The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-06-06


Gusts. Rabbits and ash and sage hen
were also conspcu0usiy abundant as
preparations went on for the days
feast: and there. upon the Goals. Sput-
tered the elaborate piece de resistance
IA great. fat steer. purchased 10y the /
groom from Farmer Banncn.
The suns rays lost their wonted .
ferceness as they filtered through the /
1 soft. misty autumnal haze; 'he Indian /
braves glided here and there. veritable |
sun gods arrayed in Scant breech /
clouts. their skins glisiening like bur /
nished copper. and their befeathered
heads and painted faces resembling
those of warriors of early days. MeloNi
and WashOe Billy were untiring In
their efforts to do full honor to the oc-
casion, and the villagers felt equally de-
sirous of pushing things to grand
climax.
Ta-tat, in accordance with an old
custom Of the Washoes. sat in solitary
magnificence within her fathers wick
iup. awaiting her lords first command.
Her dainty. beaded moccasins tapped
the pHIlDcH lOOI lNOuNAg AhNlt AC'
NAMED but a few hours ere the closing
of the ceremonies. and her claiming by
Washoe Billy. She cautiously peered
through the loose flap and watched the
festivities. Long shadows stretched
out from the conical mountains; the sun
hung like a blood-red disk just above
the horizon: the feast had begun in
earnest and her people and the we'd
ding guests were gorging themselves
in barbaric Indian fashion. Three hours
of feasting, two hours of dancing. and
then the surrounding Of her lodge by
the jewellers: the brief ceremony of the
. oldest medicine man, and she would be
Washoe Billy'e slave, and her dreams
of love with Hop-Foot things of the
? past.
a The molten sun rested on the apex
= of the Hottest cone-shaped peak; the
| feast progressed beautifully. A rim of
- fire. a sky of brass, and Sol sank on
g Ta-tats wedding day, and the aggre-
cation of redskins had all but removed
g the last vestige of the barbecue. Katy
:. dds chirped an owl hOoted mourn
fully; stars blinked in the high, dark
s ened vault of heaven; fires lighted VI
e the cluster of wickiups, and the wild
d dance was on in earnest Two mos
). hours and Ta-tat's fate was sealed.
/ The black fringed liquid eyes of the
e Indian girl flashed; her bosom rose ant
d fell with suppressed emotion. He ha:
S failed me! Hop-Foot has failed meF
D The words were but half articulated
e and Ta-tat held her breath as if tn
i echoes startled her.
g ''Ta-tat, Ta-tat:''
IT The girls heart throbbed painfully
'-Oh. tits hel Hop-Foot, here am!'
Under the tepee's flap rolled a 18th
- body. 1t was Hop-Foot, the Piute, tn
=, favored lover of MeloXi's daughter
=, The brave and his dusl1y sweethear
10 gazed at each other in profound silenc
~ for a moment Ta-tat's beauty daze
in the dauntless Piute; her wedding fiji
"A cry, her magnificent eyes, her super
- figure! All. she was well worth tn
"a risk
r. Hop-Foot gave her closely wove
ly basket. The young squaw raised tn
I'd lid. and took from its shallow depths
v. small lump of black and white feather
- her maybe Hop-Foot's first gift
oe her.
in You have saved me. Hop-FoOt. W
of are savedv gasped the girl.
ly Goodbye, Ta-tat Goodbye" wit
a farewell caress, the maiden place
ly the uncanny bird on heap of rabbi
~; skins, snatched up the tell-tale baske
us and hurriedly slipped out of the vic
,e- iup at the heels Of Hop-FOot. TT
at kaydids still chirped, the stars twinkle
all knowingly, and the dizzy dancers we
re almost exhausted, rs Hop-FoOt and Il
IN Washoe princess crept through the sa;
ar brush around the base of the pyrami
Sc zeal hill to a nut-pine tree, where tv
ID wiry ponies were tethered.
SIS, Tom-toms signaled the dance
lily cease; torches were lighted, and t
ed procession, headed by MeloXi a.
ere Washoe Billy, advanced toward t
or brides comOdiOus tepee. The throl
encircled the wickiup, torches cast
nts glare of light into every nook. Melo
ed threw back the entrance flap, a.
tat Washoe Billy rushed In to claim
;he bride
Id, I'm Ta-tat, Ta-tat! Ta-tat's hungI
i'm Ha, ha. ha, ha, ha, ha?'
ing The laughter was demoniacal,
it'll voice harsh and fearful. The Gag
tly groom fell back in terror; frenzi
an veil curdled the blood of the encircli
of 49,, ood souo,vs Washoa ri