The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-25
BY BRUCE CATION
Special Correspondent

Pawhuska, Okla, Jan. %. There
is an evil spirit that stalks abroad
on the barren, wind-swcept hills Of
Usage county; an evil spirit that
returned from the grave TO confuse
and alarm honest. lawablding In
dams and to figure AZ principal
character in the lizzicst trs.i-
comedy tho west has known in many
n day.
This evil spirit is or used to be,
the Indians STAY an Indian who re-
.iUiccd in the name Of iIo- To Moic.
This name being q hi, cumbersome,
he was dubbed plain John stink. and
is 80 known throughout Usage county.
John Stink was Il pcaccablc. decent
sort OF chap who never molcStcd any
one until one fatal night. a few years
ago, when Il mutual friend intro
,ucctl John To Il bottle Of white mule.
The mules kick would have de-
rallied IL Santa Fc freight. and the
clay vessel that houses John Stink's
spirit i no stronger than anyone
clsc's. JEAN went under the table
AMI stayed there.
Dead and Buried
Next morning John Stink failed to
come No. After the usual tribal
rcstorativcs had been applied he was
pronounced dead by a caucus Of the
elders and u funeral was organized.
John was carried TO barren hi!,
placed in n sitting position in the lee
Of huge rock. gently covered with
smaller stones. brush and the like.
But John Stink was not dead. He
was only boiled just a wee bit harder
than usual SO next morning he
awokc to find himself sitting among
the rock pile and possessed of great
hunger. a powerful headache and u
thirst Of the type that moves noun
tains.
Heads for Camp
John cXtricatcd himself with diff
fculty. and headed for the camp.
In the chill dawn he came over the
Aor.non. ms habii,mcnts Tapping
ecr,y in the breeze, and descended
on his tribe.
The squaws were cooking break
fast. One look at John Stink, who
had been laid to rest only yesterday.
was enough. The howl they let out
was heard away up in Wichita, and it
was noon before they stopped rum
ming.
The camp was left utterly deserted
save for John Stink, who proceed
gu 20 rclrcsn himself on the whole
tribes breakfast
R"t l~a;ans are hard folk to con-
vince. The tribcsmen would not come
back.
John Stink had died and been
buried and that was all there was to
it. II he stalkcd about and talked
and ate it only proved that he was a
rhost. And ghosts arc no more pop
ular in Usage county than anywhere
else.
SO John Stink became an cXilc--a
fricndlcss wandercr over the barren
hills.
BOycOtts Town
lie erected little tent in an almost
inaccessible section Of tac county
and lived the life of hermit. Five
or six lanky dogs kept him company,
and they were the only creatures who
would associate with him. The In
dams shunncd him-shun him to this
day.
John Stink used to come into
Pawhuska to buy supplies. But once
his five dogs came in with him and
were shot by the unfccling police.
SO John declared boycott OH Paw
huska.
He never leaves his lonely camp.
and if anyone approaches he flccs
incont;ncntly. A white mnn--thc only
man who has talked with John since
his "funcra!"- brings him his food
and other nccrssarics twice week.
No Indian will go near him. To
them he is still ghost. He was
dead and buried and that ends H..
So John Stink lives alone with
his dogs.