The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1913-03-26
The Butt Of the
Camp
Bv SADIE OLCOTT

ii
Hanging about a mining camp IN Tue
r:;, west was an Indian girl whose
name was so unpronounceaDle that SIG
WAS called Sal. She was not the Typ
zeal Indian maiden of song ana Story
Int q real daughter Of the forest
which means that she was not peau'
tiful, not over clean, and hef nalr
HING down. coarse and straight, on
her shoulders. At least it would have
hung straight if it had been combed.
Sal was not popular with the camp
ers, but she could be made use1ul LOT
a very small expenditure. Men VINO
had an accumulation of unWasheo
dishes could hire her for few CENTS
an old piece Of ribbon or some TOBACCO
to do the job so that they could start
anew with their tableware and use IL
all over again. A drudge like that IS
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 nav
ing taken it and ill treated until It
was found, which was often IN the
possession of the owner. The lndlan
is proverably 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 ungainliness Sal seemed to
realize that whites were superior to
redskins, and she would rather he the
putt among the former than stand
nigh among the latter.
One day Sal got in the way Of Tom
Barton when he was stamping his way
through the camp in a very bad humOr.
He gave her 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
transaction and was so incensed at
man striking woman that he walked
up to Barton and batted him as he had
batted Sal Barton was too cOWardly
to fight, so he took it out in jawing.
AS soon as Ohio Sam was convinced
that he was not called upon to give the
fellow any satisfaction he turned and
walked away.
A coward, a mean coward, who will
domineer over those he can safely i'm
pose upon, though he will not stand up
in open fight, will usually take mean
al fo fhiS
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
pistol shot within few feet of him.
There was just light enough-it was
coming dawn-to see two persons at
the entrance of his cabin. One was
Barton, with smoking pistol in his
hand; the other was Sal, whose hand
was under Barton weapon. 1t was
evident that she had just knocked it
upward The villain retired and was
not seen around the camp again.
Rowley, sensible Of Sails having
saved his life, after this treated her
with as much consideration as he could
one of her low degree. This seemed to
encourage her to tidy up bit, and she
appeared in white woman's discarded
dress that she picked up somewhere.
One day she went to ROwley and told
him that his enemy, Barton, was hang
ing ut distance about the camp and
she believed he was bent on mischief,
Rowley had best avoid going out where
he could be shot in the back. The
young man smiled and said he didn't
believe Barton quite so low as that and
thought no more about the matter.
That same evening. having occasion
to go beyond the camp, he was walking
along when he heard two shots in
wood by the path and thought he heard
a woman's cry. Turning toward it, he
came upon Sal lying on her back with
a bullet hole in her forehead. She was
dead. Seeing mans legs on the
| ground, his body concealed behind a
| tree, Rowly went to where it was and
found Barton gasping. He died in a
few minutes from bullet wound be-
hind the ear.
1t was perfectly plain that Sal had
again saved his life. and this time at
the expense of her own. Taking her
up, he carried her to the camp, and as
the deniZens gathered round while
Rowley told the story hats came off
one by one and there were those who
had imposed on the girl whose eyes
We're moist.
Rowley sent word to the girls PEG
pie asking if they wished to show their
dead kinswoman any funeral honors.
They responded: ''Sal no good. Sal
leave her own wigwam to be white
peoples slave. We no want her."
This was the reply Rowley received
with regard to a girl who had owned
his life, yet gave her own for it's pres.
ervation. The message stuug him
What had he done in acknowledgment
in repayment for her first interposi.
ton? He could do nothing for the sec.
ond. Sadly he arranged for the inter
ment of the body, and when it took
place those who had not given q kind