Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-07-30
THE END OF THE HUNT.

'Tt was on the old Red Cloud trail, a
good many years ago; how manyl l
don't remember just how many-it was
the summer after the deep snow. We
always went On the deer hunt, in those
days, in the Month when cherries are
black and came back about the time
that the plrtns are red. My brother,
Lone Pine, vas a famous hunter when
he was a young man, and until he grew
blind, after his son died, there were
non who could shoot more deer than he.
I'VE were three lodges that summer
] and the old man, Lone Pine and his
two daughters and n son and their
old grandmother-their mother was
dead and brother never took another
wife-and the third lodge was their
cousin, Three Badgers, with his wife
and his two sons, one a young man
called High Bear, and one a boy about
as big as yours. Let me see Icounting
laboriously on her skinny fingersl,
eleven, and we were all near relatives
and food vas plenty, and so we should
have %journeyed happily together; but
High Bear had wanted for q lc2s time
TO marry Red Bird. the younger of his
two cousins, and he had offered four
ponies for her, and her father liked
him. but the girl would not marry, and
people say that this is what made all
the trouble.
The two sisters always said that
they never would marry, though both
were pretty and very skillful in all
sorts of work. and men from all the
tribes were continually making offers
for them. Red Bird would not say
why she refused them-she only
laughed. People said afterward that
she did not really mean it at first, but
that after what her cousin was supposed
to have done because of her, she hated
all men. But her SISTER, Blossoming
Rose, said 1 am very happy now. l
can do Just as l please, and no one says
anything to me. My father lets me
have my W way. If l marry some
man l shall have TO do as he tells Inc,
and perhaps he will scold me. Then l
shall be unhappy. I do not wish to
change
1--WE made the first camp on Thick
Woods Greek. 1t had been a hot,
bright day and in the middle of the
night the thunder bird descended upon
us in floods Of water. The wind blew
and the voice of the thunder wa loud
and dreadful, and bis light blinded our
eyes. We made up the fire and prayed
to the Great Spirit. But a great gust
came and blewspur tent over and we
both lay close to the ground with our
blankets wrapped tightly about US until
it passed. Then / pitched the tent
again and we slept.
when the sun rose Red Bird came
TO me with a cup of coffee and a cake
of bread. They made many presents
of food, and Of clothing and ponies.
We all made presents, but they always
gave more than the Others. Blossom
ing Rose and her grandmother cooked
all the day long, and sent Red Bird to
the other tents with dishes o flood. She
laughed at me as she stopped TO the
doorway. oh, Auntiel you looked SC
funny when your tent blew down. 1
heard you scream and / peeped out of
the door and saw you by a fash of
light, holding with both hands to the
lodge poles, but they went over and
you too. 1t didn't hurt you, did itl
We all got wet, too, it rained so hard.
/ am going with sister to gather
cherries You had better come with
us She ran of, and they pounded
cherries enough to load a pony.
RED Bird was eighteen years old
that summer. Her brother. Eagle
Feather, was almost seventeen. and a
beautiful youth They looked much
alike, and were very dear to each
other. She was slender and small, and
her waist was no bigger than a white
woman's waist. Her hair was very
black, and hung down to her hips after
il was plated in two thick plaits, and
her features were small and pretty.
She was forever laughing, and she
usually wore a red dress that was very
becoming She had a passionate tenn
per and 80 had Eagle Feather. Bios