The Opelousas courier., 1900-05-26
THE STORY OF A LANCE HEAD.
Romance Of q Spaniard Who DHelt Among the Blackfeet.

as they sat about the fire tOastlnE
some meat the air was suddenly filled
with arrows, and all of the stranger.
companions fell over with scarcely 1
cry or a struggle. He, too, was hit,
deep in the thigh, but pulled the al.
row out, and with one jump went ovel
the. high bank into therushing stream.
He foat6d and swan a long way with
the current and then, crawling out on
the Shore started to cross the valley
out to the rolling plain. When be
left this stream the next morning he
travelled two days without finding
water or anything to eat, and then he
must have gone crazy, for the next
thing he knew he was in IL lodge.
"Well, when he had told his story,
my father asked him what he intended
to do; If he would return to his coun-
try. or remain with us. He said that
he could never go back, much as he
wished to, for the great chief would
kill him; so no would stay with us as
long as he lived. That pleased my
father; he gave him my sister for q
wife, o lodge, rich clothing, good
weapons and many horses. We named
him Spai.yu, which is the word for
his tribe of white men.
$50 the years went on, and I grew
up to be a tall, strong young man.
One day We were riding together
ahead of the great camp, which was
moving from the Belt mountains to
the. big falls on the Missouri, when he
said to me:
Brother, something is continually
pulling at my heart to- return to my
country. Not to stay, but just to
punish that bad brother of mine. , I
have tried hard to resist this, for the
sake of my wife, but l can do SO no
longer. I must go. Will you take
the trail with me?'
"Of course I would, and 400 war
rlors came with Ms. We travelled very
slowly, as we had q long way to go.
n wished to keep our horses always
and fat. Sometimes we camped
Oh three days at a time, where
game was plentiful and the grass good,
hunting while our animals rested.
After following up the Mountain Sheep
river, we kept on south along the foot
OF q great range, and after some
days crossed over on a trail used by
the tribes of that country, and again
travelled to the south. There the coun-
Try was not SO open, and many little
ranges Of mountains barred cur path.
After many days We came again to
great open plains where the buffalo
plentiful, but the country was
dry, and W. often suffered for water.
One day We saw in the distance what
Iooked like q great fat rock, upon
which people were moving about, and
told us it was made Of mud
oy the people who lived in ii. AS we
ode nearer, those of the strange build
srs who were not around on the plain
,iimbed up sticks to the top of the
walls, and then pulled up the sticks.
often, too, we passed. great herds of
beautiful, large, strong horses, and we
lated TO leave them; but Spaiayu had
all we conld drive away OF
hose belonging to him and his
,rother, and we did in all things as
le wished us to. At last, n evening.
came to a low ridge covered with
rees, and he told us to camp, for ON
he other side Of it, in a broad, open
alley, wal his homes BY many a
amp IRE Cd the way we had planned
nst what should be done, and now.
9 we lay in the brush, without fire or
heller. we talked it all over for the
ast time.
With the first light of morning
saddlcd up and rode to the top OF
be ridge, whore, looking ont through
ne trees, We saw the great stone lodge.
nrrounded by q beautiful grove. On
III sides of it we're wide fields. where
lany things were planted. A little
up the valley we're many low.
'ooden lodges, where lived the people
worked these fields; they were
indians. and no great fighters, we had
cen told. Still further away we
see the hillsides covered with
orses, and our hearts were glad.
.'resenty the people came out Of their
anu Went TO Work.
Now, my friends, said Spai-yu.
Ee will charge; remember what have
5UfeSn told you: No women are to
Q kllAad; you will know my brother
his wight red hair, and must not
,uch hsn; leave him to me.
1.-THE Rsxtinstant we we're off; quiet
Of first, but AS the nearer workers
w usesnd an for their lodges, we
ave te var cry and rode like the
Many of the people gained the
dges before we did, and from doors !
ID windows fred guns at MS. A few !
II; the rest Of as pushed on, jumped {
our horses and rushed in; the
rger part Of n baud had gone to !
70 upper lodges, and I was with J
and the lest before the stone {
dge. A lot of men were In front of !
q great doors. and at their head / |
the red-haired one; they all had |
and pistols and were shooting at /
IT was but for D second, though. !
ID then the most of them lay dead $
mere they had stood, and we rushed q
side sitter the few who fed. The &
d-haired q ran into q great room I
the left, spai-yu and I at his heels. :
2 ran to . couch grasped d sword. !
q turned on US, making q lunge at !
= friend. Spai-yu said something
d struck the sword with his war
AZ so that il few away to 4 distant
rner, and at the same time the bad i
recognized his brother, fell on his b
ices, and I knew that he was praying a
! bic life. I looked at Spai-yn; lie 4
ii sfailinp Iika q 1iftio al,;f.7 1879 y