HOW I SCALPED MR. MARTIN.

Golden Bay Argus, Volume IX, Issue 27, 3 December 1903, Page 2

HOW I SCALPED MR. MARTIN.

This was the way it happened. I wa» playing Indian in the yard. I had a wooden tomahawk and a wooden scalping-knife, and a bow-'n-arrow. I was dressed up in father's old coat turned inside out, and had six chicken feathers in my hair. I was playing I was Green Thunder, the Comanche Chief, and was hunting for pale faces in the yard. Jt was just after tea, and I was having a nice time.

Mr. Travers came, and he said, " Jimmy, what are you up to now? " So I told him I was Green Thunder, and was on the war-path. Said he, " Jimmy, I think I saw Mr. Martin on his way here. Do you think you would mind scalping him?" I said I wouldn't scalp him for nothing, for that would be cruelty ; but if Mr. Travers was sure Mr. Martin was the enemy f the Red Man, then Green Thunder's heart would ache for revenge, and I would scalp him with pleasure. Mr. Travers said that Mr. Martin was a notorious enemy and oppressor of the Red Man, and he gave me sixpence, and said that as soon as Mr. Martin should come, and be sitting comfortably in the drawing-room, I was to give the war-whoop and scalp him. Well, in a few minutes Mr. Martin came. He and Mr. Travers and Susan sat in the drawingroom, and talked as if they were all so pleased to see each other. I stole softly into the room, and got behind Mr. Martin. When I had got about six feet from him I gave a warwhoop and jumped at him. I caught hold of his scalp-lock with one hand, and drew my wooden scalping-knife reund his head with the other.

"I never got such a fright in my whole life. The knife was so blunt that it wouldn't have cut butter ; but, true as I sit here, Mr. Martin's whole scalp came off in my hand. I thought I had killed him.and I dropped his scalp and said : " Fer mercy's sake, I didn't mean to do it, and I'm awfully sorry." But he had just caught up his scalp, stuffed it in his pocket, jammed his hat on his head, and walked off saying to Susan :

" I didn't come here to be insulted by a little wretch that deserves the gallows." Mr. Travers and Susan never said a word until he had gone, and then they laughed Until the noise brought father in to ask what was the matter. |

When he heard what had happened, Instead of laughing he looked very angry, and said " that Mr. Martin is a worthy i ban, my son, and you may come upstairs | with me." I

If you've ever been a boy, you know what happened upstairs, and I need'nt say any more on a very painful subject. I didn't mind it so much, for I thought Mr. Martin would die, and then I would be put in gaol and hung ; but before she went, to bed Susan came up and whispered through j the door that it was alright, that Mr. Martin was made that way, so that he could be taken apart easily, and that I didn't hurt him.

I shall have to stay in my room to-day, and eat bread and water, and what I say is, that if men are made with scalps that may come off any minute if a boy touches them, il isn't fair to blame the boy.