Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-04-13
BLACK WOLF.

and his friend, Ochilla, used to come and
sit on the big red rock by the river to
smoke and talk and watch the shadows of
the tall hills on the other side deepen and
grow longer rs the sun sank
Black Wolf loved the spot. He loved
the darling shadows the signing of the
evening breeze as it stirred the leaves
among the trees about him, The terrible
whirlpool at the foot Of the rock was fas
cinating. 1t twisted and swirled and ate
into the rock with "a horrible kissing sound.
Black Wolf would sometimes lie and look
at it for hours, never taking his eyes from
it, He and Ochiiia had cast many things
into the pool, and not one had ever come
out
The Wolf loved this spot also because
here he could come and dream and think
whenever he liked, with nothing but the
birds and squirrels to disturb him. and they
went to sleep early, For Ochilla was
silent man, and never spoke unless he had
something to say. There was no charm for
him in the woods and hills aud river He
enjoyed most the silence and his friends
company. Sometimes the Wolf would try
to tell him what he saw in nature, and
what the leaves whispered to him. Then
Ochilia would take his pipe out of his
mouth and gruut, and call the Wolf an old
woman and "A dreamer, and ask him how
he thought he would look carrying wood
and dressing skins. And then they would
both laugh a little and become silent
again.
Sometimes the Wolf would retort and
tell Ochilla that he was "A mole, because he
could not see and hear all that the Wolf
enjoyed, and that it spoiled man to be
married
This would make OchiIIa quite sober, be-
cause he had two squaws and the Wolf
had none, though the two men were of the
same age, For, although the Wolf was
one of the brayest warriors in the nation
and had killed many men; though he had
hung five days in the sun dance never
flinching; though he had made more sin
gle handed raids and run of more horses
than any other man in the tribe, and was
successful hunter-his friends had begun
to make sport of him and the women
looked at him askance, for among the
Sioux it is n disgrace for a man to be I'M
married, especially if it be from his own
choice Black Wolf had plenty Of horses
and weapons and saddles and robes and
could have married many girls if he would,
for he was tall and strong and handsome,
\. But he would not, and Ochila sometimes
became very cross at him.
One evening in the hot weather Ochilla
went down to the rock, but Black Wolf
did not come He did not come the next
night, nor the next, and the fourth night
Ochiila did not go there because he knew
that the Wolf would not come for many
nights. His heart was glad, because he
knew why his friend did not sit on the
rock any more. He knew that every even
ing the Wolf, with two or three other
young men, sat in the lodge Of old Si-chi-
ton-ka, whose daughter Ano-et-ka was the
prettiest girl in the tribe And a few days
later Ochilla's youngest squaw told him
that Si-chi-ton-ka's family had had talk
and could not decide between the Wolf
and his rival Sa-han-te, and that both men
would now lie outside Si-chi-ton-ka's lodge
and take their chances
Ochilla's heart sank Sa-han-te had one
wife already, but he was said to be good to
her, and the Wolf being untried, he feared
for him. Besides Sa~han-te was as hand
some rs the Wolf, almost as rich and had a
silver tongue Into girls ear he could
whisper sweet things Of which Black Wolf
knew nothing and cared less. It would be
a hard struggle, and Ochlla knew it, So
when Black Wolf came past his lodge a
few evenings later. and motioned to him
TO come to the rock, he was not surprised
only sorry.
Long time they sat on the rock before
either spoke "A word. Then Ochilla-
"WellW
"Son of Long Arrow it is not we'll He
of the silver tongue wins | am no love
maker. have given up, and will go away
TO the Btackfeet. This is no place for me. "
Ochilla looked at him sternly soft
headl Coyotel The girl is playing with
you. She sits with Sa-han-te, but not IN
der his blanket She is making you play
the fool Go back and be a man."
Black Wolf sat few minutes longer in
silence, then rose and went back TO camp.
Ochilla looked after him and smiled.
The Wolf walked straight through the
camp to the willows by the creek He
might be too late for this evening. If so,
he could talk to old Sich-ton-ka and trade
horses or saddles as an excuse for coming.
From the clump of willows on his left a
tall figure rose suddenly. II was Sa-han-te,
and the rivals stood with folded arms, glar.
ing at each other in silence
Presently a form emerged from the lodge
and Ano-et-ka ran up the path.
Sa-han-te stepped forward with q con
temptuous glance at his rival and seized
the girl in his arms
Did the heavens fall2 Did the Wolf
dream For Ano-et-ka struggled in Sa
han-te's arms and called to him with one
bound he was at her side. Sa- han-te, with
curse, stalked away.
Ochilla, coming down 10 the creek &c
soak some arrows, met Sa-han-tc going
back to the camp, and later saw two per
Sons sitting under one blanket down by the
willows and he almost ieaped for JOY
When people are first married all goes
well Both the newly welded ones ar,
anxious TO please, and 50 they are happy
After time, when it is an old story-this
being married-it is different.
Black Wolf never went TO the rock now
and even staid at home from the hunt, sc
he could lie in the lodge and smoke anf
watch Ano-et-ka's nimble fingers as they
deity flew back and forth over her bead
III No. al.