immunity from burdensome duties, and provided with all the comforts and luxuries befitting her station in life. But there is a good deal of Brigham Young, or the Sultan of Turkey, in this untutored Comanche, and instead of Weckeah being his only wife, she is merely one of a harem of five-his devotion to her, which has always been constant and unquestioned, not precluding him from the polygamous custom of the tribe. It must be said to his credit, however, that Weckeah is still his favorite. This is quite evident to those who see much of them, and on one occasion, when something was said of the possibility of the Government arbitrarily divorcing all the Indians from their plural wives, I asked him which of his he would choose to retain if that were done. Without a moment's hesitation he said Weckeah.

"Yellow Bear, Weckeah's father, became an ardent friend and admirer of Quanah, and lived until 1887, when he got what the Texans considered 'a mighty good joke' on himself. He and Quanah got to feeling rich and 'civilized,' put on their 'white man's clothes,' and went down to Fort Worth to have a big 'blow out' with a 'herd' of cattle barons who were grazing cattle on their reservation. They put up at the leading 'chuckaway tepee' of the town, the Pickwick, and coming in from a round-up of the city with their white friends at a late hour of the night, they dragged themselves wearily up to their room, and 'blowed out' the gas. When discovered next morning, Yellow Bear's spirit had been blown away to the boundless prairies of the Great Spirit above, never to return, and Quanah was crouched on his 'all-fours' at a window, unconscious, his own soul just about to wing its flight to the same mysterious realms."

I was living in Oklahoma in the spring of 1905, employed in preparing the manuscript of this book. As I needed a good sketch of Quanah Parker, in order to complete my "Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs," I decided to go and interview him and get my information at first hands and authentic. Arriving at Lawton, I was informed that Quanah Parker was at Cache, a small town in Comanche County, twelve miles distant. I imme

diately boarded the 'Frisco train, and in due time found myself at Cache, which is located at the foot of the Wichita Mountains.

I found the chief in his buggy just starting out of town, and seemingly in a hurry, but when I introduced myself and stated my business, he alighted from the buggy and expressed himself as willing to talk.

Though a half-breed, Quanah Parker has every appearance of a typical Indian, being tall, straight, athletic and as dark as the fullbloods of his tribe. He rules his people with wisdom and moderation, by sheer force of character, and is very popular with both white and red neighbors. He is quite wealthy, and ambitious withal to represent the new State, shortly to be formed of the two territories, in the United States Senate. He argues that a large percentage of the population of the new State will be of his race, who will also be affected by many of the laws to be enacted, therefore there should be an Indian in the United States Senate, or it would be another case of taxation without representation.

As the population of the new State will be of both races, so a logical representative in the Senate should belong to both races. All of which clearly means Chief Parker. And he is perfectly willing to serve his people in that august body, when the time comes. And indeed the new State might hunt further for senatorial timber and fare worse, only in case of his election he would likely be refused a seat on the grounds of being a polygaamist. The prophecy that "seven women shall take hold of one man" was fulfilled in his case; but of late years he has reduced his harem.

He prides himself on being a personal friend of President Roosevelt and was one of the six chiefs who were in the parade at the time of the inauguration last March, the others being Little Plume, of the Blackfoot tribe; American Horse and Hollow Horn Bear, of the Sioux; Geronimo, of the Apaches, and Buckskin Charley, of the Utes. When we were seated in the shade the chief said: "What do you want to talk about?" I answered by way of a leader, "Tell me of your last trip to Wash

ington and the President's inauguration." He proceeded to comply with the request, but as this was reported in all the papers at the time, we will omit it and refer to something of more general interest.

The chief was easily understood, but spoke somewhat broken, and in a manner peculiar to the Indian. We will try to give his exact language: "How about the President's wolf hunt in the big prairie," we asked. "It's like this," he answered. "President came along in his special car. It stopped. President stood on platform of car, fix glasses on his nose, look all over crowd. I standing back good way among Injuns. President see me, motion first with one hand, then two hands, like this, but I no go.'

me.

"Why you no go," I asked in astonishment, "when the President motioned for you to come?" "How I know he mean me? Plenty Injuns in crowd, other chiefs around. Might mean other chiefs, so I no go at first; then he sent messenger after Messenger say, 'President Roosevelt want to see Chief Quanah Parker at car.' Then I know he mean me and I follow messenger to car through crowd; we elbow our way through crowd like this, and this [showing me how it was done]. President reach out over heads of people and grip my hand, so. He then give me big pull right up steps side him, shook my hand may-be-so like pump handle and pat me on back with other hand. He made a little speech and say, 'this is my friend, Chief Quanah Parker. I met him in Washington City. He friend to white and father to red man and 'titled to respect and honor of both.'

"Then people in crowd around car shout out, 'two big chiefs, big white chief, big red chief, both good men, and good friends,' and they do like this [clapping his hands], long time. President say: 'Won't you go hunting with me in big prairie, and stay week and show us where to find the wolves?' I went with him, stayed five days, took tent, camping and cooking outfit, and some of my men and my family, or some of my family; had good time, killed plenty wolves."