The Irish standard., 1886-08-14


t1ce Of granting divorces.
AN INDIAN SEER.
The Mysterious Gift Possessed by An OLD
st. Francois Redskin.
In reading the advertising columns
of any popular daily one can not but be
surprised at the number of clairvoyants
and other seers, who even in this age of
skepticism find it profitable to advertise
their powers. My experience with these
gifted people is slight, but unique and
worth relating. I was once travelling
in northern Nebraska with guide who
knew the wilderness about us as a farm
er knows his fields. One night we
went into camp by a small spring,
where party of Indians had pitched
their tent. They were of the St. Fran
co.'s tribe, and old acquaintance of my
guide. One of them he pointed out to
me as having received his Government
annuity one hundred and seven years.
If he had set bis age at one hundred and
seventy I should not have disputed it.
He was mere shadow OF man, dried
and withered until he scarcely looked
human. His head was bald and pol
ished; his face like dried rawhide. His
name in English was Louis Coska,
but his own people called him By o
many-iointed name meaning enc who
can cali the spirit out. I suppose West
ern Indians calls such medicine men.
"What can you show me? Where
can you send my soulp" asked, curl.
ously, when had listened to long &C.
count of his doings. He shook his
head and chuckled and looked at me
awhile and then said: s.May be you
hain't got no soul. Well, I will see!''
Supper was over by this time and the
fires dying down, but he pushed the
charred ends together until they began
to smolder but did not blaze. He d.
rected me where to stand and told me
to look into the fire. From a buckskin;
bag swung around his neck he took
bits of bark and gum and threw them:
into the embers, muttering all the TINA
sing-song sort of chant. His locks.
his motions, as he would bend nearer,
AcA e1a0 ~ ca AZ ~ "1sA1 AAAAeSAA;
and then suddenly spring up to more
than natural height, swinging
one foot and one hand alters
nately, were so funny that I had to fxi
my whole mind on the fire to avoid
laughing. will say that Thought him
n humbug; that he could have any
power over me I did not believe. As I
gazed the enabers frightened. From
the bits of bark cast in there came whifa
of perfume indeserlbably sweet. fol;
lowed by stencil, sitting and noisona
beyond compare. BY this time thd
woods beyond the CLEAN Of our fire wad
in darkness, and as | gazed the glooul
seemed to ltft-to swing out like a curt
tain. The coal upon which l gazed be-
came flame; around the flame there
was formed crystal case, which, as 1
looked, became lamp chimney. The
old man screamed a final word, and
thrust me forward almost on to the fire
Still gazing saw this: A room, large
and comfortably furnished, lit by a sins
gle lamp. Lamplight and freight
cleaned on many articles known to me-
Of old, and beside the fire, with knit
ting in her hand and Bible On her knee.
sat my mother Every feature was dis!
tinct. noted the gray threads among
the locks once 80 black. 1saw that herE
lips trembled and her eyes were wet
1t was of ME she thought. 1t was my;
absence that wet her eyes with tears. I,
knew this in some underlined way, but Il
knew it, and bent nearer and nearer:
Suddenly her face became convulsed,:.
her lips qrivered. She raised her hands,
toward Heaven. "My boy!' she whis-'
pered. 80 my boy!'' she murmured,,
when, presto! as if the word had had
power to dissolve the charm, room,
lamp and mother all were gone. and l,
was struggling in The arms Of the guide.j
but for whose interference Ishould have
fallen face foremost into the fire. The|
conjurer brought dish of water and.
flung it over the Goals, extinguishing:
them completely, and hobbled away to-
roost without a. word in reply to my,
questions, without even glancing in my
and when I rose in the morn.
ing after troubled sleep thei,. camp
was deserted, and l never saw them
again.-Cor. Kansas CITY Times.