Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1903-12-11

EcdT y cyFS went 10 the NOOT, ana Ills
face set Erimly, but he said nothing.
I turned IL Watona; she was giggling
agnin.
Come" said the agent. suddenly
finding out that ho had many affairs to
attend to, 1--WE mustn't stop here all
day. A man likes his place to himself
the first moon of his m%ating-eh,
Young Bear"
Young Bear grunted.
"Oh, q bride!" | exclaimed, then |
must present a little gift" But what
should 1t be? A three weeks s~ojourn
in the very precincts OF a n Indian viii
lage had left me with few possessions.
The trinkets which | had brought with
me for the purpose of winning my way
to the hearts of the women and chill
dren had vanished like mist before the
morning sun. Anything nor jealous,
Ore importunate than an Indian in
search of a gift | have neve" met. My
store OF thimbles-used for decoration
purposes only-necklaces, gun-metal
buckles, scarlet betting and cambria
sashcs vas exhausted. Yet | must find
a wedding present. ! had It. From
the shopping-bag which carried in
my tramps with the agent as a recep.
tacle for the different specimens of
wild flowers to be found, | drew a
gaudy silk handkerchief. It gave me
genuine pleasure to pass it on. It had
come into my possession rather against
my will only the day before. | had
been taking a solitary ramblc along
the trees bordering the river, and a
great, fiercc-looking Indian woman had
met me and thrust the thing in my
face with an imperative, Buy. buy,
buy" To humor her | had taken 1t,
giving her at the same time a piece of
silver. Then, thinking TO make her
a little more human, a little less fierce,
held it out to her again.
Take it, spoken in my most win
ming notes, "and tie it about You neck.
| am sure you would not wish to part
with it,"
She had thrown, actually thrown it
back at ne, and sped away with a curse
for some one on her tongue. Assuredly
| was glad TO pass the 'kerchief on TO
Watona.
With ~pardOnablc pride | shook II out
Of its folds, and laid it on the knee of
the bride. Her eyes lighted ercedily
but before she could grasp 1t Young
Bear had it in his hands. Sol" he
muttered; then again that retrospective
"So,"
Watona made two Intellectual at
tempts to get the thing into her posses
sion. ct is mine. mine" she kept re
itcrating, but he did not pay the least
attention. Once | caught his eye flash
ing swiftly toward Il distant corner,
and following his glance | made a
curious discovery. What | had though
to be a dog lying under a gray blanket
was no dog, but a human being. A
hand pushed the blanket aside, up
came a dark face; W. blazing eyes
fastened themselves Oh the Indian and
his bride. Watona began pushing her
brass bracelets up and down cxcitedly,
clamOring the while for her possess
siOns. Big Bear sat unhccding, a
curious air OF shame about him. He
kept fast hold of the scarlet and blue
rag. and once again his eyes flashed to-
ward the gray blanket.
Suddenly the %rccumbcnt figure in the
corner rose to its full height and came
forward. with a start | recognized
the Indian woman who had sold me
the handkerchief, There was no mis-
taking that strong face. that great fig
ure, no installing the eyes which
seemed demanding that some wrong
as deep as he'll be rightcd. Yet, when
she spoke, her voice was calm, almost
contcmptuous. GIVE it 10 me" She
held the 'kerchicf off, and looked at It,
her fingers fingered on il. at was
mine. My man, my man, Wa,ona, laid
It on my h~rst-born's cradle as n gift
for me. Ny young chief, my straight
thing, my strong and laughing thing
put out hands for it, would have It,"
Young Bear called out savagcly, but
az II was In his native tongue | could
only conclude from the way she met it
that be was commanding her TO leave
the lodge.
ct Is not time" she said. All
through Sh" spoke in English as
though wishing me TO understand what
was going forward, Il Will not go yet.
Shall I.ala go back to her own people
and cry for all to hear my head Ia in
the DUST You east me forth, you
take hero, the scorn Unreasonable
In that wOrd-"tO your bed, you put
my chains on her-see my neck y bare,
put my moccasins on her-see my feet
are bare-put all on her, Lala is naked,
You give her fish, and bread, and game,