Evening star., 1903-09-12

1t was clear sumfpfr day. The blue
blue sky dropped low ;oyser the edge of the
green level land. large yellow sun hung
directly overhead. Cost
The singing of birds; :;Alled the summer
space between earth RAdl sky with sweet
music. Again and again sang a yellow
breasted birdie-"Kodas nj Dakotar He
insisted upon it. "Koda Nj Dakotar'
which was Friend. you're a Dakota!
Friend. you're a Dakotar' Perchance the
birdie meant the avenger with the magic
arrow. for there across the plain he strobe.
He was handsome In his paint ana feathers,
proud with his greatsbuckskfn CULVER on
his back and long bow:in his hand. Afar
to an eastern camp of cone-shaped teepees
he was going. There oyer the Indian VIII
lage lowered large red eagle threatening
the safety of the people, Every morning
rose this terrible red bird out of high
chalk bluf1 and spreading out his gigantic
wings scared slowly over the round camp
ground Then 1t was that the people, ter
stricken. ran screaming into their
lodges. Covering their heads with their
blankets. they sat trembling with fear. No
one dared to venture out till the red eagle
had disappeared beyond the west. where
meet the blue and green.
find among his warriors a powerful marks
man who could send death arrow to the
man hungry bird. At last to urge his men
to their utmost skill he bade his crier pro-
| claim new reward.
OF the chieftain's two beautiful daughters
he would have HIS choice who brought the
dreaded red eagle with an arrow in its
breast.
Upon hearing these words the men Of the
village. both young and old, both heroes
and cowards trimmed new arrows for the
contest At gray dawn there stood indis-
tinct under the shadow of the bluff many
human figures silent ghosts and wrap
ped in robes girdled tight about their
waists, they waited with chosen bow and
| arrow. -
Some cunning old warriors stayed not
| with the group. They crouched low upon
| the open ground But all eyes alike were
fixed upon the top of the high bluff Breath
less they watched for the soaring of the red
eagle.
From within the dwellings many eyes
! peeped through the small holes an the front
| lapels of the teepee. With shaking knees
| and hard-set teeth. the women peered out
upon the Dakota men prowling about with
bows and arrows.
| AT length when the morning sun also
peeped over the eastern horizon at the
| armed Dakotas, the red eagle walked out
! upon the edge of the cliff. Pluming his gor-
| geous feathers he ruft1ed his neck and flap
ped his strong wings together. Then he
| dived into the air. Slowly he winged his
| way over the round camp ground; over the
| men with their strong bows and arrows!
| In an instant the long bows were bent
Strong straight arrows with red feathered
| tips sped upward to the blue sky. All;
| slowly moved those Indifferent wings,
| touched by the poison-beaked arrows or
| to the west beyond the reach of arrow, be-
yond the reach of eye, the red eagle flew
away.
A sudden clamor of high-pitched voices
broke the deadly stiffness of the dawn.
The women talked excitedly about the in
vulnerable red of the eagles feathers. while
the would-be heroes sulked within their
wigwams. "He-he-he!' groaned the chief
tain.
On the evening of the same day sat
group of hunters around a bright burning
fire. They were talking of strange young
man whom they spied while out upon a
hunt for deer beyond the bluffs. They saw
the stranger taking aim. Following the
point of his arrow with their eyes, they
beheld herd of buffalo. The arrow sprang
from the bow! 1t darted into the skull OF
the foremost buffalo But unlike other ar
rows 1t pierced through the head of the
creature and spinning in the air lit into the
next buffalo head. One by one the buffalo
fell upon the sweet grass they were grazing.
With straight quivering limbs they lay on
their sides. The young man stood calmly
by counting on his fingers the buffalo as
they dropped dead to the ground. When the
last one fell. he ran thither and picking up
his magic arrow wiped IT. carefully on the !
soft grass. He slipped 1t into his long firing |
ed culver. ~
He is going to make a feast for some |
hungry tribe Of men or beastsr cried the |
hunters among themselves as they hastened |
away. Ft
They were afraid of the stranger with the |
sacred arrow. When the hunters tale Of |
the strangers arrow reached the ears of the |
chieftain, his face frightened with smile. |
He sent forth fleet horsemen to learn of
him his birth. his name and his deeds.
''If he is the avenger with the magic ar
row, sprung up from the earth out of
clot of buffalo blood. bid him come hither.
Let him kill the red eagle with his magic
arrow. Let him win for himself one of my
bod Il 1T
mess myers for the old story of the badgers
manson was known all over the level
lands
After four days and nights the braves re-
turned. He Is coming" they said. I'VE
have seen him. He is straight and tall:
handsome in face. with large black eyes.
He paints his round cheeks with bright red. |
and wears the penciled lines of red over his
temples like our men of honored rank He
carries on his back a long fringed quiyer in
which he keeps his magic arrow. His bow
is long and strong. He Is coming now to
kill the big red eagle All around the
camp ground from mouth to ear passed
those words of the returned messengers.
Now 1t CHANGED that immortal Iktomi.
fully recovered from the brown burnt spots.
overheard the people talking. At once he
was filled with a new desire. IF only I
had the magic arrow. would kill the red
eagle and win the chieftain's daughter for
a wife" said he in his heart.
Back to his lonely wigwam he fastened.
Beneath the tree in front of his teepee he
sat upon the ground with chin between his
drawn-up knees. His keen eyes scanned
the wide plain. He was watching for the
avenger.
He is coming! said the people," NUT
tered old Iktomi. All of sudden he raised
an open palm to his brow and peered afar
into the west. The summer sun hung bright
in the middle of cloudIess sky. There
across the green prairie was a man walk
ing bareheaded toward the east
"Ha! ha! it's he! the man with the magic
arrow!' laughed Iktomi. And when the bird
with the yellow breast sang loud again {
Koda Nj Dakota! Friend, you're Da-
1ota"' Iktomi put his hand over his mouth
as he threw his head far backward, laugh
ng at both the bird and man.
He is your friend. but his arrow will kill
)ne of your kind! He is Dakota, but soon
ne II grow into the bark on this tree Ha!
ia! ha!'' he laughed again.
The young avenger walked with Swayng
strides nearer and nearer toward the lone E
y wigwam and tree. Iktomi heard the [
,wsh! swish! of the strangers feet through
he tall grass. He was passing now beyond
he tree. when Iktomi. springing to his feet I
,alled out: How. how. my friend. I see
5ou are dressed in handsome deerskins and
lave red paint on your cheeks You are
,oing to some feast or dance may l ask?"