Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-08

~ OWN ont or the SnOW-Cappeu
Rockies rode the trappers-
shaggy men. eagle. and
with tho swift. soft steps of
panthcrs. driving pack horses
loaded with tho Winters catch of furs
gathering joyously for their annual
Summer rendezvous with the traders.
From the Cache le Poudre. the Big
Horn, the Snake. tho Yellowstone and
the upper waters of the Missouri, they
poured into a fair meadow that bios
So,ned on the hanks Of the Green.
waking the echoes with shots and
Wells
N.Nv had not heard human voices
for months. there were old friends 10
meet and dead friends TO mourn;
around the campfres ut night would
he soul-fiiling gossip Of mountain and
plain and races. wrestling and shoot
ing matches TO give interest TO the
DAYS.
Americans. English French, Ca.
na3ians and many queer mixed breeds
pitched their buffalo'skin shelters by
The shining water. skylarking like
children before drifting hack into the
soiituties for another year of hardship
and peril
A strange, Wild race, hating the
civilization they had fled from, Vet
bringing civilization nearer with every
path they found every trail they
hlazed: conouerinG the great sweep Of
golden' West, yet barred from any
share in the reward by their own in
Vinclhle nomadism. and doomed to pass
along with the buffalo and the beaver.
Ga~ety and friendship marked the
annual rendezvous for the most part.
hut now and then a bully staggered
in. eager 70 win a reputation for him
self by blow and brawl. Such a one
was Shunan, gigantic cross.hreed
from the far North, evil enough when
sober and a devil in his cups.
For a while his boasts were endured,
and then an American stepped for.
ward-a man so small that he did not
reach to Shunan's shoulder, so slender
that his body was scarce broader than
Shunan's massive leg. His long brown
hair was as fine as a woI.-1n's. the
grayseyeS soft and mild, and soft and
mid was his voice as he told tn bully
to stop his noise and insults.
IN what might your name be, lit
tie rooster" sneered Shunan.
Kit Carson" came the answer in
the same low pitched. pleasant tone.
You Kit Carson" Shunan screamed
with laughter. why. all ! need for
your case is willow switch"
** ~
THE duel arranged was after the
fashion most popular among the
deadly men OF the frontier-a charge
on horseback at 100 yards. each to
carry the weapon that best suited his
fancy. Shunan chose the rife and
Carson picked his pistol
Down the course the riders thun.
dered. Like a flash Shunan's' rife
leaped TO his shoulder. but even al his
finger pressed the trigger Carson fired
without seeming to aim. His ball shat.
tered the right forearm. just al IL
could have pierced the heart had he
wished. and from the ground the. So
bered braggart thanked his generous
foe for the gift of life.
There were many incredible men
who roained that savage stretch be-
tween the Missouri and the Sierras in
the days when the West was a wilder.
rsss-Jim Bridger. as ruthless and
cunning as any painted Indian: Peg
Leg Smith. who beat off a war party
single-handed and then amputated his
bullet-mangled foot with a hunting
knife: Joe Walker. able to whip a
grizzly bear with his naked hands.
But Of all that amazing company Kit
Carson will ever remain the most in.
credible.
Almost womanish in appearance,
even primitive Bridger was not his
equal when IL came 10 enduring cold.
hunger and fatigue; 50 gentle in man.
ner that strangers thought him cow.
srdiy. yet deadly as king cobra when
occasion demanded: poor always an far
as money went. yet turning away in
disgust from the greeds OF the Call.
forn!a gold rush: uneducated, inlet.
tered, knowing only the waste places
and their barbarisms. yet ever living
cieanlY and holding fast TO certain In.
atincfiys refinements.
II was in the Fall Of 1926. when he
was but is, that Kit Carson left his
Missouri home 10 60 with some va.
grant traders on the Journey to far
Santa Fe. All thought him 100 puny
for the terrible march. But when
thirst tormented he alone made no
~hImper. When others weakened he
gave them courage.
And on the day man shattered his
hand while fooiing with a rife IL was
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