Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-03-15

before he found IL out IL didn't look after
him.n
Nose struck out NJ his brother with a iist
which revealed tho third penciled slip.
''Come, Moses" said Gurley; "lets have
tho mcllowing story first"
"Oh, git out" muttcrcd Nose, in discom-
fort.
"somo short and simple talc,n added
Holmes; "only let IL be calculated 10 touch
the hcartm
"oh, git OUT repeated Nose, twisting un-
easily
"If you have tears prepare to shod them
now,n quoted McArdle.
"Oh. blame II, git out" growlcd Nose,
looking helplessly on oil sides Of him.
'1f you can't do nothing else cry a little"
suggested Adam, secure in having drawn q
blank.
"Hcre, Mose, give me your hat for for
felt" sud Phmbc White. "You'1 redeem
u some way. They shan't drive you TO tcare
while am by. II is Mr.. Gurlcys turh.N
Nose gladly gave up HE hat, Gnd curling
his shaggy huad nearer tho fire, prepared
for unlimited basldug.
This Is sudden said Gurlcy. "But give
me your attention and will endeavor to fol-
low the war-puth"
Adam or his sister kept slrimming the
thick sirup, and the sound OF tho skinner
on the sides, or tho stirrcr ON the bottom, Of
the kettle was Gurlcy's accompaniment.
"Only n few miles from the place where
we now sit said he, "thero is, as you all
know, a mound so ancient that the aborigi-
mes of this country could give no account Of
t. Trees Of centuries growth spring from
II, and u Is believed to be the work of an OK.
! tlnCt racc.n
"He's stealing bodily from pioneer pa
pers,n sighed Tom Holmes. "Mose bring
us pitcher Of fresh sugar-water We all
lovo that mound. II has been written about
and photographed, but we like TO rest our
selves from Il occasionally. We couldn't
keep house without that mound, but when
you attempt TO give Il to us for an Indian
story, Jack, you arc taking mean adv At
age Of local weakness"
"Only few miles from the place where
we now sit,n repeated Gurley, with a deaf
expression Of countenancc, "there is a
mound so ancient that the aborignes OF this
country could give no account Of il. Trees
Of centurios' growth spring from IL, and It is
believed TO be the work Of an extinct race.
That ought TO give me a fair start unless the
judges persist in ringing me bacls.n
"Thc Gurlcys were always horsey,n
commented Tom. "But could stand turf
talk better than can quotations from old
pioneer papers"
"Not many years ago the speaker was
youth who had Familiar, and this Famil-
lar, instead Of being such n mentor as his
agc ought TO have made him, acted rather
as a teupter.n
Tempt a mulish Gurleyw murmured
Tom Holmos,
''Mexican relics and Aztec tradition inter
csted us greatly, ard we laid up heaps of
| knowledge; only, ono Of US became positive
that this old mound was merely "a burial
place Of the native Indians, and tho other
became equally positive that II was Of more
ancient origin
"Aftei long quarreling we decided 10 dig
until VIC found proofs 10 satisfy us. But as
the law protected that mound from curious
investigation, we decided 10 say nothing
about our intentions, but to go quietly there
in the night, with pick md spade, and avoid
disturbing people.
ut was fall, and hardly leaf remained
on the signing trees. Rugged my coat col
lar up TO my cars, not because was cold.
hut because the weirdness Of tho woods and
season drove one in on himself. We found
the spot previously agreed upon, and both Of
us fell 10 work, digging straight downward.
| Our slidc-lanternw was shut up and set at hand
TO flash on our discoveries. Before long VIC
stood 20 our waists In the hole and then 10
our armpits. The Familiar, being corpulent
and lazy, now climbed out and said he would
hold up tho lantern
This story is a contemplate poor per
formanco,m - continued Tom Holmes.
at grows better as il gets on" promised
Gurley. "Tho lazy, fat Familiar, I said,
opened the lantern slide and fatigued him
self throwing light into the hole while
throw dirt out And presently the metal
struck something which rang in response
The Familiar squatted in excitement and
hissed directions over my painting head,
threatening mo with his lantern because
! did not upheavo tho whole find at once.
The spade scooped great head over; and
IL continued turning slowly as II by its own
viii. Tho top Of helmet, on which had
been clinldng, remained intact, but the lower
part broke away and an under jaw fell from
its ancient repose, shedding teeth on tho
spade with the rattle Of over-ripc peas.
"We were wrapped in the emotions Of the
discoverer l stopped down and took hold
Of the helmet, and can still feel its pc
culiar metallic thrill Tho skull was gi-
gantic. We turned It in the lantern light
The ashcn front head had a delicacy Of text
uro which was almost infa Mt like"
"But you amt tellin' about In'juns,n COM
planned Nose, curling himself around in an
other attitude
"Wait, Moses. Their moccasin solcs
make no noise, but stcp'by step through the
dark woods they are coming"
Nose glanced behind him.
II whispered to the Familiar that both OF
us working together could hardly dig out
his length Ia week
"'You could do il yourself in half tho
night, Kissed the Familiar, while hold
the lantern for you, II you'd only put 10 H.
hope the whole skeleton Is in mail and as
well preserved as the head. This proves
my theory that Indian tribes buried their
dead in mounds, and some Of them had
reached higa state Of civilization
"'Don't deceive YOURSELF said l. This
proves my theory that an ancient race made
this continent great when the old world was
| plunged in barbarism.'
81 threw out a shoyelful OF earth, and felt
as II had struck somebody. The Familiar
lifted his lantern and flashed It around We
both saw, standing in unwinking gravity
on the ridge Of fresh earth, tall Indian
who never moved a muscle while tho Ian
tern pierced him. The Familiar turned our
light around the circle Of the PIT, and be
hold, we were surrounded by ring Of saw
| aHNas ihH otdftuihB laulcfn revealed thclf
war-paint, their steady glittcring eyes, their
moccasin thongs and even tiny wrinkles in
their skin.
Neither the Familiar or l spoke; we felt
under a spell. When the Familiar was
pushed into the pit, almost smothering me,
thought II was trick But some hand
took my spade, and earth showered back
into that hole with terrific swiftness. We
endured tho shower Of clay, tramping Il
undor our feet IN u dance so rapid, or we
should have been buried. The Familiar,as II
| bcwitched, stin moved his lantern around in
a circle,and there stood every bravo notion
less while the spade clinked and the dirt
fen In. In a brief time we stood on level
earth, still tramping earth where the hole
had been But then the lantern was flung