Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-09-03
MYSTERIOUS IRON.

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
sonificatiOn of thunder. The elder was
called Shakes-the-earth-as he-walxs and
the younger His-voce-is-heard 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 time inconsolable, and
he never ceased to communicate with the
spirit of his brother, MS though he were
still upon the earth.
At an early age the youth announced
his determination to go forth alone upon
the warpath-a remarkable undertaking
among the Dakotas, who seldom attempt a
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 n sacri.
hce to the thunder god, after the manner
of his people. He stretched and pinned il
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
the wanderer discovered one morning in
the distance solitary tepee. 1t seemed to
flicker white through the scintilatinp
heat along the far horizon. He approached
it more nearly. 1t proved to be a tent OF
skins tanned to beautiful whiteness and
painted with symbolic figures. A man
and a 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 "A horde of beautiful spotted ponies,
which were grazing near by. No smoke
issued from the aperture in the top, and
not even dog thrust his nose under the
gayly tasseled door
The young Indian accordingly concealed
his body behind tuft of sagebrush on a
little eminence which commanded the
mysterious tepee and scanned the horizon
for the approach of its expected owner and
"a
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. II 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
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 IL expecting some
one, and then retired once more within the
tent.
Satisfied now that the woman was alone
and her husband out following the deer or
the buffalo the young man rashly resolved
TO surprise the fair occupant of the soil
tary tent before the hunters return. He
stole as noiselessly as possible to the door
way and placed his hand upon the tasseled
door, his heart beating violently mean
time, partly from fear of the sudden ap-
proach of his unknown enemy and partly
from his eagerness to see more nearly the
charming face that had captivated his
fancy.
Suddenly, with a last hurried glance
over his shoulder, he flung the door aside
and bent his plumed head to the low open.
ell Al
woman, seated on buffalo robe and EN-
broidering moccasin. She lifted her eyes
at his unexpected entrance and greeted
him with charming smile, which greatly
increased his confusion. Surely" he
thought, 'this is an elk or deer in woman
shape, or else one of the fairy sisters. Any
mortal woman would scream at the sud
den appearance of stranger while alone
and unprotected in her lodge"
"Who are YOU" he exclaimed, at last
"Are you a Dakotap
The girl smiled again and shook her head
"where is your husbandY" he asked.
She told him in the sign language that
she understood not the Sioux tongue; that
she was with her younger brother, whC
would soon return from his days hunt
She also informed him that she was tn,
daughter of powerful chief whose vii
lage was several days journey to tn,
north, and that on the third morning they
would return thither
After promising to come again when thu
brother was at home, the young warrio
took his leave, with a lingering look behin'
him, which sufficiently announced to thu
girl the impression she had made.
He now resumed his watch from behint
the tuft OF sagebrush, and as the sun wa
near setting rider appeared in sight, as
moving speck on the horizon. In few
minutes "A handsome young man rode u
to the lodge and dismoulted from hi
pony. His sister Immediately came out Il
meet him, released the body of the younI
doe from his saddle bow, removed saddl
and bride and watered and picketed tn
pony. She then followed her brother int
the tent, from which thin trail Of smok
soon issued and lost itself in the blue ali