Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 January 1871 — A TRUE STORY OP THE PLAINS. [ARTICLE]

A TRUE STORY OP THE PLAINS.

The following narrative is from the lips of an eye-witness, and the«oco;mtto all its details Is strictly true. The actors below named were frontiersnfeh, among whom cards are the universal pastime, nnd.ufM the turn of which these haNly'itian'bf the plains and mountains will styti UW’entlre products of a hard wipt&’s trapping, or wager their ponies, »hd' J btlior property, sometimes their anjig the trusty rifles they would never part with, in way of sale or trade. Suon a foo fescißatioa which card* exert Over bordertnen; la the winter of 1869, ust a couple of weeks before Christmas, Lieutenant Zack Taylor, of the Second United States Cavalry, and George Belden, at that tiine an officer of the same regiment, both stationed at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyoming, determined to go south along the base of the Black Hills, on the Cheyenne A Denver Road, and hunt for deer along the lands of the Cacha a la Poudre, Big Thompson and Box Alder Creeks, which fen from the hills and empty into the South PBttc River, not far east from Denver, Colorado. Obtaining permission from Major Van Voast, they outfitted and started. Upon arrivingat Box Alder, the two*men met an old Fort Phil. Kearney acquaintance, Raphael Gallegos, a Mexican, who was living with his Sioux Indian wife and four children, in a teepbe, on the creek bottom near the wagon road. Taylor and Belden dismounted and-entered the teepee, when Raphael welcomed them heartily. ~ It- might be as well to state here that Raphael had a daughter, the oldest of his children, a little girl of twelve years, Who could speak the Sioux, Croft, Mexican, and sign languages fluently. She was a perfect little beauty: long rav,e« locks, sure evidence of her Indian origin, not-to mention, ns an additional proof, the large, brilliant black eyes and olive complexion which, in Bclden’s estimation, rendered her a veritable Minnehaha. Belden had' often asked. Raphael to let little Mary come and live with his wife, but no inducements could gain the father’s consent to part with his daughter. Belden - aimed a winchester rifle, a repeater of sixteen shots, and Raphael had a similar weapon. Raphael’s' brother was at the teepee, visiting, when Taylor and Belden arrived at the Box. Aldqrand .Joe Gallegos, seeing Belden’s rifle, wanted to •exchange a mule for It, which Belden would not agree to. • After a consultation between the two brothers, Raphael said to Belden (callinghim by his Indian name): “ E-tan-cha Sea. what .do you say, to a little game of cards?” - “I am agreeable; what wili_we play?” “We will playgpvon-up,” said Es-piiO,(or Raphael—we will use his Indian name). The cards, an old greasy pack, were. ' produced; and spreading out a robe on the teepee floor, laying a few more sticks of wood on the Are that burned in the Centre of the teepee, With Taylor and Jose Gallegos, the squaw and children grouped around; the gamesters took seats upon the corners of the robe. , . “ Well, what are we,going to play far?” said Es-pi-o. < “ I’m sure I don’t kndw,” replied E-tan-cha Sea. “ You say what It’s to be.” “What do you say to playing yous rifle against mine?” “If you will allow me to use it during my hunt here, in case I lose it, I will." “ All right,” said Es-pi-o seizing the cards and shuffling them slowly, adding, “we will play the rub, best two in three. ’ They out for the deal, and Raphael won it; then the cards were dealt, and the game commenced. E-tan-cha Sea won the first seven points, lost the second, and won the third, thereby wmnlng Es-pf-o’fl rifle. This was unexESSaPafcSL.’fil whftl w“ Q pUy for," said Uw the rifle you have Just wtou, said Esp Tl-o, guess) said E-fitterha tbergtpno proceeded, Es-pl-o Was more lbrUfrCtsfli this game, winning back his' rifle. The game now wentpvVa it first commenced, rifle against rifle, resulting'as in game. The rifle was lost, then lusrnufe,' tlien #>* hfWsffltwfeftHtere was a fe wfeqmenta Ml in the game,, both E tan-chi Soft add Use-pl-o ToJjfetr into each dttar’s eyesdn afi InquMngimlboideiT raatmw. Nfoaone fn the teepsespokes word,- all .Ms breathless, expectation, , f r - - ,« . • 1 •

