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Show j Qtortes of 5 GREAT INDIANS I By ELMO SCOTT WATSON Copynghl, 122, Western Newspaper Cnluu. THE LOGIC OF TWO STRIKE, A ERULE CHIEF ABOUT thirty years ago a commission com-mission was sent from Washington Washing-ton to arrange for the cession of Sioux lands on the ltosebud reservation in South Dakota. One night a Brule chief named Two Strike agreed to sign the treaty but the next morning when it came time for him to make his mark on the treaty rolls, he held back. "1 will not sign," he announced. One of the commissioners w as greatly great-ly concerned at this refusal for Two Strike controlled more than 300 warriors war-riors and his signature was very important. im-portant. "Why rot7" asked the commissioner. commission-er. "You promised last night to sign this morning." "I have thought it over and I will not sign," replied Two Strike, firmly. "I notice that every time I touch that thing" pointing to the pen "I lose something !" His loic was unmistakable unmistak-able and the name of i"om-pa-a-pa or "The Man Who Knocks Off Two" did not uppear on that treaty. Two Strike was a "deed name" received re-ceived In a sharp skirmish with the TJtes in Colorado. B'inally the Utes were defeated. Two of them tried to escape on one horse. Two Strike urged his war pony alongside the horse bearing the double burden, raised his war club and knocked both enemies off with one blow. Although Nom-pa-a-pa fought in some of the most important battles of the Sioux wars of 186C5-6T and 1S76-77, 1S76-77, he did not become well-known among the whites as a leading chief until the Ghost Dance troubles of 1S90-Sl 1S90-Sl when he cast his lot with the hostile hos-tile element of the Sioux. On the day of the Wounded Knee fight he led the attack on the troops at Pine Ridge Agency, an attack that was repulsed. The next day he attacked a wagon train near the St. Francis mission and the Seventh Cavalry was sent out to beat off Two Strike's warriors. The Brule chief drew the soldiers into a trap. Only the timely arrival of the Ninth prevented the "Mission Fight" from being a repetition of the disaster of Little Big Horn in 1876. After the uprising had ended Two Strike became one of the leading councilors coun-cilors for the Brules In Washington. He proved himself to be as wily and, shrewd a diplomat as he had been a formidable warrior. |