The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-12-10

moro importunato th1a m Indian in
search Of gift have never met. My
store Of thimbles-used for decoration
purposes only-necklaces, gun-metal
buckles, scarlet betting and cambria
sashesswns exhausted. Yet must md
q wedding present. had 1t. From
the shopping-bag which carried in
my tramps with the agent a. . recep-
tacle for the different specimens Of
wild flowers to be found, drew .
gaudy silk handkerchief. It gave mo
genuine pleasure to pass 1t on. It had
come into my possession rather against
my will only the day before. had
been taking solitary ramble along
the trees bordering the river, and q
great, fierce-looking 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 piece Of
silver. Then, thinking to make her
little more human, little less fierce,
held it out to her again. ,-s@s..
"Take it," spoken in my most win
ming notes, "and tie it about your neck.
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 some one on her, tongue. Assuredly
was glad to pass the 'kerchief on to
Watona.
With pardonable pride shook 1t out
of its folds, and laid it on the knee Of
the bride. Her eyes lighted greedily,
but before she could grasp 1t Young
Bear had 1t in his hands. sSo!" he
muttered; then again that retrospective
"So!"
Watona made two Intellectual at
tempts to get the thing into her possess
sion. ..'It is mine, mine!" she kept re-
iterating, but he did not pay the least
attention. Once caught his eye fash
ing swiftly toward distant corner,
and following his glance I made q
curious discovery. What had thought
to be dog lying under gray blanket
was no dog, but q human being. A
hand pushed the blanket aside, up
came 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, q
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 its full height and came
forward. With q 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 installing tho 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 OF, and looked at It,
her fingers fingered on it. ''It was
mine. My man, my man. Watona. laid
J! It on my first-born,s cradle rs q gift
for me. My young chief, my straight
thing, my strong and laughing thing
put out hands for 1t, would have it."
Young Bear called out savagely, but
as, it was in his native tongue, could
only conclude from the way she met II
that he was commanding her to leave
the lodge. -
"1t is not time" she said. All
through she spoke in English as
though wishing me to understand what
was going forward. II will not go yet.
Shall Lala go back to her own people
and cry for all to hear my head Is IN
the dust?' You cast me forth, you
take hero, the scorn Unreasonable
in that word-''to your bed, you put
| my chains on her-see my neck is bare,
! put my moccasfns on her-see my feet
are bare-put all on her.. Lala is naked.
You give her fish, and bread, and game,
! Lala hungers. You say go. yet Lala
stays. She will not, go In disgrace to
her people. She bides her time.'
Watona gave her a malignant glance.
"You are no longer Lala the strong;
you die soon, very soon," she said,
taunungly. The other shook the 'ker-
chief to and fro, holding it where the
sun crept through the entrance to the
lodge. "He is dead, my little warrior,
and so-and SO 1t does not matter; let
her have it,. With quick motion she
flung 1t fair in Watona's face. The
great figure swept out Of the lodge
There was that about her which
brought mist to my eyes: she had
the expression. the bearing Of some
big animal of the wood. MORALLY
wounded and shelterless, no. spot In
which to hide.
'.Lala the discarded" called the
odious Watona after her. ..Lala, Z
] dog that skulls at the door she is or.
dered from; q dog that eats crumb,
from an enemy's table. Yah! Yah!
Yah!" tlfff i,
Young Bears face expressed admira,
ton. is,t
Good squaw, Watona; fine squaw!'
he said, with q servile smile which
filed me with rage. "the light Of Younl
Bears eyes,"
| The discreet agent had me,awa,
| from the tDlace. nsno time. Eis polio,
was to keen On friendly terms with