The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-11-22

Be men, our word for it, you will never
do wrong, you will never need friends
How COMMON the expression, Hes
only savage, he possesses no feelings"
has become, when addressed toward one
who has committed some unusually
desperate crime; and frequently toward
our red brother the Indian; yet we
witnessed a sight few days ago that
would bring tears of compassion to the
eyes of any man, no matter how deeply
he despised the criminal or hated the
Indian, in the parting of mother and
son for the last time on earth: one to go
back to the teepee and nature in all
its ruggedness and hardships, the other
to linger on here for brief space, and
then to meet that God who knows no
color, no creed, no nationality. An
Indian mother, with her sister and
children came to this institution to
visit her boy who is dying. With every
human kindness the officials made them
welcome: providing a large room for
their reception and with their loved one
propped up in an easy chair, they sur
rounded him, squatting upon the floor
in various positions, and with many
trinkets from their wild home spread
out at his feet, they enter into animated
and lively conversation so typical of
the Indian. AT noon the very best food
the commissary could furnish was
spread before them, and during the en-
tire day they were as happy as possible
The children in utter abandon without
an idea Of their surroundings; no knOwI-
edge that death might perhaps soon visit
one of that group; that within the mas
sive walls that enclosed the room where
in they romped, were many sad and weary
hearts. who. as they watched their in
nOcent play, or caught sound of their
youthful voices, were carried back to
their own happy childhood, or thought
of those loved ones whom they were
forced to be separated from in con-
happy prattle of their own children
mayhap-sang, and made the walls
echo with their peculiar lullabys. The
elder tried in every way to entertain
the one they came so far to see, know
ing that on this side Of the great Divide
it would be their last meeting. AS the
hour of three approached, and the
deputy in kindly tones told them they
must part, hush as solemn as the tomb
almost. came over the group. With
every manifest reluctance they slowly
gathered their effects, and as slowly
bundled them up. The mother taking
from her bosom massive string of
beads. ingeniously woven, placed them
around the neck Of her boy. and ten
derby placing one arm around him, and
with her finger pointing upward
she kissed him again and again. Each
one Of that group, that to the world at
large is considered savage, gave that
erring one an affectiOnate farewell
Again the mother approached him;
every lineament in that almost impas-
siye face was lit up with the divine light
Of love, love for the boy, no matter what
his sin; she forgave it; and commended
his soul to Him who is willing to for
give and forget. Tearing herself from
his clasp at last, she reaches the door,
and with her papoose strapped upon
| her back she looks around upon her
boy again: he cannot see her, for with
head bowed down, he is weeping as only
one can, who realizes that for the last
time on earth he has seen the face of
one, who, in giving him life, gave all
she had, her hearts best love. With her
hands extended toward Heaven she
mutters one last prayer: with look of
such unutterable agony and pain upon
| her face, that we shall never forget it.
she turns aud walks stolid!y away. We
wish we had not witnessed this scene
and we can be pardoned if our own eyes
were moist; it was so sad, when every
thing else surrounding our life was sad
teaches in mother love, and how little
we here give heed to the agony and
pain we infiict upon dear old mother
when we heedlessly disobey her teach
ings and are finally separated, perhaps
forever. Boys, we who have mothers
still living. let this be warning to us;
let us take the lesson of this poor boy
in our midst, home to ourselves, and
fancy our own mothers compelled to
say final farewell to us under similar
circumstances. Many of us will soon
go out into the world again, where we,
1 trust, may greet dear old mother