The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-22
n pair Of Moccasins.
Gordon Rogers to Miss Mabel Moore;

Gordon Rogers TO Miss Mabel Moore:
Chicago March IL. 1S-.
Dearest Mabel have been racking
my brain To send you something for
your birthday that will be "A little out
OF the common. l think the box that
you will receive today will be uncon-
ventional enough to suit any girl. Ii Is
box of relics from the old fort. where
l was stationed out West Most of the
things were given me by Indians some
OF them l found. The bone whistle
tdon't be afraid OF iD was made from
the bone OF a mans forearm; the little
red things are petrified mice--the In
dians carry them for medicine gods.
We found seven or eight of them piled
together on "A river bank. Also the
petrified frog-you will know il. as l
labeled il, and all the other things, ex-
cept the little pair OF moccasins; they
are worth the whole contents of the
box an old Indian chief gave them to
me. / often called on the old z How,
but had not been near him for "A long
time. when one day an old squaw came
TO me and asked me to go with her
To his tepee. She told me that he had
sent her for me, and that she believed
the old chief was dying. When we
reached the tepee the Indian was sit
ting on "a pile OF blankets, one of them
drawn around his stately shoulders
saw in an instant that IL was "A great
effort for him TO remain in that posi-
tion. and FASTENED to relieve him; but
he disregarded my efforts and mo-
toned me TO a seat near him with dig
nifty. i sat down on the seat indicated
IL was painful 10 listen TO the old
chief. as he told his story. painting for
breath and strength 60 maintain his
sitting posture. II was a most pitlful
story. He had lost his only papoose
years before. He had been gone for
several days hunting. and when he re-
turned. with his brothers, she was
gone. He and his braves hunted for
her; hut all that they found were her
little moccasins ont on the bad lands.
The tribe wanted their chief 90 gS away
with them. but he never could he pre-
vailed upon 20 leave that camp. He
lived his lonely life with only the old
squaw. wandering over the bad lands,
calling on the Great Spirit TO bring
back his Morning Sun. The old squaw
told me that the child called herself
Mona" When he had finished his
sad story the Indian drew from his
breast the little moccasins, and hand
ing them 10 me said:
"The Great Spirit has called Red
Eagle 60 the happy hunting grounds
take these. the moccasins Of Morning
sun.-she has need OF them. she longs
HE head fell forward. and he hail
spoken his last; the Great Spirit had
taken him 90 the happy hunting
grounds.
It is over twenty years since the child
was lost. I have never been able to
find the faintest clew and I don't feel
that ! am betraying the old chiefs trust
in sending the moccasins to grace the
abode OF a paleface princess DO you
not think i am right. dear? / hope you
will Hike your strange birthday present
and if ell goes well we will be enjoy
ing our honeymoon year from now.
Mabel unpacked the box bur all the
other curiosities seemed TO fade into
InsiRnficsnce when sh- drew the moe
cssins from their wrapper. They wer~
stained and worn. she sat On the MOOR