Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-31

as Sir William had spoken to Quider
with three belts. and my words were
earnest and pitiful, for my heart was
full Of tenderness for Sir William and
for these patient children Of his, these
lost ones, SO far from the doors Of the
Long House.
The last belt was passed, flashing
through the smoke. The chief sachem
of the Cayugas rose to receive it, a
tall, withered man of the Wolf tribe,
painted and draped in scarlet. His
dim, wrinkled eyes peered at me
through the smoke.
For long time the silence was bro
ken only by the rustling flames be-
tween us. Then the old man placed the
i belt at his feet, Strengthened up and
spoke feebly:
Brother, 1t Is to be known that the
Six Nations never meet in council
when mourning until some brother
speaks as you have spoken.
Brother, we mourn great men dead.
Our father, through you, our elder
brother, has purified our fires, our
Threats, our eyes. Where the dead sat
among us three tribes have you raised
up.
Brother, listen attentively!'
Behind him from the great painted
lodge nine Indian boys entered the fire
circle and stood proudly with folded
arms and heads erect. And the old
sachem, in his scarlet robes, laid his
shaking hand on each youth as he pass
ed, always turning his aged eyes to
peer at me as he repeated in his feeble
cracked voice of child:
I'VE acquaint you that one Of our
sachems, called Quider, is dead We
raise up this boy in his place and give
him the same name"
And after each boy had been named
from one Of the dead Cayugas he gave
me string Of wampum to confirm it,
while the chant Of coincidence rose
from the seated chiefs and sachems, a
never ending repetition of brave his
tories and prophecy Of brave deeds
from the beginning Of all things
far future locked in silence.
Hour after hour I stood with bent
head and arms folded Oh my breast.
Sometimes I prayed as II stood that
evil be averted from these wards of
our king Sometimes grew hot with
anger at the men who could 80 vilely
misuse them.
The sun hung above the pines. A
slender purple cloud belted it. celes-
tial belt in pledge Of promised storms,
gathering somewhere beyond the
worlds green rim.
I watched the cloud growing. The
sun died out through golden smother
from which plumes Of vapor swept
over the heavens, thickening till all
the sky was covered with painted
fleece And as watched the storms
banners hanging from midheaven the
chant ended, and in silence three chiefs
arose and moved toward me through
the smoke. One by one they spoke to
me, naming themselves: Yellow Hand
Tamarack, the ancient sachem robed
L in scarlet, and lastly the war chief
Sowanowane.
It was Tamarack who continued:
Brother, we have heard. The three
; ensigns of our nation have heard.
pCOluGE, we dll UGdI tuls
great wrong done US by Colonel Ores
, ap. We are patient because Sir Will
liam asks it of us. But under these tai
pines around us lie hatchets buried
: deep among the pine trees roots. See
brother! Our hands are clean. We have
, not dug in the earth for hatchets.
: Brother, we pray that our eldel
mil
from us his agent Greathouse. W.
! pray that no more spirits be sold to til.
: Cayugas. We pray this because W,
, cannot resist an offered cup. We pra,
: this because we drink-and die. 1t Il
death to us, death to our children
death to our nation.
; Brother. bear our belts to our IA
ther, Sir William Johnson, and to oul
elder cousin, Lord Dunmore Interced,
e with them that they may heed ou
prayers.
;, "Brother, depart in health and hon
q or, bearing these sacred belts o
: peace
:. A frightful scream cut him short
y Scream after scream arose from tn
= hidden LODGES.
q Somebody was coming somebod,
Flooding heavily, shrieking at ever
step, nearer, nearer-an old woma
. who staggered out into the circle o
: the council, dragging the limp body Q
, young girl.
''Ninep' she gasped. Mine slain a
| dawn by Greenhouse! Nine of the fan
| lily Of Logan! Look, you wise men an
sachems! Look at Logan's child! Deal
Slain by Greathouse! Nine! Mother an
children lie by the road, slain as the
slept; slain sleeping the poisoned slee
of Greathouse! Dead, dead, dead"
Dry eyed, sick with horror, | move
forward, and the stir seemed to arous
| the sachems. One by one they locke
down at the dead, then turned the
flashing eyes on me. stroye to speal
I could not utter sound.
The old sachem bent slowly and too
1 handful of ashes from the cold en-
Il bers. Then, rubbing them on his fac