Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-09-25

] Out on the Pampas ]
s2222222a22Ss sssssss,,Gss>e2e22SeSss2eeS
By q. A. HENTY

|
Soon they We're seen approaching and
taking their seats gravely on the ground
in front of the hut Of the principal
chief The women, the youths and such
men as had not as yet by their feats in
battle distinguished themselves sufficient
ly to be summoned to the council, assem-
bled at short distance off, The coun-
c1l sat in the form of a circle, the inner
ring being formed Of the elder and lead
ing men of the tribe, while the warriors
sat round them.
Struck by the hush which had suddenly
succeeded to the noise of the village,
Ethel again went to the door. She was
greatly struck by the scene, and was look
ing wonderingly at it, when she felt a
touch on her shoulder, and on looking
round saw the Fawn gazed pityingly at
her, and at the same time signing to her
to come in.
The truth at once flashed across EtheIs
mind. The council had met to decide her
fate. and she did not doubt for moment
what that decision would be- She felt
that all hope was over, and retiring into
the hut passed the time in prayer and
in preparation for the fearful ordeal
which was at hand
After the council had met there was n
pause Of expectation, and the Stag then
| rose.
My brothers, my heart Is very glad.
The Great Spirit has ceased to frown up
on his children. Twice we went out, and
twice returned empty handed, while many
or our lodges were empty. The guns
which shoot without loading were too
strong for us, and we returned sorrowful
Last year We did not go out; the hearts
of our braves were heavy. This year we
said perhaps the Great Spirit will no
longer be angry with his children, and
we went out. This time we have not re-
turned empty handed. The lowing of
cattle Is in my ear; and see many sheep.
The white men have felt the strength of
our arms; and Of the young men who
went out with me there is not one miss
ing. Best Of ALL we have brought back
a captive, the daughter of the white chief
of the flying guns which load themselves.
Let me hand her over to our women;
they will know how to make her cry;
and we will send her head to the white
chief, to show that his guns cannot reach
to the Indian country. Have 1 spoken
well?"
A murmur Of assent followed the
chiefs speech; and supposing that no
more would be said upon the matter, the
Stag was about to declare the council
closed. when an Indian sitting in the in
ner circle rose.
| My brothers, will tell you story.
The birds once went out to attack the
nest of an eagle, but the eagle was too
strong for them; and when all had gone
he went out from his nest with his chill
dren, the young eagles, and he found the
raven and two other birds hurt and un-
able to fly, and instead Of killing them,
as they might have done, the eagles took
them up to their nest and nursed them
and tended them until they were able to
NY, and then sent them home to their
other birds. So was it with Tawaina and
his two friends" And the speaker indi-
Gated with his arm two Indians sitting
at the outer edge of the circle. "Tawaina
fell at the fence where so many OF us fell,
and in the morning the white men took
him and gave him water and placed him
! in shelter and bandaged his wound; and
the little White Bird and her sister
brought him food and cool drinks every
day and looked pitifully at him. But
Tawaina said to himself: The white men
are only curing Tawaina that when the
time comes they may see how an Indian
can die. But when he was well they
brought horses and put bow and arrows
into our hands and bade us go free. 1t is
only in the battle that the great white
chier Is terrible. He has great heart.
The enemies he killed he did not triumph
over. He laid them in great grave.
lie honored them, and planted trees with
dropping leaves at their head and at their
feet, and put fence round that the
ioNes might not touch their bones. Shall
the Indian be less generous than the
white man? Even those taken in battle
they spared and sent home. Shall we
Kill the White Bird captured in her nest?
My brothers will not do so. They will
send back the White Bird to the great
white chief Have | spoken well?"
This time confused murmur ran round
the circle. Some Of the younger men were
struck with this appeal to their gener.
oSity, and were in favor of Tawainos
proposition; the elder and more ferocious
Indians were altogether opposed TO il.
Speaker succeeded speaker some urg-
ing one side of the question, some the
other.
At last the Stag again rose. "Afy broth.
crs,' he said, my ears have heard
strange words and my spirit is troubled.
Tawaina has told us of the ways of the
whites after battle; but the Indians
ways are not as the whites ways. and
the Stag is too old to learn new fashions.
lie looks round, he sees many lodges emp.
~ he sees many women who have no
husbands to hunt game. he hears the
voices Of children who cry for meat. He
remembers his brothers who fell before