Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-05-13
FAILING STAR IN NEW YORK
A. Young AbenaSi Indian, Widow Whose
Face Is, Her Fortune.

A. Young AbenaIsi Indian, Widow Whose
Face Is, Her Fortune.
Falling Star is an Abenaki, Indian
who lives in Sixth avenue, New York
city, though she really doesn't care for
the locality The fact is, the current of
Failing life has changed 80 sud-
denly and so completely that she hasn't
grown accustomed to 1t yet. It all
happened about o month"; ago when she
went to Mrs. Harriet Maxwell Converse,
the friend and helper of all the Indians
In that part of the country While
Failing Star told her tale of woe, Mrs.
Converse examined the face, which had
at once struck her by its pure Indian
character. The,woman wanted to leave
some baskets for security for her fare
to Luzerne, where, she has an invalid
mother. She was considerably surr
prised when Mr. Converse paid no att
tention. to thetbaskets, but asked her to
takaaof her hat The request was for
her to- let down her hair. Still WON
deringS she complied. Did you know
that you have a.fortune in your facet"
asked Mrs. Converse, who knows where
noIndian woman, would begin. to- cali
eulate a fortune. Failing Star put her
hand up to- her face in. a. bawildeTed
way, She understood leesathang ever.
She felt queer, ThenheF new, friend eN-
planned to her; told, herr that shey just
poor, forlornn Falling Star, was a fine
type Of her race; that great artists
would make pictures Of her and pay
her for merely sitting still by, the, hour.
Failing Star appreciated the kindness
of this sanguine person, but secretly
she hadGher doubts and they werecvery
grave. Nevertheless, she consented to
place herself in the hands of her would
be- fairy godmothep. Andu now She is
making lotssof money, posing for arr
tists,' modeAers, and Students. The
Abenaki Indian woman, was surprised
enough. that the, artists should want to
make pictures of her. But that was al
most nothing to thee astonishing fact
that some professor wanted to- model
her for the Natural History museum.
When. MRS. Converse approached her
with, thissnew proposition, Ealing Star
conGludeddthat wonders would never
cease., She said that she would let
these peculiar people, model her face,
her hands, and her feet, but that she
wouldn't bare her shoulders, for any
| body She posess always, in costume.
Oneawoman artist twhoois, painting her
| in a. private studio,j wanted. the shout
ders,. neck, and arms bare; but Falling
Star would not consent. The artist was
obliged to compromise ON arm and
shoulder. When the giddy students
chatter about Falling Stars mounfnl
expression they dOonot know that they
touch o. sore chords She isn't SORROW
| ing for her race. She has nearer griefs
than that. She has, seemed to be pur-
sued by an unkiRd fate. She was Torn
and brought up; in the Indian village
| of ST. Francis, near Montreal. Here
she liyaA twentyyyears, wearing IoQcea-
| SIMS, weaving baskets learning the
wood lDre of her father. He died fin;
ally. Her brother was murdered! Hell
husband died suddenly Falling Stai
became the support of. the family. Their
her only child. died. Last sprSng hel
sister followed the others. Only thu
1 invalid mothey remains. She is, up 81
4 ILllzeTne, who're are buried the. sistel
and Falling Stars; llAtle girl. Perhaps
the studentsswouldl understand the. sad
ness which. they find so valuable IL
their new model il they could see tn,
picture of those two graves. They am
I the one thing. ON this EARTH. aside fron
Aer motheS.. which she loves. They ar