Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1893-11-10

/ Every evening when they were not away
hunting or on the warpath. Black Vol
and his friend Ochilla, used TO come ane
sit on the big red rock by the river t.
smoke and talk and watch the shadows O.
the tall hills on the other side deepen ant
grow longer rs the sun sank.
Black Wolf loved the spot. He loved
the darling shadows. the signing of the
evening breeze ~ it stirred the leaves
among the trees about him The terrible
whirlpool At the foot of the rock was fas
! chatting Ii twisted and swirled and ate
into the rock with n horrible kissing sound
Black Wolf would sometimes lie and look
| at II for hours never taking his eyes from
it, He and Ochlla had cast many things
into the pool and not one had ever come
j out.
The Wolf loved this spot also because
here he coul come and dream and think
whenever he liked with nothing hut the
birds and squirrels to disturb him, and they
went to sleep early. For Ochilla WAS a
silent man. and never spoke unless he had
something to say There was no charm for
him IN the woods and hills and river. He
enjoyel most the silence and his friend :
company Sometimes the Wolf would try
to tell him what he SAW in nature, and
what the leaves whispered To him Then
Ochilla would take his pipe out OF his
mouth and grunt. and call the Wolf an old
woman and dreamer. and ask him how
he thought he would look carrying wood
and dressing skins. And then they would
both laugh little and become silent
again
tell Ochlla that he WAS n mole. because he
could not zee and hear all that the Wolf
enjoyed, and that it spoiled man to be
married.
This would make Ochila quite sober, be.
cause he had two sliIaws and the Wolf
had none. though tie two men were of the
same aye. For. although the Wolf WAS
one of the bravest warriors in the nation
and had killed many men. though he had
hung five days in the sun dance, never
fiinching. though he had made more sin
gle handed raids and run off 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 II disgrace for man to be un
married. especially if it he 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 Ochilla 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
Ochilla did not 90 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 Il few days
later, Ochilla's youngest squaw told him
that Si-ch ton ka's family had had a talk.
and could not decide between the Wolf
and his rival Sa han-te, and that both men
would now lie outside 81 -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 SD han-te was as hand
some III the Wolf. almost ~ rich ami had a
silver tongue Into girls ear he could
whisper sweet things Of which Black Wolf
knew nothing and cared less 1t would be
hard struggle. and Ochilla knew it. So
when Black Wolf came past his lodge "A
few evenings later. and mouioned to him
TO come to the rock. he was not surprised
only sorry
Long time they sat ON the rock before
either spoke word. Then Ochilla-
"WellP"
Of A - L.,
OF the silver tongue wins am no love
maker, have given up. and will 20 away
TO the Blackfeet. This il no place for me-
Ochilla looked at him sternly soft
head CoyoteI The girl is playing with
you. She sits with Sa han tie. hut not I'm
der his blanket She is making you play
the fool. 60 back and he man
Black Wolf sat II 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 he too late for this evening. II 80
he could talk to old Si-chi ton ka and trade
horses or ssuidles H. an excuse for coming.
From the clump of willows OH his left a
tall figure rose suddenly. Ii was ia han-te
and the rivals stood with folded arms, ylar
ing at each other in silence
Presentlya form emerged from the lodge
and Ano-et ka ran up the path.
Sa-han te stepped forward with a con
temptuous glance at his rival and seized
the girl in his arms
Did the heavens fallf Did the Wolf
dreami For Anoet-ka struggled in IA
nantes arms and called to him. With one
bound he was ut her side. Sa- han te. with
a curse, stalked away
Ochilla, coming down to the creek to
soak some arrows met Sa- han-te going
back to the camp, and later saw two per
sons sitting under one blanket down by the
willows and he almost leapel for Joy.
When people are first married all goes
well Both the newly welded ones are
anxious to please. and so 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, 80
he could lie in the lodge and smoke and
watch Ano-et-ka's nimble fingers IN they
deftly flew back and forth over her bead
work. He liked to help her sometimes.
too, when he thought nobody saw him.
But they did See him, and soon it came to
be told that Black Wolf was becoming an
old woman and worked like squaw, and
they made fun of him behind his back at
hrst, then openly to his face, at least the
squaws did. There was something in the
VOLTS eagle eye and close mouth which
prevented any of the men but the chiefs