Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-11-06

ing he seemed 70 lose his sunburn ans
his wrinkles snd 10 grow young again
1 Quickened by the breath of awakenc.
love. the vague ambition Of early III
came hack. and in the mirage tha
somehow lOOmcd above the blue surfac,
OF the hay he saw his son. and incident
ally himself. crowned with ali the hon
ors that = grateful. respecting loca
: community could bestow- UnJuestion
ing assumption of the probability. ol
even the possibility. OF future social oi
political prefer nert for his son, VS..
proof positive tha; no such distinction
was likely to be accorded him. the AZ
gument in the matter being, in effect,
that nothing bnt the most disheartcn.
ing Of native piOd lers >0uid come o.
such combination of dullness aud m.
reasoning hope. Had John Dorm :
ambition taken definite form and sought
BY such means as lay within the narrow
circle Of the life along shore 10 carve
out the way 20 the coming mans en-
nOblement. there might have been
strong grounds for hope. and willing
hands frum the great Siiy whose du Ky
confines lay but a little beyond the Gis-
tant view Of earth and SKY might have
stretched out to help the instinctless
wayfarer over unknown paths that lead
TO the goal of his ambition; but AZ its
best John DOrns ambition WIS as
formless rs the night. and as discOurac-
ing as his wIle's inferiority- In such
a rayless gloom. what hop Cor light
Who but n puTposeless enthusiast would
see the flower Of genius in such 4 track
I less waste.
All the tendencies OF nature were
against John Dorm. but veG. working
bsifhcly on the wide marshes. he sang 4
song that filed his soul with iuy. The
chances in life were against John
Dorm ambition. and vet he hoped. In
simple truth 1t must be said that this
ambition never wholly stationary or
definite. changed as often as the wind.
Sometimes h.s much-lOved son griitied 4
stately ship 10 distant seas: ofiener he
sang cheer " in 4 fishing-boai in the
Crest South Bay. and once in 4 rare
while he stood within the .orch ight's ;
glare to discuss ths burning issues Of
the hour. Always il was the goal. aad
not the pain nj. wear means. that this
ambition touched upon. aiways results.
never the process OF attainment The
v.riseciiOnist IS right. though cold and
unsy mpathetic. there was Little hone for
either John Dorm or his son.
Clans were plentiful tnat dav. and
john DOrn's broad, Tat feet churned
them out Of the thick mud with more
than usual rapidly and ease. Again
and again the wicker basket returned
to the waiting boat. piled high with
captured shells. until. when the tide
ceased to run out and the western sun
dipped angrily toward the hay west.
John Dorm drew his brown arm across
his heated brow and said lhat he had
done enough Smiling contcntedlv at
the sieeply little giri. he said that he
world 90 home with the new tide. To
20 hOmes To whom2 TO the baby:
- his sOa2 Perhaps By this time his
vile. remembering previous converse
tons On the sub ect. had named him.
And would he answer 20 the plain. ol :
fashioned name .-Jchns' Perhaps 50.
Il was O.d-fashioned. no doubt. 10 have
the paiernal name descend through
MANY generations, but 4 WAS roosi
honest way. and to one honest ploi-
ding woman in the little house among
the trees it would give deep satisfac-
ton
Waiting for his boat to foat. John
Dorm spatfered the advancing tide
lnerrily with his bare fee. and plaveI
hide-and-gO-seek with bis little girI.
Al resentment over iae birth o
daughter had vanished now. and the
faiher was happy and proud in HAVING
both daughter and son. Il made
things even. he thought. and who coull
tell what the future wouli brinrs
Then. n he stood there aimles-iv
Sw nEing his foot 10 and fro IN the cool
water. an idea seemed tOcnfer into aud
take possession oi ms mind A vs.gue
desire TO do something for the voung
son who was To bless his lifs
had. IN some unaccoEnta5ie way. for
mulsted itself into \ tangible 'dea. AID
he tried. unsuccessful for time. 10
give i practical form He realized.
enough. il must be con
iessed. that ON this day be ought 10
carry an Offering T. the cradle II lis
chiid. an ole ing from the sea. IN
that moment. "a IS true. his patient.
hard-svOrking wife was almost iorrot-
ten. and his first-bOrn son filed bis
new. y-awakened imagination with 4
rad.anre like tie glow ia the western
sky This seeming neglect Of his wife .
20 him excus3, le. FOR tie /
hard-headed reason that il was -hrou-h
he instrumentaliry Of his son. ani not
his wife. that his dezuliory ambition /
vas 20 be realized. And besides h.s
vie has been with him many wears.
md had lot been accustomed 10 such
ionOrs at his hands Would Il be reason
lble. therefore. 10 begin nOws lie
hOnght not
An Offering from the SEA surely was
lot hard 20 md. and yet he hesifatei.
shells were thrown in prodigal uroru-
;on. and shells always have been cen
Iidered the tme-hono.ed trophies Of
he ga Ohells were sooi enough IN
heir way. and suitable or all occasions
4 ordinary interest; huf as the irih Of
he first son seemed 20 be an Occurrence
{ more than usual Importance John
jOrn's ambition demand 4 snnlcfbing
no e just what 70 select n an addi-
ional offering puzzled John Dorm fo-
ONE time 1t length his wrinkleI
ace beamed with satisfaction. He hal
now. Ii was iiOwersi
'-Be 4 good girl. Patty, an keep the
loop til [ come back saii fe
the kinks out Of his BODY
nd turning his face toward the pead-
vs.. Don't be AFRAID. Patty; won't
c I1ng."
Then he went acrosS the marshes
lone. turning back his head frnm time
, me 10 see that little 4 atty came 10
o harm. Soon he forgot Patty. how
yer. and walked on. looking n iner to
be right nor 10 the LEFT. his pncOccu- I
iefi manne-. his answering course to-
ard = cluster OF bright flowers on
bank told. as plainly as the
az. bis Sudden and narrow d. vOiion 20
ne all-ahsOrbing oh ect- Under oi di-
sry conditions of mind ke would have
lgzagged from bank 10 bank. avoiding