Belden, because he voluntarily went among the Indians and married a squaw, two of them in fact, and lived with the savages for a great many years. Yet in the struggles that later took place between the people of his tribe, and the people of his race, he sometimes was on one side and sometimes on the other. More often, his blood asserted itself, and on many occasions where he fought hard in a losing battle, where all his companions were killed. The Indians would single him out and spare him, and they seemed to understand and respect his position.

Belden was well educated, but of course lost considerable of his polish in his long years on the plains. About the first book of adventure that I remember was "Belden, The White Chief," and it I read and re-read.

i in one occasion, when Belden "met up" with a missionary, Jim Bridger told the gentleman that the frontiersman was a poet, which statement was received with some doubt. Bridger told Belden of the doubting Thomas and that gentleman returned within his tent.

After a time he came out with verses he had just written, and while long and somewhat crude, we repeat the production here because of its local color, and the references to distinguished characters of the west, none of which, I think, is now living.

Ben Harding was a scout and was the subject, and his many narrow escapes, had given him the sobriquet "Slippery Ben :"

Slippen,' Ben