The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-10-24
Actors on the Stage

~ Actors on the Stage
The cattle, filed with the rich
heritage, stood suning themselves,
and the riders sat on their horses,
turned somewhat sidewise In their
saddles in repose while the horses
heads hung low as II mapping in the
autumn sun. They were Shoshone
and Bannock Indians, the owners Of
the 5000 cattle that had been
rounded up, sorted, branded and
marked according to their identity,
and more than 5000 turned loose
again while handful this 900 were
being sold. The men lounging around
were mostly stockmen, some white,
some red, but all wearing the usual
cowboy attire and many of them
wearing a weeks beard, indicating
that they had not been to town or to
where their razors were. They sat or
lounged together in the utmost cord
iality and friendship, merchant or
banker mixing here and there among
them in attitude Of perfect good
fellowship.
AS the teachers circled around
taking their preliminary survey of
the situation they kept on the out
side of the ring, looking on in cur
iosty like a chicken looking at a
snake, with more or less of the
thought that they were themselves
not to be part Of the company.
They opened their kodaks and saw
so many fine places to take pictures
that at first they took none at all
until the driver of their car sug-
gested that they work fast and get
whatever pictures they wanted for
these were golden moments-the
crowd might shift, the restful scene
might take on life and the chances
for pictures be modified.
True to the inclination of the
fastener just new among the sup
posed rough fellows and wild men,
one teacher would be disposed to
hold somewhat aloof, while another
would be full of the spirit of romance
and adventure, and would wish to
ride a real Indian horse and have an
Indian or a cowboy companion for
the ride. The newspaper man, en-
tering into the spirit of their various
wishes, to ride, to chat, to take
pictures from different viewpoints,
studied the situation and kept them
busy. He conferred with Ralph
Dixey, the Indian leader regarding
the selection of suitable horses and
riders and Dixey looked slowly over
the whole of the circle of eighty
seven Indian riders facing the center
of the ring and then nodded toward
four young fellows sitting in row
and said that any of them were
trustworthy. Already a tall sun
burned white rider had been pre-
scented to one of the girls in the
party and she was chatting with him
and admiring his steed that was the
embodiment of life, moving, pranc-
ing and always ready to go at a
touch. The girl had handed him a
red apple that had been slipped to
her for that purpose and they chatted
along like old friends, she asking
him all about everything she wanted
to know. He assured her that this
horse was hardly safe for girl to
ride, much as he would like to sup
ply her with a horse, but at this
point the driver returned with a
young Indian on gentle horse, and
it was agreed that the girl was to
take the Indians horse and be &C
companied by the tall white cowboy
on the fancy horse.
g@ A Matter of Dress
At this point in the arrangement
the girl, tho keen to go for the ride,
remarked to the driver, II wish /
had my riding clothes. I don't see
what l can do riding with this tight
skirt The man replied, well, just
look at the matter in this way. We
are all your friends-there is not
bad eye among us, and this is your
chance to have the ride that you
wish, so just mount your horse, ad-
just your clothes so you sit comfort
ably in the saddle, and forget all the
rest"
She acted on this assurance and
mounted the horse. She could not
quite reach the stirrups, but she