Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-23

ly earnest eyes.
And when / come bayk you'll be
my orderly just the same; promise"
'Just the same" said the Weasel.
But when she came back she was
no longer Tocnie, the child. She was
Miss Adair. no further opposed to be-
ing called Judith; indeed, preferring
tito the loving pet name of her baby
hood, which, she said, was silly.
The Indian was back on the plains,
very tall and straight, in neat gar
ments of civilization. He hal passed
through the school with much honor,
and was now to act as missionary
among his own people. The colonel
cent for him on the night of Judith
Adair's arrival.
Here's your old orderly, my dear"
said he
She looked up from the chair where
she was reading some letters-lcoked
at him with a smile of curiccity.
We'll, l never, papa" she said
HE looks quite civilized. l am glad
to hear you got on so WE'LL" she add
ed, with nod to the Weasel, and re-
sumed her reading.
The Indian went out silently, nor
looked so tall and straight and happily
expectant as when he entered
He had ridden in from the mission, 10
miles from the post where he was quar-
tered. The moon was up when he silent
~ left the post after that chilling indif-
ferent greeting. The clouds that sour
ried low beneath earth and moon cast
Pickering, hasty shadows on the uneven
plain, but the shadow that had fallen on
his life never lifted.
He was civilized. For years he had
lived With white people. He barely re-
membered the baby days OF tepees and
squaws and ponies and bows and arrows.
She had civilized him, she cnd the
long happy thoughts OF her In the days
at school and college when his own
blood brothers had been things of pity
TO him becauso they had never been
blessed with friendship by her-when
his teachers had wondered at his tow
erng ambition and his intense industry,
The Indians head droop..,. Swiftly
there came to him n conviction of the
wrong done him. Over all those great
plains there were two peoples, two great
families-the white and the red. Each
member OF these had his brother, his
father, close ties OF kinship. In all the
breadth of the land he stood utterly
alone and apart.
He was civilizedLhalf and half, neither
one thing nor the other. He had turned
away from his brothers at the beck of his
teachers. He had done his task; he had
succeeded. He had been held up as a
shining light an example OF what might
be done With one OF his race.
There it stopped. He had dreamed of
being a white among whites whose
creed had been dinned In his ears-"all
men are equal" Only tonight had she.
by glance and word, let him realize
how he had deceived himself, TO please
her he had obeyed as q child, studied
as a boy. labored at college. To please
her
well I never, He looks quite civilized.
I am glad you are getting on go WELL"
she had said.
AT d crossing Of trails he met an old
Indian freighter, going to the post to sell
watermelons to the soldiers. The Weasel
stopped him and gave him some money,
and made a bargain, and the old freighter
went on his way with a good suit OF
clothes from the east, and the Weasel
dashed into the darkness, where hid far,
far away, the Indian reservation, and on
his legs and feet were fringed and bead
ed moccasins, and round him was wrap
ped a gaudy blanket.
AS the Weasel rode toward the reserva-
ton that night. and while yet many miles
from the legally constituted camp, he
heard the beat of savage drums in a lone
ly valley off the trail, and, IN the sombre
despair of his heart. he galloped toward
the sound, eager to Join his kin and have
the ordeal of return over
He came on a scene which made him
rein in abruptly. BY moonlight and the
glare of fires, he saw the fearful crowd.
painted, plumed and feathered, flourish
ing guns and Old fashioned tomahawks,
leaping. bowling dancing in devlish cir
Giles Of frenzied eyes and convulsed limbs,
while the drums beat and the singers
chanted a war song.
Not that alone In the middle Of the
circle they had erected kind Of gallows
HOOKS at the end. Ey these hooks, imbed-
ded in the muscles of their shoulders,
hung young men, with grim, determined,
silent lips and sweating brows, waiting
stocally until the flesh would tear away
and allow them to drop.
Through such an ordeal they would pass
TO the rank OF warriors. Did they falter
their place would be with the women and
children.
The Weasel, fresh from civilization
from school and from study. from church
and chapel; sickened at the sight of his
brothers thus employed. They saw him
speedily and were soon about him. recog-
mixing him for his history was we'll
known IN the tribe They applauded his
blanket. sign of return to his own folk
they jeered him for staying so long away,
and he found, to his distress, that hts
tongue, so long unused TO 1t, halted when
he sought 70 answer them in their own.
his own. language.
He told them that he had come back
for good. that the talk of the white man
was deceitful. and no red man could ever
be one Of them: that such a one as nc
must submit TO be an inferior. an object
of mingled curiosity and contempt. They
danced about him and sang improvised
songs about him.
Then suddenly the young brave who
led them leaped forward and made a
speech. and said that their brother was
welcome bfit ne must y1rOva that he uas