Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-07-29

The intending Indian arose to go.
He had been worse wounded than by
all his fathers punishment. and at
the moment Red Leaf seemed to re-
alize this. She admired him and was
woman II embryo.
"But y51 are not a coward-white
people are different" Snider resumed
his seat
Would Alkali like me for a sonG"
he said, after a period of silence.
"Alkah does not even love pleas
ant days. She says Red Leaf is not
good except to eat when there is
little to be had and to gather sticks
for the fire. Her heart is very bad,
said the dutiful daughter, with much
frankness.
II shall never return to the lodge
of my father" said Snider, resolute-
ly. II can live in the woods alone.
Kawa Neche cagat Manitou." This
last expression is supposed to mean,
in the language of the aborigines,
God cares for the poor Indian"
A great change came over the face
of Red Leaf at this manly declara-
ton of independence. 'Red Leaf
will go with her friend" she de-
clared. 'aThe woods are good to
live in"
Without further remark they arose
from the council fire and went toward
the river Without being realized
by either it was the god of both, be-
ing the greatest natural object with
which they had acquaintance, and
both being utterly without other than
natural religious sentiment.
The moon came out and lit the
mighty stream with weird and un-
certain light. The spring freshet
had not wholly subsidod, and the
water was covered with wreck and
stray and castaway." It lashed its
banks and whirled away into the
darkness like tortured snake. They
looked and said nothing for q long
time, and then Red Leaf began hast
lily to divest herself of her clothing.
"aThere are canoes on the island"
she explained. The island was half
a mile distant, and strong current
rolled between the two children and
the nearest point.
They would not so have expressed
it, but they were about to practically
interrogate the god Dagon whether
he 'heareth the young eagles when
they cry as the god of the Chris
tians is said to do.
"It is awful cold" whimpered Sni-
der as his untoughened flesh felt the
raw evening air, and he shivered.
"But on this side is the hairy man
and Alkali," responded Red Leaf
as she wadded her clothing into a
bundle and tied it to the top of her
head by the sleeves of her dress.
Thick darkness was round about
them again, for the moon had re-
tired behind a cloud The river CUR,
gled at their feet and almost laughed
aloud. The trees on the island were
a dark patch on the border of the
horizon. Red Leaf plunged into the
water and after moment of hesita-
ton Snider was brffeting the waves
at her side. with q chill at his very
marrow.
There was much searching and
scurrying about when the children
were missed, as may easily be sup
posed; white men and red men
united their cunning and experience
in the search. The leaves in the for
est were almost turned over by one
party or the other in the minute
chase after clews, and it was more
than nine days wonder where
they could have gone. But Dagon
knew and gurgled unintelligIbly
The fish god doesn't tell all his SO
crets to Nineteenth century folk.
About three weeks later, when the
great river had shrunk within its
banks, two swollen and disfgured
little corpses were found stranded on
a bar, somewhat knawed by fishes
but unquestionably all that was NOR
tai of Snider and Red Leaf.
And Alkali and the hairy man.
each remembering their last words
to their offspring, were remorseful
after their kind La the hairy mans |
opinion one grave should suffice for
the battered little bodies, and it
was so.
'Injuns may be pizen," he re-
"but tins little girl must a
been very fond of my Snider to Try
swimmin the river with him in high |
water, If there's any resurrection
for one of them, there is for the
other, and think maybe they'd like
to rise together ON that day" AS he
ceased speaking the first clod of the
hard, firm clay fell on the box in the
sour earth that had been set aside for
a graveyard. Aud few waited to see
the little mound rounded up at the
top. They had other things to do. -
Seneca Il. Truesdell in Buffalo News. |
Tho Glass Snake.
The so called glass snake does not |
break to pieces at the sight of AN en-
emy, as is commonly supposed, but, |