re, 'n' thet's why
Alessandro, the Injun thet wuz murdered,--thet's why he put his name
down 'n yeour books, though 't went agin him orful ter do it. He wuz
high-spereted, 'n' 'd allers took keer er hisself; but he'd ben druv out
er fust one place 'n' then another, tell he'd got clar down, 'n' pore;
'n' he jest begged thet doctor er yourn to go to see his little gal, 'n'
the docter wouldn't; 'n' more'n thet, he laughed at him fur askin.' 'N'
they set the little thing on the hoss ter bring her here, 'n' she died
afore they'd come a mile with her; 'n' 't wuz thet, on top er all the
rest druv Alessandro crazy. He never hed none er them wandrin' spells
till arter thet. Naow I allow thet wa'n't right eh thet docter. I
wouldn't hev no sech docter's thet raound my Agency, ef I wuz yeow.
Pr'aps yer never heered uv thet. I told Ramony I didn't bleeve yer
knowed it, or ye'd hev made him go."

"No, Aunt Ri," said the Agent; "I could not have done that; he is only
required to doctor such Indians as come here."

"I allow, then, thar ain't any gret use en hevin' him at all," said Aunt
Ri; "'pears like thar ain't more'n a harndful uv Injuns raound here. I
expect he gits well paid?" and she paused for an answer. None came. The
Agent did not feel himself obliged to reveal to Aunt Ri what salary
the Government paid the San Bernardino doctor for sending haphazard
prescriptions to Indians he never saw.

After a pause Aunt Ri resumed: "Ef it ain't enny offence ter yeow, I
allow I'd like ter know jest what 'tis yeow air here ter dew fur these
Injuns. I've got my feelin's considdable stirred up, bein' among 'em
'n' knowing this hyar one, thet's ben murdered. Hev ye got enny power to
giv' 'em ennything,--food or sech? They air powerful pore, most on 'em."

"I have had a little fund for buying supplies for them in times
of special suffering;" replied the Agent, "a very little; and the
Department has appropriated some money for wagons and ploughs; not
enough, however, to supply every village; you see these Indians are in
the main self-supporting."

"Thet's jest it," persisted Aunt Ri. "Thet's what I've ben seein'; 'n'
thet's why I want so bad ter git at what 'tis the Guvvermunt means ter
hev yeow dew fur 'em. I allow ef yeow ain't ter feed 'em, an' ef yer
can't put folks inter jail fur robbin' 'n' cheatin' 'em, not ter say
killin' 'em,--ef yer can't dew ennythin' more 'n keep 'em from gettin'
whiskey, wall, I'm free ter say--" Aunt Ri pause