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TA-TAT’S TRANSFORMATION

The Grand Coup of an Indian Maid.

By John Harold Hamlin. the languorous mists of a perfect Indian summer shrouded the purple peaks of the Cone mountains. Locusts sand shrilly from every grease-wood bush, and whole choruses of the same insects droned forth from the mahogany shrubs. The landscape had a particularly conical tendency; each individual hill was cone-shaped; the nut-pines, punctuating their gray-blue slopes, tapered to a dull green cone; and down at the base of a pyramicical mountain clustered a few peaked wickups. A cloud of reddish dust floated skyward and mingled with the shimmering veil of autumn haze that slurred the hill tops. The reddish dust arose from a trail that twisted in sinuous loops up and over the Cone mountains as three ponies picked their way along its winding course. A roan pony led the trio; he was ridden by ____old Meloxi, and Indian of wide repute among the Washoe tribe. The second animal, a strange little pinto, bore the daughter of Meloxi, and bringing up the rear cam Washoe Billy, mounted on his sturdy bay. The riders were silent, but, being Indians, this seemed matter of fact; something might be learned from the expressions stamped on the contenances of the three redskins. Meloxi looked stern and dignified; Ta-tat, his daughter, rebellious and indignant; while Washoe Billy wore a victorious half smile every time he glanced at Ta-tat, which was not infrequently, the ponies were tired and dusty - the riders cramped and dusty, too. Several dogs began to yelp as the tiny cavalcade approached the wickiups; half a dozen airily clad papooses skurried up from the trickling stream in the nearby arroya, and stared at the sorry-looking party. By the time the ponies were halted before Meloxi's tepee, the whole village had gathered about them. Neither Meloxi nor Washoe Billy caused this unusual interest; Ta-tat, the rebellious countenanced daughter of a chief, had returned into their midst; not willingly, but forcibly brought home by her father and future husband, Washoe Billy. It was this maiden, the pride of the Cone mountain Washoes, that exited the curiosity of the villagers. Ta-tat, from mere infancy, attracted considerable attention. On her right temple grew a glistening wisp of white hair, which accentuated the raven duskiness of her abundant locks. This splotch of white among the shining black resembled a magpie's plumage, and for this reason she was called Ta-tat, the Washoe word for the chattering magpie. Then Ta-tat was very clever, and one day Meloxi listened to the appeal of home missionary lady, which resulted in his sending bright little Ta-tat away to the Carson Indian school. No other Cone mountain papoose had ever attended the school, consequently the relatives and friends of Ta-tat took a deep interest in her progress at the institution. For five years she had been acquiring the book-lore of the palefaces; often Meloxi received letters that were carefully read to him by Rancher Bannon's wife, who lived not far from Cone mountain. All reports reaching Meloxi's ears were good, and quite credible even to the big chief's daughter. So Meloxi spoke proudly of his clever Ta-tat, and deposited her letters in a dainty willow basket, from which he took them to demonstrate to every visitor the accomplishments of this Washoe princess. But one day a startling revelation was made to the Cone mountain Washoes. One of their own villagers, while visiting Carson, saw Ta-tat walking with Horace Hop-Foot, and promptly reported the fact on his return home. Now the Washoes do not object to their maidens keeping company with young braves - far from it; but Ta-tat's had long been promised to Washoe Billy, hand to think that she could so far forget herself as too walk with another brace, and he a Plute at that, and one whose reputation was quite notorious, roused the wrath of Meloxi and Washoe Billy, and all the villagers besides. After a brief consultation, the old chief, accompanied by Ta-tat's intended and an extra pony, journeyed Carson-wards, intent upon conducting the fickle and disloyal girl back to the paternal lodge. That his mission terminated successfully was clearly illustrated when the expedition returned to Cone mountain. Ta-tat