Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-06-03
AZ INDIAN SEER.

A., Dfd 81. Francois lteUskln NonNlhces NlNtp-
tic Of His Power.
Ia reading the advertising columns 81
INV popular daily, writes a correspondent
~ The Kansas City Times, one can not
t.,,+ he surprised at the number OF clairvoy-
1.,tsond other seers, who even in this age
~ s-eDticism find il profitable TO adver-
H. their powers. My experience with
.Efse Gifted people is slight, but unique
mi worth relating. ] was once travelling
f northern Nebraska with a guide who
I-rev the wilderness about us as a farmer
i--ovgs his fields. One night we went into
,sop bv small spring. where a party of
Tndisns had pitched their tent. They
-rsrs of the ST. Francois tribe, and old
seouaintances of my guide. One of them
h. pointef out TO me as having received
n. rovernment annuity for l07 years.
r. he had set his age at 40 1 should not
6.re DISPUTED it. He was mere shadow
.r -, man. dried and withered until he
.,srcelv looked human. His head was
tsld and polished: his face like dried raw
bide. His name in English was Louie
roska. but his own people called him by
81 manv-iOinted name meaning one who
can call the spirit out: Isuppose western
Indians call such medicine men.
"Nhat can you show me? Where can
,.op send my soul ~ 1 asked, curiously
Chen had listened TO q long account OF
5i. doings. He shook his head and
chucIded and looked at me awhile and
thsn said; Maybe you han't got no soul
Wen I viii see!' Supper was over by this
time and the fires dying down, but he
rushld the charred ends together until
tbey began TO smolder but did not blaze
He directed me where to stand and told
me TO look into the fire. From a Buck
skim bag swung around his neck he took
bit. of bark and gum and threw them
into the embers. muttering all the time a
siu--song sort of chant. His look, his
nations. as he would bend nearer, nearer
the fire as if to warm himself and then
suddenly spring up to more than natural
height swinging one foot and one hand
alternately were so funny that l had to
fix NV whole mind ON the fire to avoid
laughing. / will say that ! though him
a humbug; that he could have any power
over me did not believe. As lgazed the
embers frightened. From the bits of
bari, cast in there came whifTs of perfume
inde.cribably sweet, followed by a stencil,
sitting and noisome beyond compare.
Bv this time the woods beyond the CLEAN
of our fire was in darkness, and as | gaz-
ed the gloom seemed to lift to swing out
like curtain. The coal upon which |
razed became flame; around the fame
there was formed a crystal case, which, as
looked. became a lamp chimney. The
old man screamed final word, and thrust
me forward almost on to the fire. Still
gazing | saw this A room, large and
comfortably furnished, lit hy a single
lamp Lamplight and freight cleaned
ON many articles known to me of old, and
beside the fire, with knitting in her hand
and bible on her knee, sat my mother.
Every feature was distinct. l noted the
gray threads among the locks once so
black | saw that her lips trembled and
her eyes were wet. II was OF me she
Thought 1t was my absence that wet her
eyes with tears. / knew this in some un
defined way, but l knew it, and [ bent
nearer and nearer. Suddenly her face be-
came cunvulsed. her lips quivered. She
raised her hands toward heaven. MY
boy." she whispered. 20 my boy" she
murmured, when. presto as if the word
had power to dissolve the charm, room. /
lamp, and mother all were gone, and was /
struggling i'm the arms of the guide. but /
for whose interference / should have
fallen face foremost into the fire. The /
conjurer brought a dish of water and
hung il over the the Goals, cXtingushiug
them completely, and hobbled away to
roost without word in reply to my CUES
tions. without even glancing in my direc- (
tion. and when 1 rose in the morning after
troubled sleep their camp was deserted, +.
and ] never saw them again.