Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1941-11-01

Sitting Bun. an Indian as devoted
10 the business of hating the whites
as any redskin who ever lived, never
theless didn't spend all his time gnash.
ing his teeth and plotting vengeance
He had his lighter side, too, and
while his sense Of humor ran a BIZ
to the sanguine at times, the canny
old Sioux, when the mood seized him
was quite a clown at that.
There was, for instance, the show he
put on at the traders store at Poplar
creek on the Missouri. Sitting Bull
coming there with band of warriors
to trade, took occasion TO complain
to the trader, Mr.. Tabor, that he was
not getting enough in the barter
which was probably true.
Then, seized by one Of his playful
moods, the Sioux chief jumped over
the counter and took charge Of the
place, to the delight Of the stalwart
braves who filled the store.
He proceeded to hand down cloth
ing, ammunition and all manner of
goods and receive upon the counter
buffalo robes and fine furs. In mimic
~ and derision he initiated the trader,
carefully examining the fIrs and find
ing fault with their quality, complain
ing that they were not as good as
he wanted, putting down the valuation
and saying mockingly that his goods
were SO choice and expensive that he
could. not afford to trade.
Indians Did Very Wen
The final result, however, was that
each Indian made a very fine deal,
getting much more for his furs and
peltS than was the order Of the day
under white supervision.
The mimicry was conducted to the
extreme delight of his following and
amid their jokes and gruntS Of salts
faction, but the trader, in desperate
fear that his number was about UP,
hit upon novel method of defense
Anticipating that upon their depar-
ture they would either kill him or
destroy his store-poSSibly both-he
filled his pipe and lighted it. Then
casually edging along the counter to
where there was large keg Of pow
der, he announced to the Indians that
If they started playing too rough he
would blow up the whole establish
ment. His manner was dead earnest
and the Indians took the cue, toned
down their revelry and soon afterward
departed.
God never intended him to be an
agency Indian, Sitting Bull vehemently
maintained and ne would rarely come
to the agencies or trading posts. When
he did he only remained long enough
for the business at hand-trading for
rifles. ammunition or whatever he re-
quired. He even would attack his
favorite trading places and the store
near Fort Buford at the mouth Of the
Yellowstone was one of these.
Making oYertures of good behavior,
he would come in and trade and after
leaving, as like as not, would stam-
pede the herd or fire volley into the
post.
Affair of the Red Shirt
On one occasion he came into the
Fort Buford store and was given a
red shirt, with the suggestion that
when he came for war he wear the
garment so that the trader could de-
termine in advance what his purpose
was.
Sitting Bull, in one of his waggish
moods, donned the garment immedi-
ately, saying that fright now" was as
good a time to put 1t on as any. AS
the Indians went out, after completing |
their trading, they turned and fired
at the post.
Many conflicting tales are told about |
This great Hunkpapa Sioux leader but |
all agree that he was smart, that he |
realized more clearly than his follow
ars that the whites we're robbing and /
his race. He was always |
ready to go to bat to get square
deal for his people.
Some have cast doubt upon his
declaring that when the bull
lets started to fly Sitting Bull fol-
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