deigned not to greet with any show of cordiality the companions of her childhood days. She slid off the weary pinto, shook out her dusty garments, and walked with haughty indifference the gauntlet of inquisitive Washoes. She did not halt until the flag of her father's wickiup hid her from view. This was a far different home-coming than had been planned for Meloxi's famed daughter. Her disgrace assumed gigantic proportions; the villagers were amazed to think that Washoe Billy still desired to marry her. Washoe Billy understood matters than his people. Ta-tat never pretended to care for him; Meloxi made the match. Even though he was a chief, the title proved but an empty honor, and Billy's numerous ponies and three guns appealed to his covetous nature; therefore, when Billy asked for Ta-tat's hand, Meloxi consented upon learning that two ponies and a shot-gun would be his portion of the wedding contract. In addition, Meloxi possessed his quota of racial pride and never could lose his hatred

for the Plutes, so firmly had his father instilled in his mind the bitter details of the old feud existing between the two tribes. And to think of Ta-tat's professed, partially to a miserable Plute more than strengthened his desire for a speedy marriage between her and Washoe Billy. Ta-tat safe in his wickiup, Billy eager to claim her as his wife, and the ponies and gun withheld until after the ceremony - these facts prompted Meloxi to set an early date for his daughter's wedding. The news had apparently no effect upon the sulky Ta-tat. She realized how little sympathy would be forthcoming from her people; yet she determined to be the bride of no one but Horace Hop-Foot, her noble Plute lover. Ta-tat's schooling had taught her to read and write; she had laboriously waded through a highly colored novel in her career at the institute, and from it had contracted romantic ideas. With all Hop-Foot's glaring faults, she loved him madly, and was more than willing to renounce her connection with the Washoes, especially the possibility of being bride to that ugly Billy. Hop-Foot had acquired a little learning at the Carson institute; he owned a small shanty down near Reno, and was the best gambler among the Indians for many miles around. To be sure, he imbibed freely of firewater, but then that was not such a grievous fault, according to Ta-tat's reasoning. With the instillation of the white men's ideas, many of Ta-tat's superstitions were eradicated. For instance, she thought it wise to forget the old feud long nursed between Plute and Washoe; she also laughed at the Washoe's tradition that certain birds and beasts were the forms assumed by good and bad spirits. The magpie for which she was named, could either be a wicked woman in disguise, or the spirit of a wise old man, so claimed the Washoe medicine; but the white teachers scoffed at those ideas, and Ta-tat agreed with them. Hop-Foot's first gift to her was a scrawny young magpie (he thought it an appropriate token), which she tenderly cared for, and taught to say a few words, both in English and Washoe languages. This bird, with the majority of Ta-tat's belongings, still reposed in her room at the institute. Meloxi had allowed her scarcely time to gather up a few necessary garments when he rode up to the school and abruptly carried her away. Now, sitting in lonely dundgeon beneath her father's peaked roof, Ta-tat's mind worked actively, and she conjured up mental pictures - first of a slave's life with Washoe Billy; then a blissful vision of love in Hop Foot's shanty on the outskirts of Reno. Prospects seemed decidedly gloomy for the dusky maiden. Great preparations were gaily planned for the approaching wedding; the feast would eclipse any previous similar attempty since the grande barbecue of 30 years ago, when 10 fat horses were stolen from a dance hall at Washoe City, and nicely roasted ere the palefaces missed them. Invitations circulated freely among the Carson Valley Indians, barring, of course the Plutes. The orgies would be appropriate for the nuptials of a princess, even though that princess was sadly disgraced ; still her father commanded universal respect, and the Washoes were only too eager to seize upon an opportunity for a big time. While the preliminary arrangements hummed merrily along and the