Arizona republican., 1922-04-12

law q number of miles from the home
ranch were killed in the fighting.
Mrs. Peek tells many anecdotes of
her life on the frontier ranch. Some
OF these stories are humorous in the
telling but at the time the occur
rences were of fearful 6ignificance..
Mrs. Peek's sister kept small
trading store at the ranch and sup-
piled Indians, miners and ranchers
with food, clothing and tobacco. The
Indians were frequent visitors st the
store and had many unusual pecuH-
arities. They would often buy as
many as a dozen shirts at one time
and would put all IL On theis- backs
at once, one over the other, so that
| they were well padded. A. times
when they had no sacks, the Indians
would take Off a shirt and have it
filled with flour or sugar. They
would often come. to the store wear
ing a string of large woodrats eus-
pended from their belts. When
seized with hunger they would re-
move a rat and eat ii with the
greatest solemnity.
Mr.. and Mrs. Peek had a very pret-
" little daughter of about nine years
Of age who was much admired by
the tribe of Indians living near the
store. They made much over the
little white girl and amused her with
their songs and dances. SO great
had become the Indians attachment
for the girl that they desired to
adopt her into the tribe
One afternoon the ranch was
aroused by the sound of a great com.
motion in front of the store. No
white men were there at the time
and the Indians were preparing TO
take the little girl away with them
in spite Of her protests and fright
ened cries. A large Indian buck
grabbed the girl by the hand and
passed her over to an old sqIiaw
Mrs Peek's sister, however, was not
to be daunted She had lived in the
country a long while and had inn
pressed the Indians with her indoni-
table courage, so snatching up a
large meat knife she rushed out and
confronted the braves. Brandishing
of the band, she demanded that her
niece be released or, she declared, she
would plunge the knife into the In
dams breast.
The Indians have always been
great admirers of physical courage,
and seeing grim determination in the
white wonlan's eyes, they grumbiing-
~ returned the little girl TO her
mother. After that episode, however,
the child was watched and guarded
closely to prevent her being kid
naped.
Another frequent visitor to the lit
tie supply store and ranch was an
Indian OF the Maricopa tribe named
Chiquita. He was what was then
termed a good Indian" and had no
desire for bloodshed. He was con-
stantly on the lookout for the Apa-
ches, whom he feared, and would lie
in front of the little store, placing his
ear to the ground at intervals to de-
ternine if any of his enemies were
approaching. At the sound of ad-
vancing Apaches he would disap-
pear into the mountains until the
coast was clear.
Mrs. Peek also tells of an Indian
chief named "Skimazene," who fire.
quently traded at the store and be-
came the fast friend OF one of the
white settlers nearby. Every time
Skinazene came to the settlements
he would bring presents to his white
friend, who used to treat him TO a
dinner upon these occasions. Once,
while visiting the white settler. ski
mazene without further ado picked
UP and * and Drained his friend.
When run to earth, Skimazene was
asked why he committed the killing.
He calmly replied:
Il killed him because he my friend.
1t takes brave man to kill friend;
any man can kill enemies"
Once, during Mr.. and Mrs. Peek's
stay on the ranch, an Indian tried
to take possession of a neighbor's
cabin, many miles away. No one
was at home but the rancher's wife
when the Indian appeared and de-
ciared himself to be the future own
er of the establishment.
The fearless woman, however,
calmly began to sweep out the cabin
and when she had gotten to place
where she could grab her husbands
rifin Sha d{5 60 ard dwns.. tta 49,