The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-08-18

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ample" he went on hastily, ''every In
dian has his medicine. and I fancy it
would be about as difficult and sacrile-
gious proceeding to buy the dead body
OF an English gentleman from his son as
10 buy chiefs medicine-bag from hin. -
II don't think understand about their
medicine" Miss Allyn seemed 80 inter
ested that Lamont started off on a long
dissertation upon the much-discussed
medicine of the Indian.
! And nothing will induce a good In.
/ dian to part with his particular medi-
cine," he wound up. 'tHe makes it when
[ as boy, he leaves his fathers teepee
and goes into the woods fasting and
dreaming all alone. After a certain
amount Of fasting he naturally sinks into
| an exhausted sleep, and the first animal
he dreams of he takes to be his special
medicine On waking he goes in pursuit
OF this bird or beast, makes of its skin the
medicine-bag and fills it with a conRIom-
Grafton OF things that causes the witches
cauldron in Macbeth to appear q simple
affair in comparison. To lose or sell this
medicine is the most drea aful thing that
can happen to brave, and in fight il
one can succeed in capturing the medicine
OF another the whole tribe makes a ter
rible row over the victor. His prestige
becomes enormous, and he can wear both
medicines. The beggars think 80 much
OF the idiotic thing that the medicine-baa
is always buried with them, and nothing
would induce an Indian to steal one from
corpse. 1t would then become a terri
BILE curse, and heaven only knows what
punishment the other Indians would mete
out to him. It really isn't nice to think
about 1t"
"Well. if it isn't nice it certainly is in
teresting."
ayes, it is interesting" went on La.
mont, meditatively. did you hear OF
that bad Indian chief who died about
three weeks ago just the other side of the
line In Montana 1t seems he was an
awful brute, and everybody, especially
| the United States troops who have had
bloody times with him and his band, was
delighted when the beggar died of pneu.
monia-they are very susceptible to lung
| troubles. you know. But some of his
Peigan relatives over here must have had
sneaking fondness for him, for they
brought his body back and buried 1t in
great state about $50 miles south of here
Pretty Feathers told me there had moi
been such grand funeral in years among
the Indians."
Miss Allyn's face suddenly expressed
some real interest.
"How / wish [ had seen it," she ex-
claimed, land how should like to have
bis medicine-bag! What trophy to take
, back! Pm tired to death Of all these
head-dresses and coup-sticks and things
that enc can buy for song. But to
have something really curious like 8
MISUNDERSTANDING that they didn't
want you to have-that would be finev
"Se you would like his medicine-bag
/ L will bring it to you"
She gave Lamont bewildering look
"But won't 1t b. dangerous to getq
"OShNh o0FO ySA uA any AI5As 1OE b
mere whim of mine.''
The young man gazed at her with mar
rowed lids, and there was a reckless
light in his eyes. <....-..
''Oh, not much ~ he said, slowly.
"Any way. it doesn't matter about thu
risks
1t was too good TO be true. Here wa,
the very opportunity to get rid OF him for
while at least. After little she would
have use for him again, but just now she
was glad 60 get him out Of. her sight.
"Great Buffalo was such noted dee-
perado," he went on, after a moments
contemplation of his pony's bride, sthat
it would really be worth while to take
back bis big medicine TO your civilized
land 80 sort Of proof that your adven,
TO our wild west had not been In vain.
The body Is buried in some high trees,
OF course, out on the prairie. There was
some sort Of an Indian guard kept there
at first, 1 believe, but It has doubtless
been Withdrawn by this time. Any way,
I'm not afraid of them, nor OF the curse
that 10 said TO fall upon the despoiler OF
medicine bags. Perhaps it viii have
some spell in it that will bring good =
or bad--luck TO me. Who knows? n
Don't don't, " said Miss Allyn, with
q little shudder,
ssIt's the least one can do for you,n
continued Lamont, whimsically. sYou
say you are disappointed In the country. y
"Yes,' said Miss Allyn, laughing