St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1893-05-13
CHAPTER II.
Mopo IS IN TROUBLE.

Now must tell how my mother did
what the boy Chaka had told her, and
died quickly. For where his stick had
struck her on the forehead there came a
sore that would not be healed, and in
| the sore grew an abscess, and the alb
scess ate inward till it came to the
brain. Then my mother fell down and
| died, and | cried very much, for loved
her. After that my brothers poisoned
| the mind of my father against me and
! he treated me badly. But Baleka and
loved each other, and she clung to me
like creeper to the only tree in plain.
Now | saw that the witch finders and
medicine men were feared in the land.
and that all people looked up to them,
so that even when they had only stick
in their hands, ten men armed with
spears would fly before them. There
fore I determined that would be a
witch doctor. So learned the arts of
the medicine men. made sacrifices
and learned much; for there is wis
dom in our magic as well as lies.
So things went on till was twenty
/ years of age. By now had learned all
l could learn Of myself, so joined my
! self onto the chief medicine man of our
tribe, who was named Noma. He was
/ old, had one eye only and was very
/ clever. Of him / learned, but at last he
grew jealous Of me and set trap to
catch me. AS it chanced, ,.arf1ig man of
a neighboring tribe had lost some CATTLE
and came with gifts to Nosna PRAYING
him to smell them out. Mona tried and
could not; his magic failed Then the
headman grew angry and demanded
| back lis gifts, but Mona would not give
up that which he once had held The
| headman said that he would kill Mona;
| Noma said that he would bewitch the
| headman.
Peace" l said, for feared that blood
would be shed. 'sPeace, and let me see
if my snake viii tell me where the cattle
are?'
"You are nothing buta boy" answered
| the headman. Scan a boy have wis
dorn?"
''That shall soon be known said,
taking the bones in my hand.
'Leave the bones alonel'' screamed
Noma. 1--WE will ask nothing more of
our snakes for the good of this son of d
dog"
'fHe shall throw the bones," answered
the headman. 'sIf you try to stop him
I will let sunshine through you with my
assegai."
Then threw the bones; my snake stood
up. knew nothing of the mans cattle,
but my spirit was with me, and soon
saw them all, and told him, too, where
they were.
Now the man was much pleased, and
said that if my magic was good, and he
found the cattle, the gift should be
taken from Nona and given to me-
Nona was very angry. It was big
herd Of cattle, and if they were found
where | had said, then all men would
hold me the greater wizard. Now the
headman said that at the first light he
would go with me to the spot where my
snake said the cattle were.
|, too, went into my hut and lay down
to sleep Suddenly | awoke, feeling
weight upon my breast. tried to start
up, but something cold pricked my
throat. fell back again and looked
The door Of the hut was open. The
moon lay low ON the sky, like a ball of
fire far away. could see it through
the door, and its light .crept into the
hut. It fell upon the face of Noma, the
witch doctor. He was seated across me,
glaring at me with his one eye, and in
his hand was knife. It was that which
had felt prick my throat.
"You whelp, whom have bred up, to
tear mel'' he Kissed into my ear. ssYou
dared to divine where failed, did your
and he began driving in the knife under
my chin.
"Mercy, my unclep' / said. .sHave
mercy, and will do whatever you will!n
"Will you do this?'' he asked, still |
pricking me with the knife. "Will you
get up, go find the dogs cattle and drive
them to certain place and hide them
there?" and he named a secret valley |
that was known to very few. IF you
do that will spare you and give you
three of the COWS. If you refuse, or play
me false, then, by my fathers spirit,
will find way to kill your
Certainly will do it, my UNCLE"
answered. Why did you not trust me
before? Had | known that you wanted
to keep the cattle would never have
s1nelled them out. Ionly did so, fearing |
lest you should lose the presents. -
'.You are not SO wicked as / thought" !"
he growled. "Get up, then, and do my
bidding. You can be back here in two
hours after dawn"
So got up, thinking all the while If I
should try to spring on him. But / was
without arms, and he had the knife; also,
If perchance had prevailed and killed /
him it would have been thought that /
had murdered him, and should have
tasted the assegai So made another
plan. would so and find the cattle in
the valley where had smelt them out,
but would not bring them to the secret
hiding place. No, would drive them
straight to the kraal and denounce
Noma before the chief, my father, and
all the people. But was young in
those days, and did not know all the
heart of Mona
went to the corner of my hut, Noma
watching me all the while, and took a
kerrie and small shield. Then |
started through the moonlight
For an hour | Travelled swiftly over
the plain, till came to the hillside
where the bush began. At last found
the little S1ffalo path ! sought, and
turned along it. Presently came to an
open place where the moonlight erept
in between the trees. | knelt down and