The Opelousas courier., 1898-11-19
MY INDIANA GUEST.

log nut WHICH 1 niu Dulll Oh tHc ledt
waters of the Abittibi, in northern
Ontario. had lived chiefly upon TIT
beasts Of the field and the fowls O.
the air, with a little of civilization:
pork and tea.
November's first snow warned me
to return to the city. but the charm
OF the forest life vas too powerful anG
| stayed on, laying up treasures Of
health with every day that passed.
Early in December l was returning
late from a days still hunt, with the
edible portion of a does carcass. or ar
extemporiZed toboggan of bi.cl-bark.
when, on approaching my cabin, l OBJ.
served human tracks, not snow-shoe
tracks, but apparently those Of a man
wading laboriously through the four.
feet-deep snow. They led in the di-
~rection of my shanty, and as l had
seen no human face since last Sep
TENDER, when a party of mining pros
pectors passed through, l hurried for.
ward, reached my house, opened the
rude door and went in.
"A pllSAl AlC vas OlIZluS III LIE Dik
fireplace, and directly before the
hearth sat a motionless man. He was
evidently an Indian, for a striped
blanket lay loosely around his Shout
ders, and his long black hair hung
tangled on his neck. A double-bar-
relied gun was leaning against the
wall near him, and on the floor lay a
pair of wet snow-shoes.
He did not even turn to look when
entered, and I, according to north
land etiquette, paid no attention to
him, but set about cutting up and
cooking some of my recently killed
venison. When the meal was ready l
handed my guest a heaping plate and
a steaming bumper Of tea, and sat
myself down on the other side Of the
hearth with a similar regale.
During the progress of the meal,
which necessitated frequent refilling
OF the plates, I had a good opportu-
nifty to observe the Indian closely. He
was dark-colored, very dirty, and
about thirty years old. His face wore
the average Indians impenetrable
look OF stupidity, but it seemed to
me that there was a more than aver
age. amount OF v%iciousness and bru-
tality In his countenance, as he ST.
lently and yoraciously devoured the
venison and "damper'' until the sup
ply was exhausted.
When no more food was offered. he
lighted his pipe and condescended to
give me an explanation Of his pres
ence in a mixture of English, Angli-
cized French and Chippewayan.
me come far; yes, from there. Heap
snow; yer, froid; Injun heap cold. No
deer, no caribou, no mooin Dear.
Enfin, my racket he's broke out bees
cross-bar,-and me got for to wade in
snow so high, an l most cold to death.
for sure if no reach cabin. Vol
la" and he produced the snowshoe in
question, Of which the forward cross
bar had snapped, s%lackening the net
work SO that it was impossible to
keep the foot in the thongs.
However little I liked the appear
OF my guest, l felt that | had
been the means of saving his life, and
threw down half a dozen hides and a
blanket in n corner for hic bed. Be-
ing very tired, l lay down on my
couch shortly after, but my last wax
remembrance was of seeing the
Indian sitting motionless before the
dre, smoking his short pipe and gaz-
Ing solemnly into the glowing Goals.
When / awoke in the morning he
occupied the same position, but his
pipe was gone and the kettle was boil
ing over the fire, which led me to in
that he had not sat there all night.
| got up, and after a wash in an ice
bound, dugout wooden basin outside. J
with the temperature at ten degrees
below zero, proceeded to get break
fast ready.
l had supposed that my red man
leave shortly after this meal, |
but his snow-shoe remained unrepair-
ed, and he showed no inclination for
departure. He continued to smoke,
while I spent the forenoon in storing
away my meat and in cutting fire.
wood, and whenever I re-entered the
cabin I found him sitting precisely as
had left him.
He stayed for dinner. and it was not
until well on in the afternoon that he
began to mend his snow-shoe. He fin
shed it before dark, but Of course I
lid not expect him to start that even
ng, and | went to sleep, leaving him
smoking before the fire, just as on the
hight before.
Now hospitality in the Northern
means something. 1t re
luires the sharing of your last crust.
t need be, with the stranger, for the
next time you may be the stranger
Yourself. At the end Of three days.
however, l began to think that it was
just that my visitor should help
o replenish the harder which he con
inued voraciously to deplete.
So, on arising early the fifth morn
ng after his advent and finding the
lay suitable, ! proposed that he should
AXE his gun and accompany me on a
noose-hunt. He was still in his blan-
Iets, and he only rolled them more
comfortably around his body, and
contemptuously.
You go hunt" he said. me mind
This reply. coming from his greasy,
iirty Incidence, made me boil with
'udden indignation. l made for him
Is he lay, and seizing his collar, pulled
rim out upon the floor and jerked him
o his feet.