The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-07-09

superiority was jolted when they found
the man was a woman-that, too, a
very young woman.
Continued and better acquaintance
resulted between Martha Craig and the
oxford professors. Modest sincere,
Martha found she knew comparatively
little of metaphysics, history and phys
icaI science. At once she advertised in
French newspapers for a place where
she might teach English and gymnas-
tics and in return take a course in col
lege studies. Such a place was found
in the old town of Nismes. There the
girl taught and studied six years till
she knew French as well as English
and acquired exact scientific knowl
edge. Especially electricity attracted
her, as it does to this day. She is now
studying to be a practical electrical
engineer in furtherance of an inven-
ton which has floated visionlike before
her mind for years.
She went back to Ireland and became
a tourist agent for Irish railways, still
following her aim of seeing the world.
Her sphere of action broadened year
by year till at length she found herself
in Canada acting in the interests of
immigration to the Dominion.
Now let us go back and pick up an
other thread OF. this pleasant story.
When little Martha Craig was at
home reading the books in the library
she found LongfelIow's tale of "Hia-
watha." Hill and mountain folk of in
tellect who live in regions away from
the busy world have ever a nature of
deep spirituality. Martha Craig read
"HiaWatha" and became convinced
that it was only a fragment, that there
was a great body of Indian religious
lore of which Longfellow or even
Schoolcraft from whom the poet OBJ
tot nod hi
nothing. She herself religious by ma
ture, wondered if there was ever a race
of men left without d spiritual teacher
or the spiritual light. She took two
Indian guides, a tent and a canoe and
dived deep into woods untrodden of
white men to study and collect stories
of the red mans mythology With her
Indians and her canoe she journeyed
500 miles into the beautiful wilderness.
Five summers she spent among the
northern red men.
She acquired treasure untold. When
the natives found she came among
them as a friend, wishing only to learn
the tradition and lore that had been
handed down among them for ages,
they opened their souls to her freely.
They introduced her to their venerable
keeper of the secrets. She found that
the chief who had given to Schoolcraft
the story of Hiawatha was actually liv-
ing, old, old as the trees and rocks
themselves, he seemed, when she look
ed upon him, an imposing, antique fig
ure.
She found confirmation of her belief
that no race has ever been, as she ex-
presses it, left without a witness"
Among these wild red men of the north
she discovered distinct tradition of the
fall of man from a high spiritual state
and his redemption through a Christ
who himself had to become perfected
through temptation. The name of this
Indian Christ is Mitchie Wabun, and
concerning him there is great store
of beautiful and poetic legend. Miss
Craig has published several books con-
corning her journeyingsg and investi-
cations among the Canadian aborig-
ines. She is now lecturing, giving fas-
cinatinG talks that actually make one