Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-12-18

dren had vanished like mist before the
morning sun. Anything more jealous.
more importunate than an Indian IN
search of gift have never met. My
store of thimbles-used for decoration
purposes on1y-necklaceS, gun-metal
buckles, scarlet betting and cambria
sashes was exhausted. -Yee l must find
a wedding present. I had it. From
the shopping-bag which I carried in
my tramps with the agent as recep-
tacle for the different specimens OF
F, wild flowers to be found, l drew
! gaudy silk handkerchief 1t gave me
| genuine pleasure to pass it on. II had
! come into my possession rather against
my will only the day before. 1 had
been taking solitary ramble along
| the trees bordering the river, and
great, fierce-lookihg Indian woman had
met me and thrust the thing in my
face with an imperative, BUY, buy,
buy" To humor her / had taken it,
giving her at the same time a piece of
silver Then, thinking to make her
little more human, little less fierce,
J held it out to her again.
Take it," spoken in my most win
ming notes, "and tie it about your neck.
l am sure you would not wish to part
with IT.
She had thrown, actually thrown it
/ back at me, and sped away with curse
for sSme one on her tongue. Assuredly
l was glad to pass the 'kerchief on to
Watona.
With pardonable pride I shook it out
of it's folds, and laid it on the knee OF
the bride Her eyes lighted greedily,
but before she could grasp it Young
Bear had it in his hands. SOL" he
muttered; then again that retrospective
"Soi"
| Watona made two Intellectual at
tempts to get the thing into her posses
sion ut is mine, mine:" SIR kept re-
iterating, but he did not pay the least
attention. Once caught his eye fash
ing swiftly toward a distant corner,
| and following his glance I made a
curious discovery. What I had thought
to be dog lying under gray blanket
was no dog, but human being. A
hand pushed the blanket aside, up
came a dark face; two blazing eyes
fastened themselves on the Indian and
his bride. Watona began pushing her
brass bracelets up and down excitedly,
clamoring the while for her posses
sions. Big Bear sat unheeding, 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 recumbent figure in the
corner rose to it's full height and came
forward. With a start I recognized
the Indian woman who had sold me
the handkerchief. There was no mis-
taking that strong face, that great fig
ure, no mistaking the eyes which
seemed demanding that some wrong
as deep as hell be righted. Yet, when
she spoke, her voice was calm, almost
contemptuous "Give it to me-" She
held the 'kerchief off, and looked at it
) her fingers fingered on it. cit was
mine. My man, my man, Watona, 1ait
; it on my first-born's cradle as a gift
for me- My young chief, my straight
; thing, my strong and laughing thing
put out hands for it, would have it."
; Young Bear called out savagely, bu
as it was in his native tongue I could
} only conclude from the way she met i
that he was commanding her to leave
the lodge.
''It is not time,'' she said. Al
through she spoke in English a:
, though wishing me to understand wha
was going forward. 81 will not go yet
Shall Lala go back to her own peopl
7 and cry for all to hear my head is IL
the dust?' You cast me forth, yo'
take hero, the scorn immeasurabl
, in that word-'to your bed, you pu
:, my chains on her-see my neck Is bare
|
, are bare-put all on her, Lala Is naked
, You give her fish, and bread, and game
!, Lala hungers. You say go, yet Lal
q stays. She will not go in disgrace t
her people. She bides her time"
Watona gave her malignant glance
. "You are no longer Lala the strong
o you die soon, very soon," she sale
tauntingly. The other shook the 'ker
: chief to and fro, holding it where tn
sun crept through the entrance to tn
lodge. "He is dead, my little warrior
@ and so-and so it does not matter: lie
her have it" With a quick motion sh
. flung 1t fair in Watona's face, Th
n great figure swept out of the lodge
There was that about her whic
t brought mist to my eyes; she ha
d the expression, the bearing Of som
= big animal of the wood, mortal
wounded and shelterless, no spot /
h which to hide.
a "Lala the discarded" called tn
n odious Watona after her. "Lala,
dog that skulks at the door she is Oh
i, dered from; a dog that eats crumt
lr from an enemy's table. Yah! Yah
- Yahi"
Young Bears face expressed admir-:
ID ton.
W Good squaw, Watona; fine squaw!