley and told
him that his enemy, Barton, was hang
ing at q distance about the camp and
she believed he wal bent on mischief.
Rowley had best avoid going ont where
he could be shot in the back. The
young man smiled and said he didn't
believe Barton quite 90 low q that and
thought, no more about the matter.
That same evening, having occasion
to 60 beyond the camp. he was walking
along when he heard two shots ina
wood BY the path and thoughthe heard
q woman's cry. Turning toward It, DO
came upon Sal lying on her back With
. bullet hole In her forehead. She was
dead. Seeding . mans legs on the
ground, his body concealed behind 4
tree. Rowly went to where II; was and
found Barton gasping. h died IN Z
few minutes from Q bullst wound u.
hind the Ell.
Il was perfectly plain that eai had
again saved his life. and this ttme q
the expense Of her own. Taking hes
up. hs carried her TO the camp, and %
the dsnissns cathersd round while
Rowlsy told to story hats came a, a