The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-01-19


drew an imaginary robe about his com
rnanding form, and with naughty i'm
periousness asserted his authority and
demanded that water be brought. With
superb dignity he received an imaginary
vessel. drank unsubstantial water from
Il and threw it aside. Then, grown elo
quent. he harangued HE tribe on ita
achievements In battle and urged his
people to foster the spirit which had led
them 70 so many victories. At the close
be reeled. his sightless eyes rolled va.
cantly. no clutched at the empty air.
lurched and then sank unconscious 10
the ground
Thus he lay until tho middle Of the
following night. Consciousness returned
slowly and painfully. and with his face
still buried in his hands he compelled his
memory to apply the tortures it had in
store for him Pains racked his frame,
and groans forced their way out from
the depths of his despair At last he
turned upon his back and opened his
eyelids
His eyes were opened to tho heavens
and his stout heart quailed to discover
strange things. which warned him of his
madness. for there were numbercss
burning points above him. such as never
before had come TO the visions Of his
blindness. As he would move his eyes
they would spring in an opposite direc-
ton. whereas all the visions that he had
had before remained fixed whatsoever
direction he might look
He came to sitting posture. and in
stantly the bright points disappeared,
but other things. dark, shadowy and
more terrifying. arose before him. These
apparently reached from the level Of his
eyes all the way mp to the bright. fierce
points above. and they. too. would spring
in a direction opposite to that in which
he would move lis eyes. This was mad
ness. he reflected-a strange and distress
ing form OF il. He closed his eyelids
and then the visions disappeared He
opened them again and they returned as
before Then he closed his eyes in sim
pie fear. and thus gained courage and
relief and not daring to reopen them he
staggered To his feet and began to grope
through the forest in search of water.
for hitter thirst was burning him.
Thus he proceeded. with closed eyelids
and hands outstretched. and his fine in
stinct led him straight toward stream
a mile away. But to keep his eyelids
closed was unnatural and irksome. GO
once he opened them. and instantly the
terrifying visions reappeared and with
far greater distinctness than before.
oil L..
grotesque and formidable. but wonder
fully fascinating Almost convinced
they were real. he put out his hand to
touch them and was pleased to End that
they had no substance. for he could not
reach them But he felt safer with his
eyelids closed. for then he saw no alarm
ing visions.
Before long a sensational had been
growing for some time and II happened
contemporaneously with the advent OF
his knowledge that day was breaking
came upon him. and he halted IN dread
II seemed more like warmth than any.
thing else. and yet not warmth of the
kind that he had known. It was in his
head-nO. 1t was in his eyes. which Ee
dared not open. He sank to the ground
IN weak helpessness. Still keeping his
eyes closed. he felt the warmth in them
increase. and then it became so painful
that he opened them. Instantly ire
mendous heat burst forth within his
head. racking all his sensibilities with
excruciatng pains. Trembling with fear
and awe. Chikkatabac fell to the ground
and buried his face in his hands. The
sun had risen.
Thus lay the helpless savage. filled
with terror and marvelings His great
frame quivered. and agonized means is
sued from his burning throat After O
time his courage returned He clasped
his hands tightly over his eyes. the more
securely to exclude the burning. blazing
terrifying vision that had appeared When
ever he opened them. Onward he went
toward water. and finally the presenc,
OF messy sod under foot warned him
that stream was near.
He now went forward cautiously. and
then dropped to his hands and knees and
crawled toward the stream till he
touched the cool water. Then he eagerly
stretched himself at full length upon the
hank and was about to drink. when tn
guardedly he opened his eyes. So strang,
vision ut once appeared to him that he
started back in dismay
A strange vision indeed and immeas
urably unlike the others. for that which
he had seen as he bent over the still wa
ter was much like the spirit of one dead
as he had imagined it. Then a great
comprehension came to his soul. and SC
swift and heavy was the shock it brought
that he was stunned. but after that q
gentle peace fell upon him and tears Of
happiness rolled down his cheeks. Ris
ing to his feet. and with calm courag,
opening his eyes to the dazzling vision:
which confronted him he raised boil
arms TO heaven and reverently said:
90 thon Great Spirit. know now that
|. thy child. have died and am now il
the happy hunting ground of my kindred
who died before me. Accept thy humbl,
child. o Spirit. Teach him TO understand
thy will and 20 bear with courage tn,
blazing glories of thy habitation."
No sound but the strangely familiar
singing of birds and the rustic of thu
trees in the morning breeze came in an
swer TO his prayer. But though oppresset
with a sense of loneliness and WONDERING