Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-08-26
MYSTERIOUS IRON.

Twin boys were born to certain woman
of the Sioux tribe in the midst of terrific
thunderstorm. In accordance with the
old custom the children were named from
this circumstance, after the deity or per
sonfication of thunder. The elder was
called Observation-Disclosures and
the younger His-voice-is- heard-c coming.
They grew up to boyhood in close compan-
ionship but at the age of about twelve
years the elder brother fell sick and died.
The other was for a time inconsolable, and
he never ceased to communicate with the
spirit of his brother as though he were
still upon the earth.
At an early age the youth announced
his determination to 90 forth alone upon
the warpath-a remarkable undertaking
among the Dakotas, who seldom attempt
solitary expedition until they become ex-
perienced warriors. This feat was to be
undertaken upon the advice of the elder
twin, who had promised success to his
younger brother if he would follow strictly
his directions. The young man accord
ingly set out on foot upon his hazardous
journey, carrying with him his gun and
ammunition and several pairs of moccasins.
On the second day he shot deer, and
having cut out the tongue and heart for
food offered the entire animal as a sacri-
flee to the thunder god, after the manner
of his people He stretched and pinned it
to the ground by the four extremities, Of
fered prayers for a safe and victorious re-
turn and then slept beside the embers of
the fire. AT dawn he resumed his journey
toward the north.
After many days of wearisome travelling
| 10
the distance solitary tepee. 1t seemed to
flicker white through the scintillating
heat along the far horizon. He approached
it more nearly. 1t proved to be tent of
skins tanned to a beautiful whiteness and
painted with symbolic figures. man
and woman were depicted at full length
on either side of the doorway
Cautiously the youth crept still nearer
to the tent, but without detecting any sign
of life in its neighborhood, save the pres
ence of horde of beautiful spotted ponies,
which were grazing near by. No smoke
issued from the aperture in the top and
not even a dog thrust his nose under the
gayly tasseled door.
The young Indian accordingly concealed
his body behind a tuft of sagebrush on
little eminence which commanded the
mysterious tepee and scanned the horizon
for the approach of its expected owner and
the tent itself for the revelation of a posi-
BILE inmate. If it should be occupied by a
man and his wife only, the man would re-
turn at evening from the hunt and ere
that time the woman would doubtless ap-
pear outside the tent. If several men
were within, one or more of them might
soon show themselves. Absolutely mo-
tionless he lay prone in the long grass and
waited.
At last his patience was rewarded. The
swinging door WAS pushed aside and from
within there stepped young and hand
some woman. Her dress was of fine deer
skins, deliberately embroidered, but of a
fashion unlike that of the Sioux women;
her Jet black hair was arranged in two
long plaits that fell over her shoulders
J and her features were the prettiest and
] most delicately formed that the delighted
youth had ever beheld. Shading her eyes
: with her hand she gazed earnestly out
" along the horizon, as if expecting some
one and then retired once more within the
tent.
: Satisfied now that the woman was alone
G and her husband out following the deer OIL
u the buffalo, the young man rashly resolved
to surprise the fair occupant of the soil
:, tary tent BEIGE the hunters return. He
It stole as noiselessly as possible to the door
G way and placed his hand upon the tasselet
/ door, his heart beating violently mean
= time, partly from fear of the sudden ap
n proach of his unknown enemy and partly
from his eagerness to see more nearly thu
7 charming face that had captivated hi
y fancy.
/ Suddenly, with last hurried glanc
e over his shoulder, he flung the door asid
le and bent his plumed head to the low open
h ing. His eyes fell instantly upon tn
n woman, seated on buffalo robe and EN-
t broidering moccasin. She lifted her eye
et at his unexpected entrance and greete
II him with u charming smile, which great
Oi increased his confusion. surely" h
e. thought, this is an elk or deer in woma
III shape, or else one of the fairy sisters. An
S mortal woman would scream at the sue
den appearance of a stranger while alon
and unprotected in her lodge"
"Who are YOU" he exclaimed, at las
on Are you DakotaW
u The girl smiled again and shook her hea(
ne "Where is your husband;" he asked
tu She told him in the sign language thu
tu she understood not the Sioux tongue; tia
IL she was with her younger brother, WI
us would soon return from his days hun
Ne She also informed him that she was IL
NC daughter of a powerful chief, whose vi
lage was several days journey to IL
north, and that on the third morning tn,
would return thither,
oil After promising to come again whent
an brother was at home, the young warri
Vh took his leave, with lingering look behiI
IN him, which sufficiently announced TO Il
a., girl the impression she had made.
40 He now resumed his watch from behir
se the tuft of sagebrush, and as the sun W
en- near setting rider appeared in sight as
as moving speck on the horizon. In fe
he minutes handsome young man rode I
40 to the lodge and dismounted from |
ION pony. His sister Immediately came out
oil meet him, released the body of the You
on doe from his saddle bow, removed sadt
RS and bride and watered and picketed
'as pony. She then followed her brother in
ed. the tent, from which a thin trail of smo
ted soon issued and lost itself in the blue a
D. After they had supped the pair res