The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1892-08-20
AN INDIAN MOTHERS GRIEF.
Pathetic Incident of stormy Night ON
Reservation.

Pathetic Incident of n stormy Night
Reservation.
In the rounds of duty incident to
the business of stock raising, | camped
one night on a little creek within the
borders of the great Ne: Perces In
dian reservation writes correspond
ent of the Detroit Free Press. 1t was
cold evening in early spring. and no
notes were taken OF the surroundings
before darkness settled over the shell
tered little plat of wild meadow aud
brought 10 a close day of hard WORK.
| There were Indian cabins of dingy
implanted boards and smoky old log
houses up and down the river but the
peaceable owners were not astir and
| heard not sound to denote the
presence of mankind This silence
aud inactivity is not unusual in the
settlements of the native redman.
Poor shaggy saddle ponies were feed
ing about on the scanty grass. The
dogs were barking in answer to the
shrill notes of the bowling hungry
coyotes and the echoes played from
side to side OF the roc,ly canyon. The
river too sent up changing rumble.
rising and falling like signs from a
troubled heart But my loneliness did
not keep me from sleep. 1 was
tired and slept souadly for several
hours whel | was aroused b. the
beating of rain drops in my face. The
wind had whirled down into my shell
tered cove and carried away the
blanket that formed my tent The
calm cold evening had become a
clustering stormy night gathered
my blanket about me for prote :tion
from the storm as best | could and
tried to sleep again. AS the wind
| luiled | heard a strange noise. 1t was
| the voice Of someone child |
| thought-in distress. 1t was dark
aud 1t would lie impos ,ible IN that
storm for me TO prepare light |
tried to resist the impulse that urged
me to SO TO the relief of the one in
dlstre $ but again and again | heard
the cry-s 1meone weepi lg and wall
ing in distress. | hastily put on my
clothes and started in the direction
from which came the pitiful cry. l
| clambered over stiff unyie!ding
-
u bare knoll that stood out from the
| mountains like a mound. | came in
| contact with what | knew to be tho
fence around an Indian grave. The
strange cry came to me more distinct
ly. 1t was the pathetic wall of an In
dian woman. | heard the same sad
cry of hopelessne S before | was
within a few feet of her. She must
have been aware of my approach. but
SO intense was her grief that she was
not startled to such an extent that it
called her mind for one instant from
the dead. turned away and let her
to bear her butden with only the dark
ness OF night and the fury OF the wind
TO help her. When daylight came |
went again to the grave. It was that
of a very small child Its heartbroken
| mother was the mourner whom all the
world could not comfort There was
a rude fence around the little new
made grave and there were flags wav-
ing above it to frighten the wild
beasts that howled SO ghoulishly the
evening before The storm that came
SO sud ienly that night was the first
to beat upon the lonely resting place
OF the little one. and the mother came
from her house near by and threw
herself upon the grave beause it in
some way relieved her to protect all
that remained for her Of her heart
treasure.