The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-11-08

plaintive cry, Chickaminny, papoosey
shake +" and then watch me with reveren
tial awe while | forcibly administered the
bitter dose to her young brave
do not know that she ever expressed
any violent gratitude for the evident i'm
provement OF her terrible offspring. Hel
face always wore stoical, impassiye look
not at all becoming to her style of beauty
1t was of the archaeological type, reminding
me OF one of those grand faces exhumeG
from ancient ruins.
grew to love the poor, sad, pretty squaw
Quite little throb of pleasure would come
to me when | heard her soft, familiar touch
upon the latch. But | never did, | must
own, take to the baby. | was in manner
afraid of him. If he had screamed and
kicked when gave him the bitter dose, il
would have been natural, but the first
slight grimace grew more and more faint as
he hardened himself to endurance, and al
ways there remained that implacable glare
in his fierce, glittering eyes. | was glad
when he was strong enough to do withou,
doctoring. but | missed sadly the presence
of his mother. For she disappeared, and
heard her gentle touch upon the latch nc
more.
In the meantime my own little Malcolm
became the most perfect type of physica
beauty that a sculptor ever raved over
Where he got his transparent skin, his mag
nihcent eyes, his straight nose-from whence
came those lines of beauty that curved into
dimples, and roseate bloom, and artistic
shadOws--Heaven only knows, but his papa
and looked upon him with absolute won
der, as day after day he grew more ard more
beautiful. And oh, so good and so natural
He had his fits of passion, and went off to
sleep with that dear little sob in his breast
that makes every mother long to wake her
baby up and soothe it to sleep again. Then
he'd lie kicking on the bed, playing with
fairies and sunbeams, and goodness only
knows all the mysterious and charming
shapes that come whispering to babies.
We loved him too much, of course. 1t is
wrong to place every hope and yearning and
delight in the frail body of one dimpled
baby, but let those help it who can. Char
ley and | simply worshiped him.
1t certainly made US better in ever way
1t entered into our daily lives, and smooth
ed away all the little angles and wrinkles
Charley caused two snug and cozy rooms
to be substantially put together, talking
gayly Of the palatial residence that would
stand there, or, as he prudently added, there
abouts, when baby was old enough to see
and appreciate.
walked early and late in patch of soil
he had spaded up for me, and which dgni-
fed by the name of garden. | had the
pleasure of eating my first radishes and
earliest peas. The latest of these and the
rest of the vegetables rotted in dire desola
ton. My garden became dense thicket OF
noxlous weeds, my home neglected kennel
and l--oh, poor, poor Kitty Malcolm how
did you ever live to see this day?
1t makes me tremble to think of that
bright balmy Rorning-tremble and grow
faint, though fifteen years have softened
the memory.
Nature was in her best and tenderest
mood, the blue sky all hecked with filmy
clouds, the very grass trembling and thrilling
with happiness. had grown to see beau
ty in the great glowing stretch of color that
widened out to the very horizon and run.
ming out to the wood-pile for few chips to
make baby's papa's dinner boil, stopped a
moment, shading my eyes with my hand
and looked about me with decided touch
of Western madness and enthusiasm
Suddenly big black shadow loomed up
in the doorway of my little dwelling.
dropped my sticks and ran, halting breath
less on the Threshold for there in front OF
the fire was a gigantic Indian-close in his
grasp my beautiful little Malcolm, my own
baby boy
7 haH TnIiap1
journ in the West. | had ordered about
and walked over many dirty, drunken, soul
less redskins, and had grown to hold them
more in contempt than fear. But this one
this, with his gigantic frame, his great
eagle nose and cleaning eyes, the malig
nant, fierce, gloating expression with which
he looked upon my innocent baby-nothing
but the courage of despair enabled me tC
walk into his presence.
l went up to him calmly, trying to shape
my trembling lips into smile; then, nod
ding in ghastly friendiness to him, l en-
deavOred to take my baby in my arms
Of course 1 could not. | knew it woulG
be useless. He was held in vise-the
great bony fingers of the monster frightened
around him, and I withdrew my hold
Ugh !" growled the savage. Big In
jim mel"
Yes, of course." faltered. family.
Big lnjin mel" he repeated, fiercely.
started wildly, and clasped my hands il
terror, then went about, my wits wandering
my head dizzy with fear and dread, and pul
upon the table all the eatables l could fnG
everything that l had ever known te
tempt the appetite or fancy of savage
He looked upon me like a demon in {
quiescent state, following me about with 8
ferocity that reminded me of something
terrible, knew not what.
Then pointing to the table, l again strove
to take the child in my arms. All in vain
Looking with ineffable scorn upon the
food prepared for him, and laying one strong
finger on his brawny breast, he said again
with fierce dignity.
"Ugh Big lnjin me-!
He strobe forward. Malcolm screamed
and put out his little hands to me. fell a,
the monsters feet implored, begged o
him with streaming eyes. | besougbt him
to think how unworthy thing it was for a
great chleftain, the head, no doubt, of a
powerful nation. to torture a poor helpless
woman. L implored him to wait till my
husband should come, and all the treasures
conceivable Of blankets in liveIiest colors
of beads as glittering as his own dreadful
eyes, of trinkets as gaudy as they were
worthless, should be laid at the monsters
feet.
For moment he paused and laid his
hand heavily upon the weapon in his belt
But the thought of Draining me then and
there seemed too merciful. He kicked me
brutally aside, and trailing his filthy blanket
over my half unconscious vision, strobe away
taking with him my little baby. | looked
with terrible fascination nnon tho r,ouar