Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-01-02
Little Pe-tOh-kip.

Little Pe.tOh.kip.
Little Pc toh-kip came to me in the reg
ular routine of trade. Four yards OF
hickory shirting, and an equal amount Of
blue and orange calico constituted the met
aphorical pottage for which his birthright
of freedom was sold. And | am free to
say that, for some months after he passed
into my keeping it was II much mooted
question with me whether had not been
badly worsted in the barter. am incln-
ed to think, upon the whole, that, had little
Pe-toh-kip been pet simian or II paro-
quet, | should have taken him out and
made an end of him without more ado.
Unfortunately, he was II boy,-a ten year
old boy, and Il Blackfoot Indian at that.
Beyond the aged maternal aunt, who
claimed him by right of Inheritance,
never succeeded in tracing his genealogy
with any degree of certainty. -. He
was 1.-the, supple clean-limbed little lel-
low, even in his gaunt meagreness, with a
quick intelligence upon his clearly-cut fea-
lures, which impressed one very favorably.
True, the predatory habit OF his life had
increased the expression of cunning nat
ural TO the aboriginal eye, and added
somewhat to his general wildness but he
was young in years. and the effects Of
plentiful food and Kindness were Yet un-
tried upon him.
When little Pe-toh-kip's aunt, fat,
grim-visaged old squaw, attired in scarlet
leggins and blanket, had delivered the
orphan to me, and retired, bathed in seem
ing tears, my first act was to have him fed
and clothed. Then fell to thinking what
| would do with him; how | would make
an educated man of him, and so prove to
unbelieving humanitarians that the poor
Indian could, by the same process through
which their sons were raised. be elevated
to plane even above theirs. 1t was in
the midst of these bright imaginings that
the haf.breed servant, TO whose care he
had been intrusted, reported that little Pc
toh-kip had, Indan-like, seized the oppor-
tunity of II present feast to ward off future
famine by gorging himself to repletiOn
and that, clad in an irreproachab'e suit Of
blue cashmere, he was even then fast
asleep in the dust and dirt beneath the
shadow Of an empty cart. Later on the
same unsympathizing scrvitor Informed
me that my lrOtege had parted with bis
clothing in consideration of two strings OF
wampum (Which he had strapped over his
shoulders and about his waist), AMI was
parading the adjacent camp with all the
gravity and pride of a master mason in
full regalia.
1t soon became evident that, so long as
we remained in the plain country little Pc
toh-kip's training in the ways Of civiliza-
tion must be abandoned. 1t was only
natural, of course, that his pride in the
better circumstances that now surrounded
him should lead him to present my best
meerschaum pipeto the friend of his youth,
and to bestow upon the numerous follow
ing who claimed relationship with him
such easily hidden articles as he could
safely tilch from the general stock. But
such munifcencG lessened the profits upon
trade, and tended TO foster, in the minds OF
his grown up fellows that feeling OF supe-
rior mental acumen by which they mag
ned small heather able to get IL long
way ahead of his big Christian brother
So little Pe-loh-kip was rclcgatcd 10 the
charge of the half breed, who utilized his
supcmbundant vitality in the care of the
! horses.
In this congeniaI employment he deveI-
ioped into II wild and reckless rider. The
sight of his nude and tiny figure perched
upon the back of the largest animal in the
herd, sweeping like whirlwind over the
grassy plain, came to be Il frequent if moi
cheering spectacle. And, though dctecteC
in running midnight races against time on
my favolitc saddle-horse, and loanine
cart-horses to the little barbarian breth'
rem for like purpose, there seemed ne
other capacity in which he could he used
and therefore he found safety in the inev
liable.
When the days grew short in the fall
and the verdant prairies began to take or
the photographic tints Of IL California land
scape, little Pc toh-kip and turned oul
steps homcward. 1t was not without somt
misgivings us to my own fitness TO real
the child Alright that | endeayorcd to i'm
press upon him the fact that he was now
leaving behind him the Old life, and enter
inc upon the untred realities of the new
that henccforlh the trcpee, the rarail'e
the wild scurry and chase, the feast of to
day and the famine Of tomorrow wouI'
exist for him only as IL shadowy memory
that there arose before hnA II poblrr man
hood, replete with the grandest Of posi-
hiities, and giving promise of glorious
fruitf6n
In the first flush of our homecoming
the brilliant possibilities which tinted little
Pe-toh .kip's future took on n more perma
nent coloring. No thorns protruded among
the roses scattered along his pathway
Though a heather, and speaking an un
known tongue, he bore the taunts ant
ieers of the small street boys with seeming
Indifference; and, although one of his es
pecia tormentors was nearly killed by /
stone, hurled from an unknown quarter r
the dusk of the evening, little Pe.toh- kiE
was seen, almost at the same moment
hanging upon the garden gate, with MS
near an expression OF sympathy as evel
appeared upon his taciturn countenance
He walked the streets. in company witt
members of my family, with an air of the
utmost nonchalance; no brazen glare o.
shop-windows attracted his attention; hut
grave and abstracted, he passed the crowd
ed thoroughfares with no passing glance o.
curiosity to denote that he was not to the
manor born.
AT home his bearing was rather that o
a transient visitor than permanent guest
always quiet, equable and mindful OF the
respect due his hosts. though, of course
tempered somewhat by the habits of hi'
former life. He preferred. for example
sitting for hours upon his heels by til,
fireplace to occupying a chdiri and when