The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-08-10

WELL" l said, 'let me put on my
moccasins."
I put my mOccasins on, threw my
head band over my head, and slipped
into the corner to stuff some tobacco
into my open shirt. Then these men,
who proved to be four, marched along
with me through the little narrow
streets in the dark. saying never a
word and turning neither to the right
nor the left, one Of them behind me,
one in front, and one on either side.
We went down through the great
plaza and into a narrow turning un-
derway that had known, but was not
very familiar with. Presently a heavy
door rumbled and we went into a dark
passage, turned to the left and went
through another dark passage and
then to the left again, through the
. cracks in door at the end of which
could see a fire cleaning and smell the
smoke of tobacco.
1t seems we were under one of those
great buildings. I could see a great
wide chamber with a huge fireplace
and very low ceiling. Ranged all
around this room was row after row
of old priests, some young ones among
them, each row elevated little above
| the first. To the left as we went in
were three stools, one occupied by an
old NANNY adopted father.
just behind was another stool, on
which my adopted brother was sitting.
\ One Of the men who was with me was
a priest, who was my priestly father,
and he took one of the seats and point
ed silently to the other.
My first exclamation was:
How are you these many years, my
brothers? My brothers, why are you
wasting the hours of sleep in this fool
ish manner? Occupy yourselves; oc-
cupy yourselves! Smoke, at least, s"
and I took one Of the bags of tobacco
and poured thewhole contents on the
floor.
YES" said the Oldest man on the
| opposite side, ''smoke we will once
mOre-once more" and my old father
remarked to me: Sit down, my little
child, once more; only once" So /
rolled cigarette, and they all began
to roll cigarettes and smoke in perfect
silence. Then suddenly, 1 smoOthed
my face, sat up straight, threw my
cigarette away and said: 1T seems
that this is a serious occasion. Let us
be serious. Let me hear what is tho
occasion of this council"
In the first place, they said, "there
is a strange fatality, the red disease
coming on our children, of which they
are dying one by one, and some one is
very cruel, and some one loves not his
people, and loves only to aflict them.
| Why should ne love to afIliet themP
Who lnOwsP We know that you
brought strange medicines with pecu-
liar odOrs to your home some time
since, but we have been cautious, and
we have waited long, and have in
quired of the Mexican herders who
were here: Was there such a thing
as that unknown thing and that thing
which the grandfathers said did not
exist, as an American-bOrn sOrcererP'
and the Mexicans replied: Yes, there
was, and we said: is there one, per-
haps, among usP' and the Mexicans re-
piled: No doubt And then we went
to the MOrmons to the east of here
I anu JIG HdIAb u 1GSbLOlS W 6I0 dShCu dlAOl
the same answer gave they: And then
we went to the Americans dwelling
among us, and these questions were
asked, and they pretended that they
did not understand them, but they said
there was no doubt of great and dire
evil in the American who lived with
them, and so, little brother, there is nc
doubt that your whole intention is K
cause affection among US"
I asked them if that was all they
had to say, and they told me long
story. They reminded me of occur
rences that had taken place on th'
very first month of my living among
them-a remarkable observation o
my every act. They told how the!
had so long been deceived; how l HAD
eaten from one bowl with them; how
/ had breathed one breath with then
- and worn one costume with them; haC
; endured the SCOTS of my own people
for the sake of that costume.
They enlarged on all the things tina
had caused them to be so stupid as no
to see what my intentions really were
l OF course l could not possibly repea
the whole story. 1t is a very Ions
one. It may have been about twelv
o'clock when we went there; it wa
growing daylight when the thing wa
over. Once or twice my father trie'
to speak. l put out my hand to 81
lence him, for l saw that the matte
was getting very serious.
When my accusers were done
turned round, dropped my head on m
:, breast, and said: 1T is wonderful
% what wisdom you display. You ar
stupid to have been deceived so long
The only wonder is, my brothers an
fathers, this, that you have at las
discovered, absolutely, my true char
acter."
Ny old father Strengthened himsel
= up and looked at me perfectly dunk
J, founded, dropped his eyes on the floor
and did not dare to look at the other
- opposite.
4 My old brother looked around fror
|, behind me and said: Beware of joB
ing according to your usual way"
7 I turned on him. Joking! Who
jolIingP" said L; fancy lot of peOpl
j, so stupid, so foolish, so like cub
O. whose eyes are not yet open, as t
= have seen me come here, and not sus
pect evil Of it. Fancy people, seein
i me article by article adopting thei
a dress, curing their children of disease
n one by one, smiling on every one
l. giving of my tobacco and food to a.
t, who came TO my house; eating wit
Y one hand from a single bowl with al
). who invited me to eat or were invite
y to eat with NE. and still these brother
n and fathers of mine to be so stupid a