The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-12-06
/ The ThundererS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
From Casselrs Magazine. Reprinted by Special
PermissiOn)

AIhER says IL LOOKS like tuuH-
der" said little rosy-faced Ca
madam boy as he pranced down to the
river bank and stood like a small en-
peror in the middle of the Indian snow
shoe makers.
"Your father knows all about some
things" said Ossawippi; "but white
men can't read the clouds like Indians,
any more than Indians can read books
like white men. There won't be any
thunder to-day"
"Pm sorry for that" said the little
Canadian. l like to hear thunder. 1t
sounds almost as fine as menagerie.
But mothers frightened"
Il don't know what menagerie is.
said the Indian chief; ''but the Thun-
derers are good, and nobody ought to
be frightened of them-only the bad
people, at any rate"
''Tril me who the Thunderers are"
commanded Rennie.
And then Ossawippi told this story:
Once upon time there were three
Wyandot braves who set out to make
raid on the Cherokees; and the country
Of the Cherokees was long way off.
far down in the south. Just before they
got there one of che braves had his leg
broken by tree falling on it.
what shall we do?" said one of the
Others ''By the Wyandot law we must
carry him home, but It's long way.
Let Us kill him and say the bears took
him"
The other man said: mo, that would
: be too wicked" But after they had
carried the broken man one day they
were both very tired. and they threw
him into dark pit. and went home and
said he had been eaten by bears. His
mother was a widow, and she had no
other son, so she cried very long white.
But her son wasn't so dead as she
i thought him. When he fell on the bot
tom of the pit his broken leg hurt him.
and he cried aloud. Then he saw an old
man come out of hole in the side of
the pit. and the old man had long. white
hair sticking straight out all round his
head
What can I do for you, my sonoo'
said the old man.
You can mend my broken leg, if
you're c.ever enough" said the Wyan-
dot.
Ny medicine is great" said the old
man. L could mend You if you were
broken in seven pieces. But what will
you give meo'
anything you like said the Indian,
II you mend me at once
Then promise that you will live with
me, and hunt for me. and bring home
Inc game by yourself
Inc young man promised. and the old
man bent down and touched the broken
lss with the hair of his head; and the
yoang man sprang up and danced as
nnothing mad happened.
They lived together al, the winter.
saa tne young man went out every day
~ brought back deer and bears and
M geese and fish. enough for week 5
ieastlng; but after he had eaten his
.pper and gone to sleep the old man
UP all the rest, so that there was
coe even a bone to pick for breakfast
ns morning the young man went out
-au wandered far into the woods with
~ seeing a live thing. There was not
seuna to be heard except the dripping
s. ane trees. for spring was coming and
s sun was hot; and the snow was soft
al the trails We're melted out. Al
! sudden he spied monstrous bear
A.s year saw him and began to climb a
out the young man strung his
q hard and let fly an arrow. and the
tumbled down. The snow was
oat when the big bear fell on i,
was crash like the ice breaking
Y the river. The hunter pulled ou,
arrow, and looked round te
~nere the noice came from.
Ut down your bow" said voice
e over his head, like the voice of a
seat chief.
u Us hunter looked up, and there wa.
white bird perched on the top O
fes; and the bird flew down, ant