• 0 nounajin n uiH.. atnmaifi arm awaiting ES-pPoT MIT relfflOw. * After a moment’s study he said i , _ VVI wIU pl»y my teepee, squaw, and two ’youngest children agalnstthemulc. wagon, and rifle I What do you say—shall it m?” E-tan-cha Sea realised the ludicrousness Qlfl 6TOB CtUlaiit vuOflo of TWwrj wniT Mt» near him. Zach nodded for his companion to aocept the proportion; awd-E-tnn-cttft turning to Es-pi-o, said, “ I will do 4t; we will play the first seven points I” sS fii^FShcwiiK3» to the squaw, an impassive spectator, and ofllfl. * :(iiW JrslamtS , f m “ Wash-ta-tse, Es-pi-o wants to bet you Tom and the baliy against’wbat-I have now won from him. Shall I play the game ?” *He owns me—he is my master I What he doe#,is hin.awn .affair, and, he knows whhtheisdoihj: Tato«^ftebt. , ’ . “Cut the cards,” said E-tan-cha Sea, pushing them bfer to Ifctpt-o:* *'“*• . He did so, his hand trembling perceptibly all thd while, allnl fe .imK i>ttu *: All gathered closer around the players, scarcely breathims, aOUfik, cUckl Three cards go to ES-pl-o. Cuck, click, click f last thrqe for himself allows the cards to lie fhcetibWHWfttfitai the Wrfie'UMore. him; awaiting Es-pio’s action. “ Reg!”'said d. > »« s»«d Slowly, one by one, hie opponent took up hi* card*.. With imperturbable composure he cast his eye over them, then quietly said: • , “ Wa-zhe-la-na-Cbo,” (I give you one.) The hand was played out, and E-tamcha Sea made high, low, Jack and the game; -countingdteffe R»fiKXaxexMQi took up the cards in a hurried, excited manner, and taro <to shuffle Jg* , tan-cha Sea looked at Taylor, then at JoeGallegofcutkeiyskthe *quaw, igjiqffe., face betrayed not the least emotion. nent to cu?, ' deal depended all! Would the Mexican ’ continue in bad luck, and with his (ririi hand deal out the instruments that must rob him of all he possessed in the World? screws that might soon close the lid upon all the I Mexican’s earthly hopes. “ Vl(c)c, \, ■dkk, elide r Did any one ever hear such devllieh eonnds before? “Olic*, eucft< click !" The deal is over. Carelessly,; indifferently,* Ritaa-cha Sea scanned the cards he held in his hand; then, while all teepee looked anxiously at firm, he said; “•Wa-xhe-lana-COO, Go-la." (Give me one, friend.) “ How! liaek-aAaJV (Well,-go aheadff) This time the game was played very slowly, aiek player studying well Lie card ere he put it fiown upon the robe. ceived as “rift,” and made on the first deni, made E-tan-cha Sea six peftitn; lie lacked but one more to win the game. Es-ft-o must muka high, lew, and the game to prevent either one of them from falling to Edan-chaSca. fc j lisftvJJ»< ■, Slowly the game was played. - Carenilly the cards were selected and placed upon the robe. , Es-pi-o has played “low!” Cautiously they pseoeed.’ ■» With trembling hand the cards are played down till each player holds but a single, card. Each pause and look at the other. Es-pi-o holds the ace of trump*—tlje “ high” effriiu his hand! He must; With it, take whatever his tfpponent holds, and that surely wiU be a ten-spot, Which will mttke him “game," and Es-pi-o may then win the gjauie. ‘ Down comes the ace, quickly followed by—a seven-spot, of no use whatever l Es-pi o has Jost—E-tan-cha Sea has won Taylor gets up and walks to tne door of the teepee, and loqjtyig out,- put bis bands in Jus trowsers’ pockets and whistles an air fropi “ Barbe Bieue.” gets up and goes nefer the' fire and warms his hands'. The squaw does not move. Still the two players sit facing each other. -The game Is ended—Es-pi-o has nothing left in this world—he cannot put up< any more stakes. by d° the two men flit eyeing Chch other so dosely? . E-tan-cb* cannot be awaiting another stake, for Es-pi-o is now '& StMk ME* and little Mary is one pf them! E-tan-cha Sra’s eyes brighten, and*, looking eagerly into Es-pi-o’s face, lie cries, “Es-pi-o, old friend, look up! Heaf itrert Ton havelost everything—” “Everything'!” echoed A-pl-o.’ “All Is - ' yours!’’ “No, not everything, for you have little Mary and Raphael yet,” said E-tan-cha Sea. . “And I will keep them,” retorted Es-pi-o;”- T « i S E-tan-cha Sea, silenced, looked at Espi w<for * moment, then gotiup, and, taking out a paper, began making a cigarette, by the fire. JHU nimble fingers quickly roUed the paper around the tobacco, and nutting the dgarette in his mouth, he,seized a fire-; s brand and begad to light it. He casually glanced at Wash-ta-tse; she was as immovable as a rbek. E-tan-oha Sat Alt down upon a robe and looked critically at the Upper part of the smoktHrtaiiMxt teepee, as if to mentally calculate its value; be placed his hand upon one of the many long pine trees, as If to judge of their strength} then, satisfied, wnjliiiued to puff away at his ; cigarette. Es-pl-o sat shuffling and jreshuffling the , greasy card* which Jiad wieid Ms rtita. He was silent, spoke to no one, looked at none. “Well, Wash-ta-tse,” said E-jtan-cha Bca, as be rose to hllrfflet, “Ydw can trite down the teepee in the morning, and pack the things in the wagon, and I will omfte and harness up the team, And we will get back to Fortßusflpk.”.; sk» ibrew the end the nearly consumed cigarette into the fire, E-tan cha Sea walked back* to MW AM? and standing there, said: “ Ea-pi-o, my friend, we have lived (^e^tightride^y 1 ; have hunted together; have eaten,at Urn same camp-fire, and.occupied the same' tqepee. - I did not come here to win all

9mh played you fkirly and have beaten you. Is it not so?” “ fit Is so I" said Es-pi-o. E-tan-cha Sea continued: “I havesmure - liases’noted' yovotrertab my wtfe havelittle Maiy, that she intM educate her, teach ,hes well, and ma£e a companion of hat., I do not want yonr fiunUy. Give me fte*Mw,,bnd t&j Site, males, harnesi * wagon* , teepee, squaw, and children are all yrmrs again. I do not ask you to 'sell Mary, but to let her live In n\y hoflifi) and’ stay with my wife when ram oat ok {base , Jong Indian Scouts and winter expeditious. You cannot sell orbart6r ydur fchlldren or 6dn# wife—no laws-, will allow.yourtoido K‘ I’ftfll play nor more. ' Will you : give melitUellary?” ‘>. » “ Es-pi-o jumped to his feet, and grasp-, ing E-tan-cha Sea's hand, said: - r »r - «>«-s “You may have her, ay'brother.”— Qiovx City, lorn, Jottmat. w