Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-01-20
CHAPTER /.

1 ItihtHiDeI pOlslHs Hdheu upou
rock, ready to dive into Lake George.
This memory stands at the end of
diminishing vista; the extreme point
Of coherent recollection. My body aud
muscular limbs reflected in the water
filled me with savage pride.
knew, as the beast knows its herd.
that my mother Marianne was hanging
the pot over the fire pit In the center
Of our lodge. The children were play
ing with other papooses, and my father
was hunting down the lake. The hunt
ing and fishing were good, and We had
plenty of meat. Skenedonk, whom l
considered u person belonging TO my
self, was stripping more slowly on the
rock behind me. We were heated with
wood ranging. Aboriginal life. prime
val and vigor-giving, lay behind me
when | plunged expecting to strike out
under the delicious forest shadow.
When | came up the sun had van
ished, the woods and their shadow
were gone. So we're the Indian chill
d!en playing on the shore, and the
shore with them. My mother Mari
anne might still be hanging her pot in
the lodge. But all the hunting lodges
OF our people were rs completely lost
as il had entered another world.
My head was bandaged, as discov-
cred when ! turned II TO look around.
The walls were not the log walls of our
lodge, chinked with moss and topped
by bark roof. On the contrary, they
were grander than the inside OF st.
Regis church, where took my first
communion, though that was built OF
stone. These walls were paneled, as
learned afterward to call that noble
finishing, and ornamented with pic
lures, and crystal sockets for candles.
The use Of the crystal sockets was evil
sent. for one shaded wax light burned
near me. The ceiling was not COM
rosed of wooden beams like some Ca
madam houses, but divided itself into
Panels also, rejecting the light with
dark rosy shining. Lace work finer
than priests white garments flutter-
Cd at the windows.
| had dived early In the afternoon,
and It was night. Instead Of finding
myself still stripped for swimming.
had a loose robe around me, and Il COW
erlet drawn up to my armpits. The
couch under me was by no means OF
hemlock twigs and skins, like our
hunks at home, but soft and rich. l
wondered II had died and gone to
he i,tg hpn ha vtruip
moved past my head and stood looking
down AT, me. ! started to jump out of
Ii window, but felt so little power to
move that | only twitched and pre-
tended to be asleep and watched her
as we sighted game, with eyes nearly
shut. She had u pOppet of child on
one arm that sat up instead of leaning
against her shoulder, and looked at
me, too. The poppet had cap on its
head and was dressed in lace, and she
wore q white dress than let her neck
ind arms out, but covered her to the
ground. This was remarkable, as the
Indian women covered their necks and
arms and wore their petticoats short.
| could see this image breathe, which
was marvel. and the color moving
under her white skin. Her eyes seemed
to go through you and search all the
veins sending n sbiyer of Measure
down your hock
Now I know after the first start that
she was living Girl holding a living
Ibaby. and when NV father. Thomas
WILLIAMS, appeared at the door Of the
room. IL was certain | could not be in
heaven. II came over me in n flash
that | myself was changed. In sbite
of the bandages nv head was as clear