Evening journal., 1899-02-14


We're coming to the schoolhouse this |
very day. To save trouble the squaw
advised that they should be fed. In
vain did our teacher reply that the pu-
pills no longer brought their dinners
and that there was nothing 10 feed
them with.
"'Papooses go home-get eat Moosh-
ma insisted
"Hut the teacher said no 70 all Of this. !
kindly but firmly. and at last her visitor !
drew her blanket more closely about !
her and. with a look of disappointment
and anxiety on her usually Inexpensive
face. silently left the schoolhouse.
"Aiooshna had made very deep i'm
preston upon the teacher. and after
brief mental conflict, which knew was
one of the hardest battles that brave
little woman ever fought. she laid the
case before her pupils.
az said no TO Mooshna,' she ex-
planned. because I am not afraid Of
these Indians. But ] wish to say 10
those who are afraid, that if they think
best to 90 home and bring back some7
thing for our expected guests to eat
they have my permission 10 do so. The
only thing ! insist upon is that you all
return. and as quickly as possible.
Mooshna has never told me lie. ard
since she has said they are al goirg
south. am willing TO make this con-
cession.'
IL can tell yop there was one bcy who
made a rush for the door, and was fol-
lowed 10y at. least half the pupils. |
hadn't much breath vher reached my
mothers pantry, and she hadn't much
food left after had made up my bun
die. shall never forget how she
begged me to remain with her. But
though very much frightened. and very
cowardly. / fear, couldn't be as mean
us that. Yet | confess there was no
place like home about that time.
when l entered the schoolhouse
with my package. the teacher laughed
till she cried. can see her now wip-
ing the tears away and hear the merry
hal ha! has with which she greeted me.
We'll. the redskins arrived-fiye Of
them this tlme-looling as black as
thunder clouds and more horribly
painted and bedeeked than ever il
was evident that this call meant bust
ness.
! u thought the teacher would never
dismiss the class. You see. she wasn't
made Of the kind of stuff that could
concede two points the same day. But
at last the little bell tinkled, and we
were at liberty to DO as we pleased.
"The names of the Indians were Deer
Skin. Oak-knot. Thunderbolt, No Eyes
and High Stopper the last being chief
ly distinguished by his long legs and
his ability to get over the ground
quickly.
"But there wasn't one OF the five rho
would have felt any more comprnc,i9D
about numbering the whole lot Of Ms
than they would have felt in killing a
chipmunk.
"The boys and girls who had provided
for this occasion set to work inmedi-
ately to make a good showing Of the
viands. My contribution covered o
whole desk and at once attracted Ihun-
derbolt and High Stopper, who sailed
in to my mothers goodies with an ap-
probation which must have been born
Of a long fast. The more they ate the
better felt. having been early in
structed that man was u very docile an
imal when his stomach was fun.
boy eat said Thundcrbolt. point
ing to a solitary piece cf bread on one
corner of the newspaper
"The boy thus commanded shook his
head; but it must have been a very sick
ly smile that played about his trembling
lips.
"'Boy cat the Indian insisted.
"Boy no like said I. trying 1 o griT
again.
"Just at this point Mary Hammond
and Lizzie Bradbury approached m,
desk. Mary lad piece of cake in hel
hand and Lizzie a sandwich. They hel'
them out apparently in good faith, an'
then. as the Indians were about to talk
! them. they drew them back with a mos
taniallzing and contemptuous expires
sion.
Before l could draw q second brentl
High stopper had seized Mary ant
thrown her across his shoulders as
Snc we're Dull u ltuthtl NtiHAts Aiit
with a war whoop that can hear nov
strobe out of the schoolhouse. n
words Of mine can describe the seen
that followed.
"The other four Indians kept on gor
mandizing, apparently not in the leas
c disturbed by this episode.
: 'sThunderbolt, inspired by the exam
Z. pie OF his comrade. made movement
seize Lizzie. but the teacher and FEY
Of the larger boys stood between.
THE matter was settled by the ol
e rival Of a score or more fathers an
e brothers. who put the wretehes {
S flight
j ''Mary Hammond returned unharme
e but so badly frightened that it wa
!. week or more before she could arti'
v ulate a single word.
T The Indian had mounted his pom
I with his burden still SWING over h
e shoulder. and. after having taken he
: far enough to satisfy his vengeanc
q suddenly dropped her and allowed he
e 10 return TO the settlement.
d whether this unique punishmeI
r was compliment to the girls pai