Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1924-08-01


tent Of the cniers curiosity Crazy
Horse returned to his own lodge I'M
decided whether to have the young
man give an exhibition or not. But
once he fell to contemplating the two
Colts the idea fastened upon him.
He was always ready to learn better
technique In the handling of firearms.
Dwelling apart from the reservations
he had missed seeing soldiers and Of
ficers at target practice, and his ac-
quaintance with the white mans skill
had been largely limited to skirmishes
and battles when individual scores
could not be followed.
Within thirty minutes after Scissors
had spoken to his. companion Little
Big Man called at the lodge and sui
lenly announced the prisoners were to
follow him.
On the slope leading to the river
and the pony herd were gathered the
men, women, children and most of the
dogs. All were waiting with childish
eagerness to witness the white mans
skill. Crazy Horse was seated apart
from the assemblage and had the two
revolvers on a robe before him. The
chief asked:
Does the young man wish to show
the Ogalala how to shoot?"
HE is ready to show them" Scis-
sors answered.
How does he want to shoot?' asked
the chief. "He must shoot away from
u.s."
Scissors repeated this query to Dins-
dale.
Tell him to have some of his men
stand up the slope behind ne and
throw gourds and dishes down the
slope and over my head. That will
let me keep my back to the people"
Scissors repeated the suggestion to
the chief. Crazy Horse readily agreed
to it. and gave an order to the specta-
tors.
The women ran back to the lodges
to secure mugs, bowls and tin plates.
A dozen warriors with rifles were
drawn up behind Dinsdale ready to
shoot him down did he offer to face
about before dropping the revolvers
TO the ground. Scissors explained all
this, and Dinsdale CURLY answered:
II understand. But I want to look
at the guns and see If they are all
right before / commence"
Crazy Horse unloaded the weapons
and took them to Dinsdale and watched
him closely as he spun the cylinders
and tested the trigger action.
IT am ready to load" he told Scis-
sors.
He faced down the slope and reached
hand behind him for the cartridges.
Crazy Horse handed these to Scissors
and hurried back to his blanket Scis-
sors fed them into the outstretched
hand and Dinsdale examined each crit
ically before slipping 1t into a cham
Der. At last he was ready and stood
with the guns half-raised, his head
tilted back so as to catch an early
sight of the targets as they flew over
his head.
The men with the rifles crouched
within FIVE feet of him, while those
chosen to throw the targets stood some
fifteen feet away. Ten men were
picked to throw the gourds and
dishes. To prevent too general dis
charge of targets Crazy Horse ordered
that three men on each end of the
line should throw in turn, from right
to left and transversely, while the four
center men should hurl straight
ahead, each taking his turn. This
would allow not more than three tar
gets crossing Dinsdale's field of vision
at the same time.
The gathering on the slope became
as quiet as tableau. All eyes were
focused on the motionless figure hold
ing both arms half-raised, the head
back as If making sun dance VOW to
Wakantanka.
''Be ready" Scissors broke the 81
ilence by yelplng as man on each end
drew back his arm.
Then one after another the warriors
hurled dish, mug, or plate, and Dins-
dale worked both guns for total of
seven shots and dropped his hands to
his side as the last dish scaled to the
ground.
1t did not seem possible to the spec
tators that he could have released
that number of shots. They had ex-
pected to hear distinct detonations.
and instead 1t had been a blurred,
cracking sound Of very brief dura-
ton. There was something SO casual
about the whole performance that
none deemed it possible more than one
hit could have been scored, and that
would be by accident. 1t was all over
so soon there was only one feature
which was recalled-how tin plate
had deviated from its gliding flight by
jumping convulsively.
Drop your guns" advised Scissors.
Dinsdale did so; then. the squaws
scuttled forward to bring back the
targets. Hands patted against lips.