wedding morn but five days away, Ta-tat hit upon a brilliant scheme. She brightened up as a willing bride should, and for the first time since her return took a decided interest in the coming event. That afternoon, in company with Washoe Billy, Ta-tat tripped lightly over to Farmer Bannon's. Mrs. Bannon had always been extremely fond of the girl; and, since the bride-to-be requested Washoe Billy's attendance, no one objected to the visit, and every one felt highly pleased at the happy turn of affairs. Mrs. Bannon and Ta-tat carried on a very ordinary conversation with Washoe Billy a close listener. He heard nothing to alarm him; but just before departing, Ta-tat stepped into the kitchen, paced a letter in Mrs. Bannon's hands, and begged her to mail it that very day. Washoe Billy failed to observe this little side play, and grunted in serene contentment as the twain walked back to the village. Shrill and sweet sounded the locust choruses in the thick sagebrush; happy insects that could sing in blissful ignorance of slain comrades parching under the September sun at the Con mountain village - daintiest of delectable Indian eatables, those parched locusts. Rabbits and fish and sagehen were also conspicuously abundant as preparations went on for the day's feast; and there, upon the coals, sputtered the elaborate piece de resistance - a great fat steer, purchased by the groom from Farmer Bannon. The sun's rays lost their wonted fierceness as they filtered through the soft, misty autumnal haze; the Indians braves glided here and there, veritable sun-gods, arrayed in scant breech clouts their skins glistening like burnished copper and their befeathered beads and painted faces resembling those of warriors of early days. Meloxi and Washoe Billy were untiring in their efforts to____full honor to this_____and the villagers felt equally

desirous of pushing things to a grand climax. Ta-tat, in accordance with an old custom of the Washoes, sat in solitary magnificence within her father's wickiup, awaiting her lord's first command. Her dainty, beaded moccasins tapped the earthen floor nervously; there remained but a few hours ere the closing of ceremonies, and her claiming by Washoe Billy. She cautiously peered through the loose flap an watched the festivities. Long shadows stretched out from the conical mountains; the sun hung like a blood-red disk just above the horizon; the feast had begun in earnest, and her people and the wedding guests were gorging themselves in barbaric Indian fashion. Three hours of feasting, two hours of dancing, and then the surrounding of her lodge by the revelers; the brief ceremony of the oldest medicine man, and she would be Washoe Billy's slave, and her dreams of love with Hop-Foot things of the past. The molten sun rested on the spex of the loftiest cone-shaped peak; the feast progressed beautifully. A rim of fire, a sky of brass, and Sol sank on Ta-tat's wedding day, and the aggregation of redskins had all but removed the last vestige of the barbecue. Katydids chirped; an owl hooted mournfully; stars blinked in the high, darkened vault of heaven; fires lighted up the cluster of wickiups, and the wild dance was on the earnest. Two more hours and Ta-tat's fate was sealed. The black-fringed, liquid eyes of the Indian girl flashed; her bosom rose and fell with suppressed emotion. "He has failed me! Hop-Foot has failed me!" The words were but half-articulated, and Ta-Tat, held her breath as if their echos startled her. "Ta-Tat, Ta-Tat!" The girl's heart throbbed painfully. "Oh, 'tis he Hop-Foot, here I am!" Under the teepee's flap rolled a lithe body. It was Hop-Foot, the Plute, the favored lover of Meloxi's daughter. The brave and his dusky sweetheart gazed at each other in profound silence for a moment. Ta-tat's beauty dazed the dauntless Plute; her wedding finery, her magnificent eyes, her superb figure! Ah, she was well worth the risk! "Quick, the moments fly!" breathed Ta-tat. Hop-Foot gave her a closely woven basket. The young squaw raised the lid, and took from its shallow depths a small lump of black and white feathers - her magpie - Hop-Foot's first first to her. "You have saved me, Hop-Foot. We are saved!" gasped the girl. "Goodby, Ta-tat. Goodby." With a farewell caress, the maiden placed the uncanny bird on a heap