PIGEONS AND BEAR 67 



his lifelong experience, that so long as this pol- 

 icy is maintained, which is the policy of the 

 present exceptionally competent Indian agent, 

 troops are wholly unnecessary on the reserva- 

 tion and there will be no fear of the Apaches 

 committing depredations or going on the war 

 path. Not fear of the white man, but just and 

 honorable treatment of them by the white man, 

 will keep them contented with their lot. 



Coleman reiterated what I had already 

 heard in reference to the harmful effect upon 

 the Indian of tulapai, the native liquor, men- 

 tioned elsewhere. While here I saw some chil- 

 dren whose mother was shot and killed a short 

 time before by their intoxicated father. 



I made some purchases in Coleman's store, 

 and in change received a government check 

 made out in favor of an Indian who could not 

 write. It is required in cases of this kind that 

 the endorsement be made with the endorser's 

 "mark," witnessed by two signatures. This In- 

 dian had wet his thumb with ink and pressed it 

 upon the back of the check, as his endorsement 

 mark, which to my astonishment was witnessed 

 by no less famous personages than "Theodore 

 Roosevelt" and "Hoke Smith." 



"Are these signatures genuine?" I asked. 



"Oh, yes," answered Coleman. "Teddy 



