The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-19

ground 1t was a distinctively char
acteristic Cree Indian mess.
The chilling blasts from the snow
capped nights of the mountain in the
background gave to the infant pap
poose on its mothers back a feeling
of intense dissatisfaction, and it's wall
| ings, mingled with the doleful chant
of the whipping wind, made a cheer
less refrain to an ominous roar of the
threatening elements on that blustery
| day in the gulch not far from Butte.
Chief Bad Tooth returned to camp
from an unsuccessful hunting trip
through the streets of Butte, and he
was cold, stern, morose and sore at
heart. He grunted disapprovingly
when he set his eyes upon the unin-
viting meal spread under the tree He
was hungry for beef, and the great pot
in the center of the spread contained
only potatoes and ham bone.
The chief swore sharply, and the pap
poose flinched as if pricked with pin.
"Squaw," quoth the brave, give to
the child a soothing potion and let
its squeaking voice be heard no more
during the dinner hour
My lord" spoke the squaw with
trepidation, 'our child has swallowed
one of my brass earrings
What!' roared the bleareyed mo-
ding presents my father gave you?
How did it do it?"
Il do not know; did not miss it until
the child began to cry and fret"
Inc chief was full of anger and his
words were exceedingly harsh. He
would nave killed the child then and
there If the squaw had not promptly
taken the hint and scurried away with
her young. She remained absent for
period of two hours, and when she
returned the chief was asleep in the
tepee near by.
Fresh beef" said the squaw. shy
ing a glance of her eyes in the direc-
tlon OF the tepee where her huge lord
lay in repose. 1--WE ought to try to get
some beef for father, for he expressed
slgnlflcant wish for some. Where
can we find some?" directing the cues
tlon at her dozen children at her side
all shaking with fear. for they re-
garded their father with deep concern
as well as with affection mixed with
fear.
The flaps of the tepee parted. and
from behind their folds emerged the
stern faced buck. He approached the
srup pie" with coldness on his face
ueler NATION in his flinty eyes. He
nau oeen drinking, and the wife knew
IT, Tor she saw in his hand half emp
tied black bottle
me little pappoose had been taken
from the back of its mother and placed
upon the ground. 1t was still asleep
Great opalescent tears trickled down
the dusky faces of the children. for
they saw in the actions of their beloved
yet stern parent a premonition of evil
storm, tempest of wrath What
might he not do was the question agi-
| hn I'll -
Dlood relatives. The pappoose lay with
its face to the clouds, an occasional
spasm of pain crossing it's knitted
brow. The demon within the man be-
gan TO creep out, and with Cree oath
that shook the smoke blasted limbs OF
crusty old fir tree near by, father
MT mother over the head with a rock.
her piercing screams awaken the
troubled little sleeper. and it opened
us eyes with cry that aroused the
OLD man. Again that demoniacal oath
came, and with 1t a mighty lunge. with
a crash the black bottle fell across the
head of the infant, whose piping voice
was then stilled forever. The Cree
brave fell forward upon his face ana
slept until the whisky that soaked ms
brain had evaporated. Then the awak-
ening came.
A shroud of immaculate whiteness
was spread over the earth. The child
lay by the side of the murderous "a
Their, cold in death. The Indian. suileh
and stolid at all times, now fell upon
his face and tore his hair, shriekins
like the demon that had tormented nun
to commit the deed of few hou,s
before. No one was near at hahu'
mother and children in the supersu
tious dread that follows infanticide hau
fled. Alone with the dead wept ~
silence the Cree brave. wrapping w
blankets about the little form, M
Bad Tooth carried the body away ifou .
the scene. At the summit OF W.
mountain he tenderely placed the oou.
high upon a rock. and, turning MS las s
toward the gulch where few hU ,.r
before he had gossiped with the c.lT
dren, cried i'm accents wild and pa ~
"Ah. to the gods of appetite
my tear-stained words. ! have sNep,
the plains and the hills with my no,
easins and have breathed the pure
OF the pine scented forests ~ we" ~.
that Of the busy dirty streets ~ wv
city but just once craVea Nv
straight ! lost my reason wh'n ,s
rnvenous desire for beef stralghl a''+
and now l lay me down 20 sleep