indians

worn shoes
I was tender footed and couldn't go barefooted like the rest of the kids, my brother and sister (Don and Daphne). When papa bought me shoes, I always run them over at the heels and I walked on the side of my feet, and papa would tie them on tight every morning so they wouldn't run over. I can remember when he did this for me - how good my feet felt.

the homestead
The homestead was on one side of the San Juan River and the Indian Reservation was on the other side. There were three Navajo Indians, two brothers and sister, Curly Jim, Bigious and Sena. Their father had been the chief of the tribe, and when we had trouble with the Indians they would intercede in our behalf.

troubling indians
Milton the oldest brother and some of his friends went out to chase some horses that belonged too the Indians. (Why they were doing that I do not know) Milton told Don to stay by the path where the horses would be coming, Milton told Don to turn the horse so they would not run over the cliff (the San June river was below).

I do not know what Don was doing when the horses get to him, but one of the horses went over the cliff (a pinto) into the icy river and the horse drowned. The horses’ head was above all the ice; he froze in the river.

I was worried about Don, because he did not come home. I was beginning to think that the Indians had taken him or he had hurt himself, but he came in late, after Papa gets home. (I think he did not want to face Milton because of the one horse that died.)

“The next day, it seemed to me that the whole tribe came over to take our horse that was hooked to the buggy.”

(Mother and Milton were getting ready to go to town.) Mother held on to the horse and keep telling them to wait till papa come home. I remember the squabble lasted till papa came home and Milton had to give up his only horse.