of rabbit skins, snatched up the tell-tale basket and hurridly slipped out of the wickiup at the heels of Hop-Foot. The katydids still chirped, the stars twinkled knowingly, and the dizzy dancers were almost exhausted as Hop-Foot and the Washoe princess crept through the sage brush, around the base of the pyramidical hill to a nut pine tree, where two wiry ponies were tethered. Tom-toms signaled the dance to cease; torches were lighted, and the procession, headed by Meloxi and Washoe Billy, advanced toward the bride's commodious tepee. The throng encircled the wickiup, torches cast a glare of light into every nook. Meloxi threw back the entrance flap, and Washoe Billy rushed in to claim his bride."I'm Ta-tat, Ta-tat! Ta-tat's hungry! Ha, ha, ha, ha!" The laughter was demonical, the voice harsh and frightful. The eager groom fell back in terror; a frenzied yell curdled the blood of the encircling braves and squaws. Washoe Billy leaped sheer out of the wickiup and fell in a quivering heap at the feet of Meloxi. The torches lit up the scene with the brightness of day, and there in the doorway, the amazed Indians beheld that most terrible of all bad medicine birds - a magpie. "I'm Ta-tat! Ha, ha, ha, ha! Ta-tat's hungry. Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Away up on the last curve of the pyramidical mountain's trail two ponies halted, and their riders gazed down at the Cone Mountain village and chuckled as a frightful din rent the quiet of this beautiful Indian summer night. Ta-tat, the Washoe princess enjoyed her romantic escape, for she knew full well that her people would forevermore look upon Ta-tat, the magpie, as the transformed daughter of Meloxi. -San Francisco Argonaut. Valuable Food Product. Fish powder is the very latest addition to the list of foods, and it is said by physicians to be the best and most nutritive food product in condensed form that has been discovered. It can be made in the home, with very little trouble and expense. Any kind of fresh fish will do. First steam them in their own moisture, then, after cooling and drying the mass obtained, expose it to the air for a short time. The next step is to shred the fish and then treat it to a bath of alcohol and citric acid, that all fat, glue, and mineral matter be removed. After drying it must again be boiled, dried and ground. The result is kind of meal or flour, which can be utilized in a great variety of ways as, for instance, mixing in soups, frying oysters and making omelets. The flour has neither taste nor smell, and it will keep indefinitely. Might Be the Explaination. "She's such a matter-of-fact, business-like young woman that I'm surprised she married him He's not very rich." "No, but he's very old, and he carried a big life insurance." _______.

COMMERCIAL REVIEW, General Trade Conditions. Bradstreets says: Reports of record-breaking holiday trade, of seasonable quiet in leading wholesale lines, of exceptional activity at top princes in iron and steel, of sustained activity in other industries, continues complaint of car and motive power shortages, and general hardening of speculative markets for food products, are the features of trade advices this week. The year closes with a cheerfulness of feeling never exceeded even of late years, and with expectations of the new year as bright as any that have gone before. Wheat, including flour, exports for the week aggregate 4,291,543 bushels, as against 4,332,832 last week, and 3,868,165 in this week last year. Wheat exports, July 1 to date (twenty-six weeks), aggregate 144,928,090 bushels, as against 92,952,244 last season. Corn exports aggregate 424,336 bushels as against 330,941 last week and 4,011,105 last year. July 1 to date, corn exports are 20,550,515 bushels, against 93,178,344 last season. Failures for the week numbered 250 in the United States against 235 last year, and 23 in Canada, against 18 last year. LATEST QUOTATIONS. Flour - Best Patent, $4.75; High Grade Extra, $4.25; Minnesota Baker's $3,203.40. Wheat - New York, No. 2, 89 1/4c; Philadelphia No. 2, 84 1/2a85c; Baltimore No. 2, 85c. Corn - New York, No 2 71c; Philadelphia No. 2 67a67 1/2c; Baltimore No. 2, 67 1/4c. Oats - New York No. 2, 52c; Philadelphia No. 2, 54c; Baltimore No. 2, 52 1/4c. GREEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES - Apples - Western Maryland and Pennsylvania, packed per brl - $3.00 23.75; do, New York, assorted, per brl. $3,504.25. Cabbage - New York State, per ton, domestic, $10,0011.00; do Danish, per ton $11,0012.00; Carrots - Native, per bunch, 3 1/2a4c. Cranberries - Cape Cod per brl. $728; do, Jerseys, per brl. $7,00a8.00; do, Cape Cod and Jerseys, per box, $2,00a1.50. Lettuce - Native, per bushel box, 40a60c; do North Caroline, per basket, 75a$1.25; do New Orleans, per brl. $4,00a4.50; do Florida, per half-barrel basket $1,0021.50. Onions - Matyland and Pennsylvania, yellow, per bu. $1,25a1.30; do Western white, per bu. $1,25a1.50. Oranges - Florida, per box as to size. $2,00a2.50. Oysterplants - Native, per bushel box, 60a65c Tomatoes - Florida, per 6 basket carrier - $3.00. Turnips - Native, per bu. box 25a30c. Potatoes - White Maryland and Pennsylvania per bu. No. 1 80a85c; do do do seconds, 65a75; New York per bu best stock 80a90; do do do seconds 65a75; Western per bu, prime 80a90 Sweets - Eastern Shore Virginia kilndried per brl. $1,75a2.25; do do do per brl., frosted brl, $2,00a2.50; do do do per brl., frosted 50ca$1.00; Eastern Shore Maryland, per brl. fancy, 2,00a2.25; Anne Arundel, per brl. No. 1 $2,00a2.25; Richmond's per brl., No. 1 $2,00a2.25; North Caroline per brl, fancy, $2,00a2.25. Provisions and Hog Products - Bulk clear rib sides 9 1/4c; bulk clear sides 9 1/2 bulk shoulders, 9 1/4; bulk clear plates, 9 1/4; bulk fat backs, 14 lbs. and under, 9 1/4; bulk fat backs, 18 lbs. and under, 9 1/4; bulk bellies, 10 1/2; bulk ham butts, 9 1/4; bacon, shoulders, 10; sugar-cured breasts, small, 11; sugar-cured California hams, 8 1/4; hams canvased or uncanvased, 10 lbs. and over, 12 1/4; refined lard tierces, brls. and 50-lb. cans gross 10 1/2; refined lard, second-hand tubs, 10 3/4. Dressed Poultry. - Turkeys, fancy, head and feet off, 13a14c; do, good to choice, head and feeet off, 12a13c; do., poor to medium, 9a10c. Ducks - Head and feet off, 11a12c. Chickens - Young, head and feet off, choice 9 1/2a10c; do, mixed, 8 1/2a9c; do poor to med. 7a8c. Geese - Head and feet off, 9a10c. Turkeys-Francy, head and feet on, 13a13 1/2c; do., good to choice, head and feet on, 12a12 1/2c; do., poor to medium, 8a10c.Ducks - Head and feet on, good to choice 11a12c. Chickens - Young, head and feet on, choice, 9a10c; do mixed do do a8 1/2c; do. poor to medium, 7 1/2a8c. Geese - Head and feet on, good to choice, 9a10c. Butter - Creamery separator, 26a27c; creamery gathered cream, 22a23c; creamery imitation, 19a20c. Eggs - Western Maryland and Pennsylvania per dozen, 25a-c; Eastern Shore (Maryland and Virginia), per dozen, 25a-c; Virginia per dozen -a 25c; West Virginia do 24a25c; Western do-a-c; cold storage, choice at mark do 18a19c; do, do, loss off, do. 20a20 1/2c. Jobbing prices 1/2 to 1 cent higher. Cheese - New cheese, large, 60 pounds, 10 3/4a11c; do, flats, 37 pounds, 11a11 1/4c; picnics, 23 pounds, 11 1/4a11 1/2c. Live Stock. Chicago - Cattle - Good to prime, $6.40a7.55: poor to medium, $3.75a6.00; stockers and feefers, $224.25; cows, $1a4.65; heifers, $1.50a5.25; canners, $1a2.20; bulls, $1.755a4.20; calves, $2.50a6.00; Texas fed steers, #3.12 1/2a4.12 1/2, Hogs - Receipts today. 16,000 head; tomorrow, 28,000; left over, 2,500; active and 10c. higher; mixed and butchers, $5,80a6.35; good to choice, heavy, $6.25a6.60; rough, heavy, $5.90a6.15; light, $5.25a5.00; bulk of sales, $5.90a6.35. Sheep - Good to choice wethers, $3.70a3.00; Western sheep, $3.00a4.25; native lambs, $2.50a5.85. East Liberty - Cattle steady; choice $6a6.30; prime, $5.70a5.00; good, $5.20a5.50 Hogs higher; prime heavies, $6.45a6.50; heavy mediums, $6.15a6.30; light do, $5.95a6.00; heavy Yorkers, $5.80a5.90; light do., $5.40a5.70; roughs, $4.50a5.75. Sheep active; best wethers, $3.75a4.00; culls and common, $122; yearlings, $3a4.10; veal calves, $6.50a6.70. LABOR AND INDUSTRY Iowa has a young woman bill poster. Michigan supplies half the country's celery. Leadville has twenty-two labor unions. Two years ago one organization existed. The New York Aquarium possesses the only fish hospital in the world. In the United States 4,000,000 feet of pine lumber is used every year for matches. Idaho has a___________.

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