Little Pills, An Army Story

ine Bluff creeks. Mount Scott, the highest point of the Wichita mountains was some nine miles to the northwest and both places had been geographically located and were used as a base

rty of men in soldier's uniform but boot-leggers and stragglers stood a poor show if caught out alone. Once while there a woman, one girl sixteen or seventeen years old, and one about twelve years old, and two smaller ones and two boys, one of whom belonged to another family, were

e mail, only keeping the sack for his own use. I saw him frequently with it afterwards. Mr. Jones told me that Lone Wolf had said that his heart felt better now, as he had avenged the death of his son who had been killed on one of their raids in Texas. These raids were of frequent occurr

to me a wild kind of a thing, consisting of jumping and gyrating and stooping and gliding and then straightening up suddenly, and swinging the arms, and all the time droning in short jerky cough-like notes, interspersed

ts and I bought it although we had bought one less than an hour before, and when taking it back to hang up with the first one I thought the squaw looked very much like the one from whom I had made the first purchas

en the squaws carry sacks of flour a little distance away from the place of issue and empty out the flour and carry off

uring the day, but at sundown scarcely an Indian was

the sergeant of the guard announces in a loud enough voice to be heard by the first sentinel, "Two o'clock and all's well." On hearing it the sentinel repeats the message, and so

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icture is in our posse

ton, when we

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women and children in these cases, hurry with all possible speed to a place of safety. At this camp it was always at Major Van De Weile's quarters, some of them very scantily clothed, generally with some kind of wrap over their night clothes, but it was not cold weather, and any way what did it signify in such an emergency. The major's quarters were what was called a "hakel" building and the only one in camp better than a tent except General Grierson's that offered any protection. Such buildings are made by standing posts on end in the ground and as close together as possible and filling in the cracks with mortar and pieces of boards or anything suitable, and the inside is then plastered up along the cracks until it makes a fairly smooth wall and

t infrequently happens that one will have to vacate his quarters and give place to another who outranks him, the ranking officer having this right and as a rule he does not hesitate to us

in every other way she was typically Indian. She was exceedingly neat and clean and a thorough housekeeper and an exceptionally good cook and a most devoted servant, but she would take orders from no one except my wife. Soon after going into our new quarters she informed my wife that she was going to leave us, and this she did, knowing full well that she could not remain at the

er about something, for I overheard her say in a loud and angry tone, "Now you go, I won't talk to you again. Go now!" I hurried to the kitchen and opened the door just in time to see the butcherknife sticking in the outside door-jam and still vibrating from the force that se

the door was open so he stalked in and sat down without any ceremony or sign of recognition and watched my wife sewing. He was evidently very much interested but gave no evidence of it by word or look. He remained for quite a while observing the performance intently and then got up and said, "Adios!" and stalked out a

small gate which was always closed at night but often kept open during the day. In the summer the front doors were also left open. One day a tall, rather handsome Indian, that I had often noticed about the camp, and who was something of a "dandy" in dress, happened to be passing and happened to catch his re

le distance ahead and across which the trail must lead. For some reason which I cannot explain, I thought it best to wait until he came up on the other side of the canon. This canon opened out into the river valley and from my position I could see the valley thoroughly. He did not come upon the opposite side as I expected, and I felt equally sure that he did not go down the canon and come out in the valley. He had his rifle with him and of course could have killed me as he came u

artment. Colonel Boone was a very large man and his wife was quite below the average sized woman. I mention him here only because we were mutual friends, but also of at least one commendable trait of Indian character that is illustrated by their journey back to their ranch in Colorado. The colonel had decided, much a

us that the last one of them would die in defense of himself and wife if necessary. So, we said good-bye to them with some misgivings, but with a strong hope that they would make the journey safely. I got a letter from the colonel s

t he does not understand moral suasion as we understand it. I think that his conception of it is cowardice. He cannot comprehend why one should return good for evil but believe

hey listened intently, and without interruption, until he had finished. Then one old chief spoke up and said, "That is just like a white woman. Now if that had been a squaw, she would have taken a stick and killed that snake, and saved all the trouble." And